| Show I I 1 J Secret Telegram Te Orders Serial Seria By Y Eleanor CHAPTER 24 At first Lius Liu's story sent all kinds of storm warnings flapping flapping flapping flap flap- ping through her mind But in another moment logic overtook her scudding fears If were being held prisoner in some Farris Farns street house Henris Henri's visit there involved him very ably No doubt he had discovered the boy was there and was even now doing all he could to have him released But dont don't you see Liu she began reasonably Mr de la Pagerie is trying to help Ha Ha- jami That is why he has made mad trips to see him Then why has he not said to you that was found I dont don't know Perhaps because because because be be- cause he has a very good reason reason reason rea rea- son for waiting until the right time The girl shook her head Mr de la Pagerie is not trying to help I am sure of that He is not a friend to you Miss Merrill Liu What a thing to say But it is true I can tell by his face I can cantell tell by the way he sneaks in the side door and listens to what your father is telling you 1 Y can tell by the way he picks up the telephone to tomake tomake tomake make a call caU he says but listens to what you are saying What call call When Just now After you came up the stairs Miss Stone and the Captain went out to the pantry to mix some drinks Mr de la Pagerie did not know that I could watch him from the halL haIL He told them You them You run along Im I'm going to make a call and then Ill I'll join you you After that he listened to what you were saying He did not make a call at all Its just not conc conceivable You must be mistaken Liu Stephanie whispered staring at ather her herThe The girls girl's lips Ups trembled Believe Believe Believe Be lieve me I am telling you the truth All right Liu Stephanie said briskly Thanks a lot for telling me this Ill I'll find out what it its it's s all about Now dont don't worry and and dont don't say anything of this to the others No Miss Merrill And please please please-a a little soft hand on Stephanie's arm be very careful care care- ful I will she promised smiling and catching up her driving gloves started downstairs Kurt was waiting for her inthe inthe in inthe the hall below Where are you going To headquarters They're short handed hande 1 Im I'm needed Kurt took her hand Pretty late isn't it it Im taking out the midnight canteen She laughed at the concern in his face Heavens Ive I've done that dozens of times Why so alarmed Just dont don't like the idea Well he opened the door for her be careful Be Careful Warning Given Stephanie Se Several eral Times Be careful careful careful-be be careful The warnings tagged her out to the theold theold old stable down the steep hill And Lius Liu's strange story What of that Shed She'd have to face Henri with it Maybe there would be De an opportunity if she happened to get home about the time they did tonight Or perhaps perhaps per per- perhaps haps she could call him in the I morning At least she she decided as she walked the last block from the parking station to the huge office building where the Red RedCross RedCross RedCross Cross headquarters occupied two floors she wouldn't wouldn t have time to todo todo todo do anything about it now You are a treasure to hel helus help us out like this Mrs Daubney greeted her smiling wearily mess Everything is in a perfect mess Stephanie worked right at the desk taking calls making out reports until n neatly nearly atly midnight Then she with the big five gallon container of coffee the boxes of sandwiches Shed She'd go alone again tonight There just weren't workers enough to tobe tobe tobe be spared I dont don't mind Ill I'll be right back she called as she started off She didn't mind exactly only she couldn't quite forget the picture of that poor soldier boys boy's inert body Shuddering she swerved to a avoid void a traffic island sA she drew near the waterfront waterfront waterfront water water- front she flicked on the windshield windshield windshield wind wind- shield wiper The fog was pouring pouring pouring pour pour- ing in over the hill like a thick grey curtain The occasional car she met loomed out of the murky dark suddenly alarming alarming- ly Stephanie reduced speed to toa toa toa a crawl This was awful She could scarcely see a cars car's length ahead The fog closed in around her until it was as if shed she'd pushed into a world without dimensions Even sounds seemed strangely distorted And over all the monotonous monotonous monotonous mo mo- mo- mo wailing of the fog foghorns foghorns horns out on the water Hollow haunting moans that sent shudders shudders shudders ders up her spine An awful night to be out An awful night to be pacing some lonely beat too she thought as she finally recognized recognized recognized the streets street's curve rising toward the bridge approach Shed She'd be glad to get home after this Cautiously she inched her herway herway herway way along saw the high embankment embankment embankment em em- rise out of the grey void ahead stopped the car Sentry Gone Stephanie Seized and Gagged She flicked the lights in the usual signal although she realized realized realized rea rea- even as she did that no light would penetrate this fog She waited a moment to be sure Then she sounded the horn Three short blasts Then three more The luminous clock on the dashboard ticked off five min min- min mn- utes No response from the sentry sentry sen sen- sentry try who must be who be-who who should be bethere bethere bethere there Stephanie felt growing apprehension mushroom inside This couldn't happen again Not really She sounded the horn again Still no answer Finally she gathered up the straggling threads of her courage cour cour- age If the boys just hadn't heard it certainly would be cruelty to deny them the hot coffee and good food Just because because because be be- cause she had the jitters And if there was something wrong again again it it was certainly the least she could do to get help Remembering the flashlight inthe in inthe inthe the dashboard compartment Stephanie started up the steep embankment to the cement walk at the topAs top As she went she signalled with the light Even called aloud No response At the too top she stood a mn- mn ment to listen for footfalls it f catch her breath to gather C con coin age to push on into that thicK wet darkness Something was wrong fit was sure of it Every sec nL that failed to bring an answer t tt her call added digits to her at ap Then at last her hei flashlight picked up the dim out line of a man a t Hallos there I thought r Tc never find you Arent Aren't you YOu YOu- jj But the q question eston was X cut short Stephanie felt clapped roughly over her t as strong arms caught held h het struggling but helpless whit while someone held a sickish sweet smelling cloth to her nose a 1 Chloroform The word flash flashes in her brain She fought wild but now she was slipping so far fa away into dawn down into down into strange dark ness ness and and the sound of Rant pouring inTo in her ears ears ears- i iTo To Be Continued j t |
