Telegram Serial I 1 Dangerous Baggage By ey Eleanor Atterbury 1 CHAPTER 24 2 Across the street and down half hall a block the lights of an all- all night hamburger stand winked I faintly through the fog He had said It would be 15 minutes anyway anyway anyway any any- way before they could start Plenty of time to get a cup of coffee And she glanced up and down the empty street as she crossed she could see any loiterers coming In n plenty of time to warn Goodwin A sleepy proprietor drew her hera a steaming cup of fragrant hot coffee slapped her nickel Into the cash register and went back to his without a word Sharon perched on the stool at atthe atthe atthe the end of the counter so she could watch the door and the street beyond sipped the hot coffee gratefully felt warmth flow back Into her chilled body And with It renewed courage She was just finishing her second cup when the two men walked In Startled because they seemed to have appeared out of ot the cobblestones she was in instantly instantly instantly in- in aware of their scrutiny If these were the loiterers Mr Goodwin was expecting she could understand perfectly why he had been Insistent she stand watch Two harder grimmer- grimmer looking faces shed she'd never seen She drained her cup set it down slowly If It she left now they might be suspicious It would look as if she were running running run run- I ning away Calmly she pushed her cup across the counter Sharon Orders More Coffee To Stall for Time More coffee please The two men ordered coffee each took a part of the dog dog- eared newspaper stuck In the empty paper napkin rack seemed absorbed In n the news S See Seemed e e m e d Sharon thought watching them covertly because even her slightest gesture did not go unobserved She was sure of ot that Finally when she could stall no longer she slipped down off the stool made herself walk slowly to the door close it deliberately deliberately deliberately de de- de- de behind her Then careful not to hurry until she was out of sight she slipped into shadows raced down the block to where she stood opposite opposite opposite site the big warehouse Then she stopped a moment to look back She saw the two men leave the stand start down the street toward her Th They y walked slowly almost as if aimlessly Probably she was just imagining their surveillance After all any lone woman in a w waterfront hamburger hamburger hamburger hambur hambur- ger stand would arouse suspicious suspicious suspicious cious interest Particularly one dressed in a mans man's cap and raincoat raincoat raincoat rain rain- coat She suppressed a little laugh as she realized what a grotesque appearance she must make now Then boldly she stepped out into the street hurried across walked directly past the narrow narrow narrow nar nar- row office door Into the shadow of the next building There again she turned to watch the two strangers They were crossIng crossing crossing cross- cross Ing the street toward her Turning back s she h e walked more quickly toward the ware ware- house The The Themen men behind her quickened quickened quickened quick quick- ened their pace too Sharon began to run Behind her the sound of running running running run run- ning steps drawing nearer A scream leapt to her lips burst just as she gained the office office office of of- fice door closed it behind her locked it Mr Goodwin Give Out the Big Guns and Plenty of Ammunition Instantly he appeared a black scowl on his face distorting it so she clapped her hand over her lips as if to call back the scream They followed me she ex ex- Two men They ran ran ran- outside now I think Turning Goodwin snapped off the light Keep quiet he said savagely Moving to the one window he watched motionless In the si silence silence silence si- si lence Sharon could hear the thunder of her heart Behind her from the warehouse someone someone someone some some- one appeared stood waiting Goodwin as If hed he'd sensed rather than heard the man appear appear appear ap ap- ap- ap pear turned muttered a terse No danger yet Probably they'll be back Give out the big guns guns and and plenty of ammu ammu- The man nodded turned without without without with with- out speaking Outside the lights of a solitary passing car flooded Into the room for a moment Long enough for Sharon to see plainly plain plain- ly the tall man who stood beside beside beside be be- side her Dennis she gasped clutched clutch clutch- ed his arm You here Dont talk Goodwin com com- Dennis hesitated then turned back toward the warehouse dis dis- appeared After that Sharon heard the deep growl of mens men's voices lowered lowered lowered low low- ered heard the metallic click as guns were loaded A A young arsenal Dennis had described it Sharon remembered now as many facts came out into the clear to be fitted into a logical picture Of course This was the warehouse Dennis had been working all this time Why hadn't she thought of that ZAnd Z And this the precious Montana wheat But what had all this to do with the shipment of Sierra Sierra Sierra Sier Sier- ra steel valves and why why who who If there were guns there guns there would be shooting And Dennis in n the thick of it But Dennis didn't know much more about firing a gun than she did Much less a machine gun Besides Besides- what if he should get excited and really shoot someone This was no place for a hot-headed hot boy like Dennis Mr Goodwin should have had more judgment than to to- to Spurred by her anxiety she sheran sheran sheran ran back into the office where Goodwin still watched at the weather-stained weather window What were were you thinking of to let Dennis work in a a. place like this where where- where Keep still The command came like a physical blow Stunned Sharon waited for him to explain When he didn't she tried again Did you realize realize realize real real- ize how much danger danger- danger Z Sharon In on Set up Too Goodwin Says Certainly Youre You're in it too now dont don't forget But what is it why shouldn't you call the police if it there are dangerous enemies Goodwin turned on her Even Evenin in the dimly lit room she felt the ferocity of his scowl Keep your questions to yourself Understand Understand Understand Un Un- Do what you are told and keep your mouth shut He disappeared then Into the shadows of the huge cavernous warehouse All the growing distrust that h had d been fraying loose from the edges of her thinking for the past several days began to tangle tangle tangle tan tan- gle now in a knot of tion Fumbling her way through the dusty darkness she tried to locate Dennis Ears Earos straining for the sound of his voice she stumbled along feeling a treacherous treacherous treacherous erous path through the piles of sacks coming up smartly against the tM sharp corner of a a. packing case every now and then She had pushed her way nearly nearly nearly near near- ly to the end of the warehouse before she discovered him Posted Posted Posted Post Post- ed like a sentry not 10 yards from the gangplank Dennis stood stood holding holding a machine gun No one moved up the gangplank now No one moved on the darkened boat behind She wasn't even sure it really was Dennis standing there so tense so still Until he challenged her herin herin herin in a harsh whisper Who is it Z Me Dennis she answered moving toward him You better get out of here What about you Z ZHe He glanced around bent close to her ear I cant But you beat it Quick But why Dennis What is it all about Weve been suckers sis sic he whispered so low she could scarcely understand him But you beat it now before theres there's any shooting She shook her head And leave you here I can take it if it you can Whatever Is Going On OnIs OnIs OnIs Is Not on Level Listen Dont Don't be a fool he hissed I dont don't know what's going on here But its it's not on the level I know that What do you mean I mean weve we've been herded in inthis inthis inthis this barn like cattle for two days now They been afraid we might tip somebody off Sharon heard him swear softly Then Talk about your concentration camps Im I'm warning warning warning warn warn- ing you sis sic Get out of here Her terror mounting Sharon nodded Of course she wouldn't leave him now But no use to worry him She drew back out of his sight As she did she heard Goodwins Goodwin's Goodwins Goodwins Goodwin's Good Good- wins win's voice almost at her der He had she realized instantly in instantly instantly in- in stood there all the time Probably he had heard their conversation Panicked she listened listened listened lis lis- to his curt command Be Be careful how you talk Doyle came the sharp warn warn- ing Were not taking chances with squealers Make a complete complete complete com com- check of the building out out- side Report back here Outside When they might open fire any minute Sharon was horrified to see Dennis step out onto the ledge of wharf along the warehouse disappear Barely Barely Barely Bare Bare- ly wid enough for a man to walk on it was made of open pilings through which you could 1 see the black water of the bay sloshing against the timbers supporting it Sharon peering after him wa was frantic lest in inthe inthe inthe the dark he take a misstep fall headlong against those pilings pilings pil pil- ings bristling with sharp scale I I didn't intend that you should be subjected to this experience experience ex ex- Sharon Mr Goodwin's Goodwins Goodwins Goodwin's Goodwins Goodwin's Good Good- wins win's smooth courtesy now was grimly ironic Sharon instantly preferred his anger However this situation is well in hand If you do as you are told you will be in no immediate danger Go back to- to the to-the the office up front now I will meet you there In Ina ina ina a few moments Yes Mr Goodwin almost automatically But she moved only far enough to convince him she was really going back Then slipping back to the door she waited her eyes fixed on the narrow walk down which Dennis had disappeared her heart throbbing convulsively But the darkness gave up no Dennis As If hed he'd been swallowed swallowed swallowed lowed up completely no sound came save the endless sucking of the black waters below To be continued