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Show 1 1 FOR BRAVERY UNREWARDED By Ona F. Lathrop i Mtt and I had Just rounded I tht bend In our leaky boat I when we saw the car parked at ! our cabin. It was a rusty old Ja- loppy with high wire wheeli and I only one front door. I Java the oar I a final flip as Matt heaved out the anchor and looked anxiously up the hill, like any protective husband. hus-band. "Who can that be?" he mumbled mum-bled In a worried tone. He'd been upset all day about the figures that wouldn't cotno out right In the bomb-plant plans he was working work-ing over this week-end up here, "Just some old-timer out of gas probably," I responded with wishful wish-ful thinking, but a sudden cold fear had moved In where my heart should be. Matt always says I'm the world's worst coward and afraid of my shadow in these noithwoods, but now that he had these Important papers up here. I'm as nervous as a cat. "HI there," Matt called, and we both remembered afterward of something dashing through the brush In the ravine and into the thicket beyond. Climbing out of the car was a decrepit wraith of a man with one wooden leg. "You folki got a wrench?" he asked, hobbling to the porch. "Guess so. What's your trouble?" Matt headed him off and steered him to the tool-shed In back. I ran into the house, ropers were scattered scat-tered in every direction and the drawers all stood ajar. Matt was naturally a neat soul and I couldn't imagine htm leaving such a mess. My heart was really thumping now. I must tell Matt, but how? When I hurried out the back door, the old man was hefting heft-ing a couple of wicked-looking wrenches. "Car broken down?" I asked as casually as I could. , ''Well, she'll go but needs a spark-plug adjusted. Have to start her up and see which one Is missing." miss-ing." He was climbing In. I ran around to the front of the old Ja-loppy Ja-loppy and motioned Matt to fol- low and pull up the hood. i "Don't let him get away." I ! hissed, under the grinding of the i starter. "Do something pull a ! wire, or whatever. They've ran- j sacked your deslc. The plans ! silly I" X tried to make Matt un- ' derstand. j "I went through the house. That ; other fellow he must have taken them and got away. This old guy will pick him up some place if we let him go. Do something." Matt jerked a strategic wire and the motor which had Just turned over ground to a halt "Thought I had 'er there. Mister. What'i up?" The wiry little form climbed out and came around to us, still waving the wrench. "Looks like a loose connection." "Just minute, I'U see if I have some wire," Matt called back, running to the house and leaving me there with the crook. I backed away keeping my eyes on him. If he tried to run there was a gun on the deer antlers on the porch. I let myself in the screen door and grabbed it. Would Matt never come? I took off the safety and held the gun to my shoulder. I couldn't believe I was doing it but Just let him try to dash for that ravine! Matt came out the door and stopped In his track. "What In thunder are you doing?" he snorted, grabbing the gun down. "Don't shoot the poor old guy There's nothing missing. I just got disgusted because I couldn't get the drawings to come out right and threw the whole mess as I left for the fishing. " "But the thing the thing we saw dashing down the ravine?" "Must have been a deer, and our imagination. Get the old man some food, while I go help him get that bus going or he'll be here all night." he grinned. "I'll never say you're a coward again. Nice brave little detective, aren't you? Ought to have a medal for 'bravery unrewarded' baby." Ha gave me a hug as be went by. |