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Show The Fifth Man By FRANK BENNETT McClure Syndicate WNU Features. TPHE bombing had stopped when -'- the lieutenant came with the men into the officer's dugout. The colonel's colo-nel's lean weathered face looked almost al-most cruel in the uncertain lai.;crn light. He stotv rr.d returned V:. salute and was displeased to rote there was one man too many. "I asked for four men. Lieutenant," he said stiffly. "There were only five left in dugout dug-out C, sir. All volunteered." The colonel was no longer young. His shoulders sagged. And the chance these men must take terrified him. "Men," he said harshly, "the boat will hold only five Lieutenant Culver and four oarsmen." He looked sharply at the faces, gray iu the shadows, stabbed a finger at the man on the right, "You," ho ordered, or-dered, "will remain behind." "The rest of you listen," the colonel colo-nel hurried on. "You are to row Lieutenant Culver across the river where he will receive a dispatch from one of our agents. The boat is ready. The oars are muffled. Needless Need-less to say, the less noise you make, the better. God pity you if you fall into enemy hands. You have om-r chance in ten. It's that one chance we're counting on. You are to shove off in exactly ten minutes." He sat down heavily. The lieutenant led the men out. The colonel turned to the one who remained. "I asked you to stay." he said not unkindly, "because you look exhausted. Go back and rest." The man moved forward. "Listen, sir," he gasped, "you've got to let "Will you listen to me for a couple cou-ple of minutes?" me go. They'll never make it without with-out me. I tell you, I've got to go!" The colonel began filling the heavy bowl of his pipe. "Sit down," he said soothingly. "You seem unstrung. un-strung. What's your name?" "Private Ellis, sir. Will you listen to me for a couple of minutes? I'll talk fast I'll have to, or they'll be gone. Let me tell you why they'll never make it without me. Please." Ellis leaned forward. "People get hurt or killed when I'm left behind. Let me explain. The first time I realized it was when I was a kid just twelve. I lived in the country. A neighbor boy invited me to stay with him one night. Just as I was ready to go, my dad hurt his hand, and I had to stay home to help milk. A tornado destroyed the neighbor's house and the entire family. The colonel had forgotten his pipe. "Go on," he said. "There isn't much time left, sir. I could tell you a dozen things that would prove what I'm trying to say. There was a time I was flying to the West Coast. We stopped at a town in New Mexico. Four Army officers were to be taken on, and that meant four passengers would have to get off. I was one of the four. That plane never reached Its destination. desti-nation. Now, don't you see why I must go?" i The colonel got to his feet. He turned sharply on Ellis. "This is a lot of nonsense," he rasped. "Such tilings don't happen, but " he glanced at his watch, made up his mind. "Follow me, Ellis. We can catch them if we hurry." He led the way to the river's edge. "Lieutenant Culver," he called softly. soft-ly. "Yes, sir." "Send one of the men out," the colonel ordered. "Private Ellis will take his place." He gripped E1I!b' shoulder. "On your way," he said. Then to the man who had come out of the boat: "Return to your quarters," he said. "Ellis will explain ex-plain why ho took your place if he gets back." The colonel returned to his dugout and sat watching the minute hand on his watch creep onward. Twenty Twen-ty minutes later the lieutenant andi his four men came in. He laid a heavy envelope on the colonel's desk.' "The dispatch, sir," he said briskly. The colonel relaxed and smiled, "Good. Your Government " A terrific explosion sifted a thin trickle of dirt from the roof. The men stood as they were, listening but hearing no sound other than their own hard breathing. An orderly slid in under the canvas can-vas flap, straightened, saluted. "A lone raider dropped a single bomb, sir. It was a direct hit on dugout C. Only one man missing. The others were gone " "Thank you," the colonel said. For a moment his eyes met those of Pri-vt Pri-vt Ellii. , |
