Show r r Telegram Te Serial Serial- i 11 Dangerous Baggage By Eleanor Atterbury 1 CHAPTER 25 The stopping heart-stopping moments Sharon waited for Dennis to re return return return re- re turn along that treacherous catwalk catwalk catwalk cat cat- walk seemed like eons cons carved out of eternity Fruitlessly her mind pursued one plan after an an- other Should she go after Dennis Dennis Dennis Den Den- nis 1 Should she ask one of the shadowy figures moving through the warehouse to go to his aid 1 Because surely he had had time timeto to walk around the building Something must have happened to him There must be some someway someway someway way she could could could- And then she saw him him moving ing quickly sure along the narrow walk Forgetting for the moment her disobedience ence of Goodwins Goodwin's orders she stepped out of her hiding place ran toward him Oh Dennis I thought surely surely sure sure- ly- ly Hush He put a hand over her mouth You are going to have to learn to obey orders Sharon Goodwins Goodwin's voice like a steel knife at her back Any sign of disturbance Doyle Plenty sir The building is surrounded Are you sure 1 Absolutely I waited out there until I saw at least half a dozen men slip out of the next building start moving In on us Goodwin muttered an oath spoke rapidly to the men Carry out your orders orders Fire the minute you see them Then grasping Sharon's arm he propelled propelled propelled pro pro- her up the gangplank onto the deck of the darkened boat You get below below and and stay there he snapped And this time time time-do do as your told Goodwin Is Using Own Yacht For Far Transporting Valves He thrust her down a narrow companionway with such violence violence violence vio vio- lence Sharon clutched at a handrail handrail handrail hand hand- rail to keep from falling Below Belowa a small light was burning For Fora a moment she couldn't think why it all looked so familiar Then she realized This was Goodwins Goodwin's own yacht Ladybird Shed She'd only been aboard once and then just for a few moments But she was sure it was the same The same boat she boat she pushed along the passageway to the main cabin cabin but but stripped now of its elaborate furnishings And piled high with cargo Bags of wheat sh enticed And under that wheat wheat the the steel Was Goodwin taking the shipment to Los Angeles himself Was that what he meant when he said he was taking no chances that this load be lost too 1 Was it because because- The sharp report of a gun re redirected redirected redirected re- re directed her thoughts Shooting Shooting Shooting Shoot Shoot- ing She raced back to the companionway companionway companionway com com- up to the main deck Dimly she saw hurrying figures in the gloom Shrinking into a shadow Sharon watched listened If only Dennis weren't in there Why hadn't he stayed with his good safe gas station job 1 And why was he so frightened frightened frightened fright fright- ened so sure he get getaway getaway getaway away now She had to find him Once more she ran back into that fateful building Her eyes accustomed now to the dark identified none of the men moving moving moving ing near her Under foot something something something some some- thing crunched softly Stooping she touched it with her hand Grain The wheat They were ripping open the sacks dumping the precious wheat out onto the floor Spread it as thin as you can boys someone muttered panting panting panting pant pant- ing as he clambered up the pile of sacks slashing at each of the fat bags Stifling dust from the scattered scattered scattered scat scat- wheat choked her as stumbling stumbling stumbling bling slipping Sharon searched for Dennis Goodwin she located almost immediately Moving rapidly from one point to another another an an- other his sharp commands losing losing losing los los- ing none of their authority because because because be be- cause he whispered them But still no Dennis Circling to keep out of Goodwin's Goodwins Goodwins Goodwin's Goodwins Goodwin's Good Good- wins win's way she went back to the side opening Maybe he had made his escape Maybe he had gone along that catwalk dropped to the barge made his way across that to the next dock It would be one way to get out without running into Goodwin And if you moved quickly perhaps without running running running run run- ning into any of the men Dennis saw She would try anyway She might even get through to call help for Goodwin Slipping out along the narrow narrow narrow nar nar- row catwalk she wondered now v why she hadn't thought of it Jt before Goodwin would have refused her permission of course Naturally he was trying his best to protect her Anxious distraught he must be out of his mind with the fearful weight of responsibility That would account account account ac ac- ac- ac count for his strange behavior If she could only get help to him In time The bulky raincoat hampered her so when she got to the end of the tho walk stood some 10 feet above the barge rocking gently I below she pulled off the coat rolled it into a bundle dropped it down onto the barge A moment moment moment mo mo- mo- mo ment later she followed it The jump dazed her for a moment set the small barge to lurching When shed she'd caught her breath again she pulled on the coat ran across the barge to a short ladder up that to the next pier That was easy she thought congratulating herself as she stepped into the shadows again and turning waited wafted to listen for any sign that she had been seen Not a movement any any- where The whole waterfront seemed to lie sleeping One certainly certainly certainly would never suspect the frenzy of activity going on in inthe inthe inthe the big warehouse she had just left she thought Maybe Dennis Dennis' Dennis Dennis' Dennis Dennis' Den Den- nis' nis excitement had set his imagination on fire Probably the men closing in were merely watchmen making their rounds Sharon her breathing going back to normal now started down the long pier keeping well to the shadow of the building A hundred yards ahead she saw the gateway to the street be be- be yond A hundred yards between her and help for Goodwin and Goodwin-and and Dennis Then she felt a hand close on her arm felt herself jerked to toan toan toan an abrupt halt Where you going sissy a guttural demand from a bulky figure who had stepped had stepped out of the shadow So frightened she could not speak Sharon reacted cally Her terror giving her redoubled strength she tried to fight loose of this steely grip gripon on her arm Jerking free she turned raced toward the open gateway And but for the bulky raincoat she might have made it But its long flapping skirt whipped around her knees swaddled her effectively Her pursuer only a few paces behind overtook her checked her flight this time by swinging swinging swinging swing swing- ing a powerful arm around her waist holding her so tig tight t she could only flail his broad chest with her fists Not so fast girlie he said setting her on her feet again but keeping firm hold of her arm while a second figure appeared appeared appeared ap ap- ap- ap held her other arm cap cap- tive What were you doing down here this time of night Sharon realizing that further struggle was only a waste of her strength stood quietly without answering Better speak speak up up girlie Tell Tellus Tellus Tellus us what you know about what's going on over there Still Sharon didn't answer Had he actually seen her leaving the warehouse she tried to guess Or was he just leading her into betrayal with his ques ques- His grip on her arm tight tight- ened Speak up Who ate are you My name is Sharon Doyle Doyle- if that means anything to you she said coolly What you doing down here 7 my business Oh no it aint Not altogether alto alto- gether It gets to be our business business business busi busi- ness when little girls dress up in mens men's coats and climb around the wharf where they dont don't be be- long Now speak up What's going on Sharon glanced at her second captor who stood a tall silent shadow beside her What if I dont don't choose hoose to tell Then well we'll just assume youre you're guilty He turned to the silent one Huh boss The man nodded Guilty of what Sharon demanded demanded demanded de de- de- de realizing now that the longer she could stall the more time Goodwin would have to prepare against this this' mysterious attack He might even get the Ladybird under way if he had time enough Well I reckon you know more about that than we would The big burly man chuckled softly What are they loading onto that boat over there Peanuts Sharon answered flippantly Better tell us what you know lady It'll go pretty tough with you otherwise Is it your business to go around intimidating people she demanded sarcastically Or Orare Orare Orare are you just a bully by preference preference preference prefer prefer- ence Have It your way But you'll have to come along with us now Why bracing herself against the pressure on her arm Because I say so that's why j What about you she demanded demanded de de- de- de J peering at the darkened dark dark- i 1 ened figure still silent beside I her Any reason why in this free country I should be forced to talk to explain anything I dont don't care to explain to strangers whose right even to j t question me I c challenge Suddenly with a deafening roar came the white flash of an explosion Instantly the interior of the warehouse opposite burst into a hundred raging fires Figures Figures Figures Fig Fig- ures of men black silhouettes against the sheets of flame rac racing racing racing rac- rac ing from the building As if in a horrible nightmare A Sharon watched stupefied by bythe bythe the horror she saw The wheat she murmured l' l Its the wheat burning Done a good job didn't they they the the heavy voice beside her Using kerosene probably 1 11 We Ve should of closed in on them j sooner We couldn't until we had the evidence Her tall captors captor's voice cool and strangely fa- fa Sharon stared at him his face lighted by the sheet of flame opposite Her second captor was she she felt her heart come to a astop stop Tom stop Tom Stafford To be continued |