Evening star., 1943-09-05
"HE long. ululating wall of the siren OF FL
Sueno-by-the-Sea brought Bill Barbour

SuenO-Oy-tne-Sca Drought DIN bdIUOM
= awake. Once, in simple note, the siren
had announced only fires, or near-drownings
on the beach; now an attached gadget gave it
sinister warble Drawing his knees up to his
chin, Bill rolled himself to a sitting posture on
the edge of the bed, and cropping in the black
ness about his feet. found his socks and shoes
He stood up against the chair on which.
retiring last night. he had piled his clothes
in canny successive order: reversing the order.
he put them on one by one. He hung his gas
mask against his chest; then put on the heavy
steel helmet He stood moment, shivering
a bit with the discomfort of the abrupt
awakening, and addressed the darkness. Last
time" he said re1ectively. Il was sitting on
top of the world"
He snapped on his electric torch and
stamped out. Going down the outside stairs,
he felt his knees reak and hurt. DAMN
he remarked ruefully. But when he had
reached the street "a lane, rather, that
stopped hundred yards farther on, at the
cliff, the beach, and the Pacific - touch OF
exultation secretly galvanized him. He stood
up alone under the great dome of sky. which
was pregnant so the siren had warned =
with monstrous threat, and all about him the
little houses of his own two blocks huddled
silent and dark, their inmates sheltered.
The siren had now quit; in the deep quiet
he set out on his rounds. First he climbed
little old Miss Compton's stoop. and knocked
guardedly at her front door.
DOME time ago, on one of his official visits,
he had made bargain with the little old lady.
She had explained that, not being very well,
she went to bed every evening right after
supper, hence had no blackout problem; she
would simply make no light all night She
would continue to 60 to bed with the sun; and
bed was as good place as any to be during
a raid - if there was raid. Except, maybe,
that she would like to know.
Miss Compton. Miss Compton" he called
low in the darkness YES" the gentle little
cracked voice came back. "Blackout, Miss
Compton, "Yes, know I'm in bed"
Bills two blocks held several such little
old ladies who through with the tur-
moil of life, had come in search of few 4
last pldClQ OdyS III ILLS NAloSC Cy @AAS
sea- His heart was soft as he resumed
his patrol and his resentment wobbly.
But he was stubborn. He raised his ~
head and this time it was the stars he
addressed. Last time" he told them,
II was sitting on top of the world"
He now saw the long slit of light that
leaked out of the Carter cottage, and hurried
toward it. This was an Army family - and
always the most difficult. They were playing
bridge in blaze of light as he came into the
living room. and Mrs. Carter Immediately
took him in hand "As you know, my son-in-
law, Lieutenant Thorndyke is at the Fort
only six miles away. I've just had him on the
phone and he tells me that all the Fort
buildings are simply a-blaze with lights
But meanwhile Bill had spotted her Offend
ING window, and was stopping the leak with
a quilt picked up from the davenport. He
couldn't know about the Fort. He had no
relatives there. Maybe the commandant at