The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-10-12

Sd1U 1A1AACO.
"Done in the beggar. Half a Sec
ond." Whenching open the door,
John took the stairs two at a
time. The empty, pitch-blac
windswept bedroom tcid him
what his terrified brain was try
ing to deny.
AS the shaded lights of the
coast guard ambulance shone
family by the big five-barred
gate, John took Alfred by the arm
and fell step or so behind.
"Now, then, it's silence for you"
he said. ''Now is the time to show
what you're made of. This is
war, and this is the sort of thing
that happens in war. But you and
must get Letter somehow"
eyes, sir"
"You must pretend you know
nothing about it. Do you under
stand?"
eyes, sir"
At the hospital John interview
ed the house surgeon. The lady
had wandered out and fallen. This
must be made perfected clear.
DR.. Warner took everything in
hand. A telephone call to Lon
don told the solicitor what had
happened. While Battle Point
buzzed with gossip for an hour or
two and then forgot it.
But Fergus Letter was almost
beside himself because his plan
had gone wrong. Hell Hitler!"
Alfred kept on saying it to him
self with an almost hypnotic eff
feet Because this sort of thing
was coming to an end pretty soon
now. Tonight was the night of
the raid on Swansea when MIR.
Wynter was going to ca &c h
Miss Hannah. Then the next day
they would have Mr.. Letter him
self.
Fergus had already warned the
girl in the office that he was
leaving. 1t was reassuring to find
that she took his departure quite
as matter of course. Fergus felt
at ease again as he flicked round
the suitcase in front of him with
a handkerchief.
"Start at the end of the rail
land get. on with the packing" he
commanded. And Alfred did as he
was told. One suit after another
until from the coat in the middle,
a little carelessly handled, fell a
fat leather case. Like lizard, AL
fred stopped, and picked it up, and
put it in his pocket. All he want
ed to do now was to get round to
Pole Star House. It was half-past
three, just the time to catch Mr..
Wynter. If only he could get quit
of this packing business, he could
cut round and be back again be-
fore anyone noticed It was vital!
The case was fat with papers! 1t
was sure to contain a code.
Fergus suddenly stopped walk
ing about the room and clasped
his hand to his pocket. "Seen a
leather case, Alfredo"
"a case, sir. Is that it, sir?" AL
fred, standing half inside the cup
board, draped with macintosh,
had taken the case out of his pock-
ct. There were times when you
had to let 60 so as to hold on
tighter later.
eyes, that's it, Fergus felt his
breath 60 short. THAT was an
important case, Alfred" Fergus
could afford to speak jauntily
now.
Eyes, SIR" said Alfred solemnly.
1t was a CHASTITY disappointment
but he had done the right thing
in handing it over Immediately.
1T looks as if was going to be
clear tonight. I hope Miss Han
nan doesn't bungle the job. Thank
God they've got shutters at Pole
Star House, otherwise that beg
gar would have thrown a span
ner into the works by having her
, there"
eyes, SIR" said Alfred, feeling
vaguely disappointed. Set free al
last he strolled downstairs, think
ing that this affair was really end.
ing very tamely-for him, al
least. The great opportunity hac
slipped through his fingers.
In the midst of the group a
, Pole Star House Odette sat, pale