| Show read OBY by G generady GENE MAL RALy ARED WHITE ID W NJ RIM installment XII denning benning waited for or several moments to regain complete com asure P and went over to a seat at dolcedo agie fincke table the austrian sacked up and brightened slightly thought I 1 might find you here Brom litz fincke muttered 1 I want to ask you a few questions it if I 1 can talk to you as one friend to another 1 I suppose majo maio denning benning said with a mischievous grin you are to be addressed as lieutenant colonel hereafter fincke glared and demanded im in no mood for being kidded Brom litz or did you know boggio gave me the double cross ive been busy with my own affairs denning benning answered for all I 1 know boggio is back in mexico city not yet but hell be flying south morrow while here I 1 am stuck N ight lit in washington tor for three days more until the big boat sails eating at me now is I 1 may get dou ble crossed out of the cruise it if boggio hops up to new york to see bravot denning benning said crisply all right fincke out with your grievance fincke said at once leaning across the table boggio was up here in washington on another job when he horned homed in on mine said he wanted to check my plans from the air corps angle what does he do but grab off all my calculations for lights steals my triangles and pilfers all my technical data then he sent me out of town at the last minute on a goose chase so he can put my plans across himself that gives him all the glory for the white house and now off to mexico he goes to get a generals crescent you can let van hassek know what happened when the time comes denning benning consoled clinging to his composure with difficulty fincke groaned but I 1 made the mistake of telling boggio just what I 1 thought of him while I 1 was sore he called me an insubordinate tool fool and said I 1 ought to be kicked out of the service for talking like that to my superior officer worrying me now is hell tell bravot fincke broke off cast a furtive look about him and lowered his voice to a whisper ive got it figured out Brom litz youre in on the big show arent you there are some things were not expected v to talk about too much fincke denning benning shot back why did you ask me that question 1 I thought maybe it if you are going aboard we might work together Brom litz if youre sincere in that lets lers make sure were talking about the same thing when do you sail and from where the van hassek spy weighed this dangerous question 1 I see no harm in saying that Brom litz he be responded shortly not so long as we dont say where were going or what for which be repeated to anybody under any circumstances does it mean anything it if I 1 tell you pier twenty at four wednesday afternoon several tables distant directly be wind vind fincke denning benning had observed lieutenant jones the lieutenants eyes had let denning benning know that he had a matter of urgency to discuss denning benning lighted a cigarette and got up suppose we meet here on wednesday morning at eight denning benning proposed we might just as well travel together to the pier right fincke agreed atad THE STORY SO FAR more afore than foreign troops which had been secretly transported to mexico suddenly invaded 6 the united states intelligence officer denning had discovered their plans while a spy in mexico city where he had gained the confidence of fincke 0 to o tie up with somebody I 1 can trust when denning benning passed out of the hotel into the street lieutenant jones promptly joined him jones had his private car at the curb and ushered denning benning inside sorry I 1 ge get to you sooner sir jones reported your man boggio came out of the ment at six thirty the girl friend was with him outside they were joined by a man who apparently is boggles Bog gios glos bodyguard I 1 followed them to the depot where boggio and the other fellow took the seven train for new york the girl returned home I 1 have a chance to get word to you sooner captain denning benning studied his watch and made a rapid calculation the hour was a few minutes short of eight drive me at once to the airport jones he directed ive still time to meet boggio when he steps off his train at the pennsylvania station please let colonel Flag will know ive developed a very interesting trail CHAPTER XIII lieutenant jones turned on his radio as the car got in motion toward the airport general hague was just coming on the air introduced to the nation by the secretary of war without preliminary the chief of staff began speaking his voice clear and calm 1 I will speak very frankly to the country he said 1 I will give you general facts it is important tor for you to understand first our inability to prevent invasion is no fault of the army the army is your army limited by you through legislation and appropriations the fact that it is scattered in small posts throughout the country instead of being concentrated in combat divisions for proper training is no fault of the war department 1 I speak without bitte bitterness mess or blame but it is important that you face the future with belief in your potential armed forces I 1 might adif add that our pleadings for an adequate defense system are written in the records of congress briefly our armies must be assembled slowly from scattered garrisons initially our actions must be limited by immediate lack of ammunition reserves and armaments it if we cannot supply adequate antiaircraft protection to our important cities deeply as our hearts bleed for them it is ii because we have insufficient antiaircraft anti aircraft but I 1 want danl to say to you what I 1 said the other night to my associates of the staff whatever violence lies ahead this country wal master it let our foes mark these words the united states is unconquerable its resources and manpower its determination mi and courage are equal to any conceivable emerge emergency ncy whatever reverses may lie ahead of us in the immediate future will only temper our spirit of resistance inevitably evit ably that day will colip corn when the toes foes of the united states will meet the mighty vengeance of our massed valora As the chief of staff closed lieutenant jones said bitterly im sorry he give them the whole picture Captai captaine nl I 1 mean what a jam the ardys in fa if theres a real invasion and bravot two enemy officers but his warning had gone unheeded the president was killed when washington was bombed general brill commander of the U S army in texas was opposed by greatly superior forces led by van hassek in spite of brills desperate telling too much would only start a new panic denning benning said sadly shaking his head denning benning as they reached the airport instructed get G 2 on the telephone at governors island at once jones id like to have two good intelligence men from first corps area meet me at the pennsylvania hotel one of them to be lieutenant crane if hes available on dis embarking at newark shortly before ten denning benning took a cab into the city and drove direct to the pennsylvania hotel where he found lieutenant crane waiting crane a short chunky young officer with a pleasant alert face accepted terse instructions with a crisp C I 1 f the boggio henchman gave a cry of pain very good sir with him was sergeant adams intelligence police a seasoned and dependable noncom non com officer both wore business suits denning benning crossed over to the station as the train from washington pulled in boggio and his henchman got off as soon as the train stopped and hurried out to catch a cab denning benning followed them alone in a second cab while crane and his sergeant trailed from a discreet distance boggio stopped near the mcalpin hotel to let out his henchman and drove on the stones throw to the empire state building where he paid his fare dismissed the cab and went inside to be whirred whirled up in an express elevator denning benning waited several minutes until the identical cage returned to the lobby pardon I 1 just missed a friend an italian in a blue suit and white felt hat denning benning said to the operator did he go to the roof with you forty fifth floor the operator informed denning benning shot up to the forty fifth floor and walked cautiously down the hall A brief told him there was a light in but one of the offices he read the legend on the door andes gold mining and milling company inc without pressing his luck any further he returned to the street he had crossed the street mean resistance van nas troops pushed relentlessly forward returning to washington denning benning met fincha who had corny coma there to do espionage work but continued to pose as a friend A week later he saw fincke enter a restaurant now continue with the story ing to keep the empire state under observation against boggins Bog gios return to the street when his way was barred by the stubby man who had accompanied boggio from washington the fellows face was bellicose his hand thrust suggestively in his pocket you was just up pretty high to in the big building you the fellow growled close to dennings bennings ear what of it benning asked supposing I 1 told you I 1 was up to the forty fifth to see a friend named palacio about buying a pair of silver sabers the mans hostility relaxed somewhat as he heard the van hassek words of secret identification but after searching dennings bennings face he shook his head you may be all right but were playing no chance he decided what you say to a little jump up to the forty fifth with me just to make sure if you insist denning benning said indifferently diff brently erent ly denning benning as they returned across the street did not risk looking about for crane and the sergeant with expert eye he watched his own chance of attack his prompt cai pitula tion had the effect of throwing his captor slightly off guard As they passed the entrance of a gown shop denning benning seized the fellows gun arm and drove him into the dark entrance of the shop the impact crashed the heavy glass door the two went sprawling inside through a jagged aperture of broken glass the boggio henchman gave a cry of pain as the glass tore into his body but floundered into battle with a surge of frantic strength that shook his arm tree free of dennings bennings grip benning regained his hold before the spy spy could bring a pistol into play they had staggered to their feet in the uncertain battle over the weapon when crane and adams dashed up A sharp tap of the sergeants service pistol promptly ended the fray keep a watch outside adams adama denning benning instructed with cranes help he bound the prisoners arms A watchman in tan uniform attracted by the crash of glass rushed in with drawn pistol crane promptly dismissed the watchman on the mission of notifying the owner of the shop of his broken door they were getting their prisoner still in a daze on his feet when sergeant adams hurried in from the street your italian just came down d own sir he reported to denning benning hes now getting into a cab follow himl him denning benning promptly instructed follow him as long as he stays in new york if he attempts to leave the city arrest him you dont need to be gentle if he gives you any trouble sergeant 0 said adams denning benning instructed crane to take the prisoner to governors island there to be held in close arrest crane was next to report to denning benning at the nearby near by mcalpin denning benning walked to that hotel and called colonel Flag will on the telephone flag will was tied up in conference with general hague and an hour passed before he responded on the telephone denning benning reported events in pertinent detail there were several moments of silence as Flag wills mind searched through dennings bennings disclosures then he burst into excited enthusiasm that sounds like the real quill Be benning sounds like the trail weve all been looking for ill instruct colonel wallace at once to give you whatever you want from corps area denning benning have you decided on any plan of attack tonight sir denning benning replied 1 I thought id keep entirely away from the empire state in the morning I 1 intend to go up to the forty fifth alone and give the andes gold mining and milling company the once over denning benning was having a late breakfast at his hotel the next morning after a busy night plotting moves when crane came in his face glum and heavy with tragedy your italian got adams last night crane said at once sinking heavily into a chair at dennings bennings table adams when we brought him to hospital told me boggio got suspicious when his henchman failed to join him outside empire state he had the cab drive him under the hudson and headed to the newark airport adams followed closely boggio slipped behind a hangar to observe his rear and as adams came up shot without warning he had a plane waiting at the airport which took off immediately sorry denning benning said glumly we put out a warning at once crane went on our intercepts picked up the engines of the plane over lexington at two this mom ing it was traveling high and fast and must have been boggins Bog gios plane our estimates give small hope that pursuit aviation can pick him up in texas but weve put heat on the air corps to make a try the public radio in the dining room was buzzing with war bulletins van hassels Has attack had jumped off at daybreak betat eight had made small progress against the second division europe was in a turmoil expecting wa way to break at any hour in france and belgium unconfirmed reports carne cam through london of an immense troop concentration on the chinese coast another report of a coalition fleet mobilizing in mediterranean waters enemy bombing had centered on only two cities last night galveston and san antonio anionio fort sam houston had been heavily pounded and many of its installations destroyed at galveston the air raiders had centered on fort crockett where the antiaircraft anti aircraft one of the ardys meager seven antiaircraft anti aircraft regiments had drawn the wrath of van hassels Has bombardiers bombardiere bombar diers the short two gun batteries and two machine gun batteries had pounded away valiantly and scored two bombers down but paid the price with one hundred and forty men three guns and seven searchlights the antiaircraft anti aircraft regiment likewise short two gun and three machine gun batteries had been ordered to the border from fort sheridan illinois there were only three other regular regiments within the united states the at fort totton new york short one gun and two ma chine gun batteries the at fort mcarthur Cali california forilla short two gun and three machine gun batteries and the at fort scott california likewise short two gun and three machine gun batteries the was in the philippines the in hawaii the ten national guard anti aircraft in various stages of equips i ment were being mobilized aimira as rap p idly as possible TO BE CONTINUED |
