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Show AM Adano lfh. John Herseij THE STORY THUS FAR: The Ameri-ca- n troops arrived in Adano, with Major joppolo, the Amgot officer in charge. Sergeant Borth was in charge of securiwas determined to hold ty, The Major the confidence of the people and to re stolen by the Nazis. place their bell De-spi- te orders issued by General Marvin, barring carts from the city, Joppolo re called the order, to permit food and wa ter to enter the city. Lord Runcln, high British official on the Amgot, approved of Joppolos plans. The Major found out that the American generosity was re sponsible for a troublesome black market. To stop this condition he placed a ceiling on ail prices. Be also barred troops from the city. CHAPTER XVII The Sure he was. Lieutenant said: Its easy to see he was. And if General Marvin ever lays eyes on this Information copy, itll be just too bad for the Major. said the Technical Yes, sir, Sergeant, to be on the safe side. Lieutenant Butters said: Here, you file these, Ill take care of the Information copy. the Technical SerYes, sir, geant said, taking the copies. The Lieutenant said: That Marvin trimmed me down once for something I didnt do. I never have liked him. I dont know this Major, but I think it would be a shame if he caught a trimming just for this. Yes, sir, the Technical Sergeant said. Then he frowned and added: You arent going to get me in trouble, are you, sir, like when that letter to Colonel Norris from the P.R.O. got lost? No, dont worry, the Lieuten- ant said. But the Technical Sergeant did worry for several days, until he got up the courage to ask the Lieutenant: Sir, what did you ever do about that Information copy I made for General Marvin? You didnt throw it away, did you? Colonel Norris is liable to ask me about it. I wish I had thrown it away, I didnt Lieutenant Butters said. have the guts. I put it in the courier pouch for Algiers. You know how much stuff weve been losing on Sit tun. I tnuught maybe The Technical Sergeant, relieved of his worry, smiled and said: It might get lost accidentally on purpose? Mayor Nasta had just come out from his daily repentance before Sergeant Borth. He walked across the way to the broad sidewalk in front of the Palazzo. Every day knots of people gathered on that sidewalk, some just to pass the time of day, some to air their perennial complaints, some to get .in touch with the towns mean little lawyers, whose office was that sidewalk. Mayor Nasta walked up to one such knot. There were about ten people, and he found that they were discussing the war. He waited for his chance, and said: I got some news from the interior yesterday afternoon. Mercurio Salvatore the crier was so far gone in boldness that he said: We have no desire for news from the one who is no longer Mayor. Mayor Nasta remembered the time when he would have put the crier in jail for a whole year for saying something like that, but now he said: This news came from the son of your friend Afronti, the noisy cartman.' The boy deserved on the first day of the invasion and he is now here. Perhaps you know him. He is an honest boy. The Mayors poison was beginIf that is the ning to take hold. case, said the lazy Fatta, who was to be found on this stretch of sidewalk every morning, if that is the case, what did he say that was so interesting? He said that our friends the Germans are mounting a counterattack. There is nothing new in that, said Father Pensovecchio. They have counterattacked before. They counterattacked near Vicinamare and it did them no good. They were thrown back. They will be thrown back again. Not this time, said Mayor Nasta. This time they will employ five fresh divisions. They have the crack 29th Panzers aind the Pilsener Division. These are good troops. This time they will not be thrown back. They intend to push the Americans into the sea. The lazy Fatta, who had no sense about the news, said: When vjill this attack come? I think I will go to the hills. . , Mayor Nasta looked very important, as he used to in the old dayi. I should not tell you this, he saidy but the attack will begin on the at four, rooming of the twenty-thiro clock in the You can' morning. ' exPect the Americans to be pushed , t, 1 $ d, , Sl w. N.O. FEATURES sea between the twenty-nit- h and the twenty-eightThe impressionable ones were beginning to believe him. Laura Sofia, the unmarried one, who stood about on this sidewalk in the belief that she might catch a husband that way, said: The twenty-thirthat is next Wednesday. But Mercurio Salvatore, who had been treated well by the Americans, refused to believe that they were I do not believe it, he leaving. said. The Americans will stop the attack. Even the crier was now willing to believe that there was going to be an attack. All he would not believe was that the Germans would succeed. Mayor Nasta said: The Americans will not stop it. The Americans may be friendly, but they are not good fighters. Margherita, the formidable wife of Craxi, said with a threatening look: Liar! But Mayor Nasta said: This is not my opinion. This is the opinion of the son of Afronti, the noisy cart-maYou know the boy. You know that he is honest. He says that the Americans are timid in battle. He h. d, Borth, Mayor Nasta would go across to the sidewalk in front of the Palazzo, and he would approach a different group, and he would tell them pretty much the same thing. Sergeant Borth allowed this to go on for several days, because Sergeant Borth was a careful worker. He waited until he was sure of all his facts. He had his informers trap Mayor Nasta into new exaggerations and accusations. He made sure that the son of Afronti the noisy cartman had not deserted. He checked with Intelligence at IX Corps to make sure that the Germans were not expected to counterattack on the twenty-thirHe even went so far as to check with Captain Purvis. When he was ready, Sergeant Borth went to Major Joppolo. Major, he said, weve got to put Nasta away. The Major said: Whats he d. done? Hes been planting rumors against us. I hate to admit it, but hes done it very systematically and very skillfully. What kinds of rumors? Oh, all kinds. He has quite a few people thinking that the Germans are going tJ put on a major counterattack next week. He even has some of them believing that you havent been doing right by certain young ladies in this town. That Major Joppolo blushed. isnt true, he said. I know, Borth said. I checked into it. But they tell me the Mister Major could make time if he wanted to. Cut it out, the Major said. Thats what they tell me, Borth said. They say these particular girls dont smell of fish, but their old man knows a good fish when he sees it. Cut the kidding, the Major said, and that echo was in his voice. He changed the subject quickly. When are you going to arrest Nasta? In the morning, when he comes in for his daily worship. the Major said. Lets Okay, keep him in the prisoners of war cage for a few dqys, anj not send him to Africa till weve questioned him a bit. Im sort of glad to have him put away. The next morning Mayor Nasta was somewhat surprised to see, besides Sergeant Borth in his office, two other men wearing brassards marked M.P. He said, as suavely Good morning, Mister as ever: Sergeant. And what crime would Mayor Nasta like to repent this morning? This man Nasta was a very per- Borth asked. suasive man. Is it not the Mister Sergeants turn to pick a crime? the Mayor even could own our that troops says asked. beat the Americans. Mercurio Salvatore, the crier, was Perhaps it is, perhaps it is. Well, benot do to lets see. This morning I think Mayreduced saying: I ' or Nasta will repent the crime of lieve it. It is true. not having made good use of his Mayor Nasta said: This boy fought in Tunisia. He says freedom. He will repent the crime that at the place called El Guettar of having talked against the Amerithe Americans did not press their cans. attack, he says that they behaved Mayor Nasta turned pale. Borth like frightened men and were de- stood up. feated. The British can fight, perHe will repent the crime of havhaps, but not the Americans. ing invented false rumors, of havThe formidable Margherita said: ing told the gullible people here in "It is a dirty lie, but there was Adano that the Germans were planfor next no anger in her voice, it was nearly ning a counterattack drained of conviction. week. This man Nasta was a very perMayor Nasta turned his head and looked at the door. Borth motioned He had man. suasive persuaded himself into office, and he had per- to the M.P.s to step into it, and suaded the people into fear of him, they did. and now it was easy for him to perHe will also repent having said suade them to mistrust the Ameri- slanderous and false things about Also he will be cans. Major Joppolo. of son The said: Nasta Mayor very sorry that he lied about the son Afronti told me that in the interior of the cartman Afronti. the Americans behaved themselves Mayor Nasta was white as a very badly. They were generous to sheet. Lies! They are lies! he us atong the coast because they had said. to have a beachhead, but in the inBorth said: Mayor Nasta is exterior they have been different. Ne- citable this morning. And he had gro troops have raped seven Italian grown so calm about his repentgirls. There has been much looting. ances. Why is he excitable this The lazy Fatta said: I hear that morning? the Americans looted the beautiful Mayor Nasta was excitable behouse of Quattrocchi right here in cause he knew he was caught. My enemies Adano. They did much damage. Lies, he shouted Mercurio Salvatore, the crier, have been lying against me. said: That I will not believe. The Borth said: Is this a lie? Is it a The friend. Our is Mister Major lie that you said yesterday morning, crier was annoyed enough to say before fifteen people on the sidethis in very nearly his crying voice. walk in front of the Palazzo: The He spoke loudly enough to be heard Americans are such cowards that their inside the Palazzo. they had to be pushed from when Quiet, Mayor Nasta said. He transports into landing barges you will hear you and punish you. they came here? Is it a lie that Borth And . Sergeant me? said Why should he punish I am defending repeated word for word ten senMercurio cried. tences that Nasta had said, as inhim. them. Sergeant Mayor formers reported He is unpredictable, had a very good memory, and Borth will see. You I Nasta whispered. enjoyed deflating this man, and must be going now, he said, bow- he made a very terrifying show of it he as if the fact that ing to the circle, to Nasta. grow embar- for Mayor it was beginning Then Borth said to the two M.P.'a rassed him. Good day, he said, in English: Take him away, boys. do not forget the twenty-thirnoisy. Each day when he came out from Hes getting BE CONTINUED) (TO his repentance before Sergeant n. To freshen vegetables, soak Give the dicloth on your kitchen table a coat of paste wax and then them for an hour in cold water to polish. Protects it from food stain. which has been added the juice of a lemon. 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