Show if Y- Y 4 w f CI CN r AMIR J By General ARED WHITE A metallic click told him o A. A A WHit C hg his weapon was empty spy mess at Eighth Corps Area Headquarters Better bring br him back to Wash Wash- Washington WashIngton ington at once General Hague de de- tided Instruct corps area to ship him by fast plane Benning must sail from New York for France with with- without without out delay That's all Captain Allan Benning Bening In civilian clothes sat waiting in a battered old coupe just outside Fort Sam Hous Hous- ton For two weeks we ks past he had been following one of those slender threads of Investigation that were in intended tended to connect local espionage ac activities ac- ac activities with the Van Hassek army in Mexico Important secrets had been stolen from southern military headquarters at the fort Not least of these was the secret tables of organization of the proposed new American fighting division Gone too was the file copy of army mobilization plans Bennings Benning's suspicion had centered promptly on a staff sergeant Gau Gau- Jos Not by reason of any any action on the part of the sergeant but be be- because because because cause of an eloquent intangible the t e palpable Inconsistency of background personality and Intelli intelli- Intelligence intelligence gence with his present occupation was a man of forty a Frenchman by birth had served as asa asa asa a combat pilot with the French air corps during the World War Three years ago he had taken out papers I as an American citizen and enlisted in the army At headquarters superiors swore by him He was highly com com- competent competent as an administrative clerk having supervision over half hall a doz dozen en typists To the casual observer might have hake appeared a sat sat- saturnine saturnine stolidly satisfied satisfied- man who had given up the struggle for higher success and settled happily into his present little groove His face was long lean and angular and with small level black eyes in which there was no friendliness With Benning Bening it had been a mat mat- matter matter ter of baiting a trap He had fabri fabri- fabricated fabricated a secret report that American reserves were being sent to the bor bor- border border der and had bad it placed the night be be- before before fore where would find it in inthe Inthe inthe the course of his duty today Now Benning Bening was waiting for to leave the fort when the headquarters crew knocked off work for the day The suspected man took a bus Into San Antonio and had dinner diner at a hotel He engaged a taxicab and headed south out of the city It was dusk when left his taxicab I and proceeded down the road on foot from a point south of the old county poor farm Benning Bening parked his own coupe by the roadside and held the trail from a discreet distance The suspected masquerader turned sud sud- suddenly suddenly denly off the road Into a field Ben Ben- Benning nIng recognized it as a field that did service on occasion as an emergency place landing-place for student filers flIers from Randolph Field A fringe of willows lay along the road and through these plunged with the de decisiveness of a man who knows where he Is going But Benning Bening learned a few mo moments ments meats later that was not off his guard As the captain eased Into the willows a stab of flame blinded his eyes the bark of a pistol clapped his ears He dove to the ground his right hand whipping his own service pistol into play and sent a bullet driving at the spot whence had bad come the attack Then he lay tensely wait ing The grim silence that followed was broken shortly by the over kicking of ofa ofa a propeller out In the field followed by the easy purr of ot a powered high engine tuning for a take As Benning Bening leaped to his feet teet his eyes made out In the vague light a figure zigzagging at high speed into the field fiel Aiming carefully he sent one bullet after another driving after the fugitive until a metallic click told him his weapon was empty The runner made the plane vault vault- vaulted vaulted vaulted ed inside Benning Bening now helpless to act saw the shadowy plane wad waddle dIe dle down the stubble and roar into the sky In a twinkling it was swallowed swallowed lowed up in the void of a Texas twilight t. t Henning Benning swore under his breath at his ill III luck returned to his coupe and drove to his hotel botel In San An An- tonio There was a burn bum at his hI neck which told him of ot a n close call caU with death He examined it critically decided de de- decided decided it was not serious enough to require an tetanus anti anti antl tetanus treatment and called the corps area G 2 G 2 officer Lieutenant Colonel Bart on the telephone Hard luck sir he reported But at least the experience con con- confirms confirms firms a hot trail No doubt was a more Important agent than we thought and its it's likely he has a team in San Antonio Bart replied crisply Meet me Immediately at Kelly Field Ben Ben- ning Drive as fast as your fv- fv flivver ver will take you When fifteen minutes later Ben Ben- ping ning sped up to the gate at the fly fly- flyIng flying Ing field Lieutenant Colonel Bart was waiting in a military sedan into which he ushered the captain at once Ive a fast plane waiting for you Benning Bening Bart announced Youre to return immediately to Washing Washing- Washington ton ton orders orders of the Chief of G Benning felt the rise of his pulse as they drove down along the rows of hangars to where a sleek new ob observation ob- ob observation plane waited with spinning motors A captain In flying togs was standing under the fuselage of the observation plane Bart said to him Wallin this Is your passenger for Washington Youre You're to deliver him there in the shortest possible time That's all all Captain In the sky there was the first rose glow of approaching sunrise sunrise when Benning Bening made out through the glass bottom of ot the plane the wide silver sUver ribbon of the Potomac In Inthe Inthe Inthe the distance Washington's Monument ment meat stood sentinel over the sleep sleep- sleeping sleeping ing capital the large round domes of ot Congress loomed up out of the granite and marble huddle of govern govern- government government government ment buildings As the plane swung down for a landing at Bolling Boiling Field he glimpsed the gray hulk that houses the State Department and near near-by the trim outlines of the White House CHAPTER H n The plane swung back across the Anacostia and glided to a landing Benning thanked the pilot for a safe journey north and sped by military sedan across the river Into Washing Washing- ton At the War Department he went to the second floor and reported to the G 2 G 2 section Colonel had come down early for Bennings Benning's arrival His placid unemotional face broke in a slight smile and his eyes sparkled at sight of the young officer He led the captain Into a private office and closed the door Without formality said Someone must go Into Mexico and get the facts Benning Bening I needn't remind you of the danger of such an enterprise While I have thought of you for the detail you need not ac accept ac- ac accept unless you want to Thanks for thinking of me Colo Cob Colonel nel net Benning Bening said with an easy smile When do you wish me to leave There was an approving gleam In Inthe inthe the eyes as he took from his pocket a bulky sealed letter and handed it to Benning Youre sailing for Europe at elev eleven en on the America Available Information information In in- formation Is in this letter When youve you've read It destroy it by burn burn- ing You'd better take a commer commercial commercial cial plane to New York Your boat reservations have been attended to On landing at Southampton cross the Channel Chanel to Le Havre and pro pro- proceed proceed proceed to Paris by express Our am am- ambassador ambassador Mr Shields will be ex ex- expecting expecting expecting you in Paris Any question BennIng Bening I think not sir Benning Bening said Good G od luck said rising Do a thorough job of it and get the Mexican picture back here as soon as possible consistent with thor thor- I Ill I'll have an officer at the airport with your tickets and ex ex- expense expense expense pense money That's all Captain The embassy staff had calculated to the minute when Benning Bening was due to arrive from the Gare Care du Nord No sooner had be he dropped the bronze knocker than the embassy front door opened A bespectacled male sec secretary looked him over In sharp ap ap- appraisal and said You are the gen gentleman were we're expecting Captain Benning Bening juSt Juit In from the United States the captain an hn lOwered Please come in the secretary said sold Mr Shields has reserved this hour and is waiting for tor you The ambassador was at the door of his reception room to receive his visitor Mr Shields was a portly smartly groomed man n In late mid mid- middle middle dle die life His round florid face was an Ingratiating smile as he invited Benning Bening to a scat seat and tendered a cigarette Im glad youre you're here on or the dot Benning he said Theres quite a abit abit abit bit to be done in Paris and you must be in Bordeaux tomorrow to catch your boat for Vera Cruz Benning Bening said Im at your dis dIs- disposal dIsposal dis- dis disposal sir The ambassador regarded his vis vis- visitor visItor vis- vis visitor with a certain whimsical I He lighted a cigarette You know Benning Bening he said I decidedly envy you this opportunity for distinguished service I think I know what's under the surface of ot things In Europe but I cant can't prove anything in hi the concrete way that's necessary So you must go to Mex Mex- Mexico MexIco ico leo to do the job Id suppose sir Benning com com- commented commented that our government was Informed at least of the larger dip dip- diplomatic diplomatic diplomatic facts Facts Shields echoed the word derisively But theres there's only one accepted fact In international rela rela- relations relations relations today that the maps are list listed ed for an overhaul Outwardly ev ev- everyone everyone everyone Is praying for peace to come out of the current muddle Under the surface the big question is When will the lid blow off Were We're looking to you for the answer Benning Bening Bennings Benning's eyes narrowed Im not sure I 1 understand sir Mr Shields laughed mirthlessly Ill Til speak frankly Why after those those devastating murderous months of savage mass murder last year did the Coalition Powers patch up an armistice with the Allies while their armies squatted Inconclusively on a mere segment of conquered Europe Ostensibly to work out a peace formula to save civilization But now everyone suspects the ar armistice ar- ar armistice is a Coalition subterfuge to shift some alignments gather new forces and vastly and vastly more important circumvent the United States from froma a disastrous armed intervention I didn't mean to get all steamed up upon upon upon on that subject Benning Bening But in inthis Inthis inthis this grim world of reality in which I have to work our smug provincial provincial- provincialIsm Ism at home does get on my nerves at times not not notto to mention how it cramps our style Getting down to your work do you by any chance remember the case of a Lieutenant of our army who escaped some two years ago from the Unit Unit- United United ed States Very distinctly sir Benning Bening an an- answered answered answered at once Happened In my myown myown myown own regiment at Fort Jay Brom Brom- litz was accused of stealing can can- canteen canteen canteen teen funds When the adjutant ar ar- arrested arrested arrested rested him knocked the adjutant down and In his efforts to escape shot and killed the corporal of the guard By some black magic then vanished Into thin air At the present moment Mr Shields said is at the fortress of VIncennes held geld eld Incommunicado incommunicado incommunicado by the French They nipped him a few days ago when he arrived from Luxembourg as an army Intelligence operative for the past year It Ii seems he had made connection with Van Hassek agents and was selected for the Mexican service Benning Bening made a swift deduction and said dryly I assume sir that I am to go go goto to Mexico masqueraded as an escaped murderer A very lucky break Benning Bening We have the whole Inside of it is known to be an American with a record that strips him of any possible possible possible ble American loyalties As a former American officer Van Hassek no doubt thinks the fellow a valuable acquisition Gave him the rank of ot major which you now Inherit It a bit extraordinary sir that the French learned all this Benning Bening wanted to know pot Not ot when you consider the facts it appears has a flair for romance He fell very much in love with a girl in Luxembourg told her his plans promised to send for her heras heras heras as soon as he be could afford it It And she spilled the beans The ambassador smiled and said Why not The French keep their ears to the ground and they've been paging since he be first showed up In Luxembourg They put their cleverest she agent on him a Mademoiselle Lucette Ducos The French arc are turning pass pass- passports passports ports and secret orders over to us You'll need only to transfer your own wn photograph to the passports The French have a special special cial process for doing this At your convenience en route to Mexico you should practice his signature I thought too you might want to look the fellow over to refresh your mem memo memory ory cry on his bis mannerisms Captain Benning Bening thought briefly and got to his bis feet Very good sir he said If that's the game Im I'm ready to go goto goto to VIncennes The ambassador banded Benning Bening Benninga Beninga a packet of ot papers comprising the carte and several orders In German and Italian A secretary came into the room to tomake tomake tomake make a photograph of Benning Bening for tor transfer to the passports Benning Bening then left the embassy and took a taxicab to VIncennes Benning Bening passed out of Paris through the Porte de Bercy and sped to the grim old walls of ot the ancient citadel A sentry challenged at the gate examined Bennings Benning's creden creden- credentials credentials credentials and sent him to the comman comman- commandant commandant dant who dispatched a sous lous to guide the American to the Brom Brom- litz cell TO DE CONTINUED |