THE Blonde Countess

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 13333, 21 December 1943, Page 7

THE Blonde Countess

0. YARDLEY

CHAPTER 40 T Vr r--;“ _ cc - 7 osedly c: a (**»' beaeath lie =»'* ( Siir-i ntf *® ,u - ' -ji -' with it. ..jiad.. Vr . ! i;- t.- • - * >.^rt i;i •* . . i-r. far *tt^r He** = . =cdi«. ear cn^ -inc to u-:=—----af® 1 *- , _ fcr wnati „ A jdU=^- fe^ .-j_znerattn? -on. vcc . r4 *d radio ~ - • fit J wr *• ** " .■voa-n I . -- c * —nttcts b c ; :a«e aid ^ c ; V* =!V A. =«= - _ '•;«l." ie !r;i “i" ; .bmsbi. for a =««;- I -3C ... 1 cO-’-dS '. ——' -Captain v^nlea' i: j ‘ __ , “Tbe servant!" joe. | as J easem" Greeny He is not 3 servant. n-«-’ll find on: later -- to Jensen. ' Car- :o rn: ittfcon: advice of cc-nn;r.s-Jensen Qnietly. lare 10 secure you. Gre-=n-“Tie his ankles. F*ynn. , over sin:- Sessch Bins oof vcb revealed nothing but 2 email memorandum tiffing a few penciled enno seeming significance, xpendimre. a :e~ titles of any pages were blank arc Lins there was sprawled f € TR- -srords to a page, studied It- frowned, and into hia poea-t. itch of the wireless room jaued without results however, seized upon a -ip- booh with an eneiamaay carelessly on the table iting material and scrap Ireenleaf peered into the sere were the charred resumed paper. .So that was cork sheets were carefully Ler using. There remained ; code book and, if he was j invisible ink nsed in wr.i- ---; the messages for transmission, it was Blane who found the code »k secreted very cleverly behind a ■table piece of a tie or frame, reenleaf sighed with relief at that, i was on the right trail and bis ;eory was working out on the t>per lines. Bn: a renewed search led 10 reveal anything resembling secret ink. Greenleaf gnawed Lis gers and went on to cross-examine ‘We’ll have to go over it again." 1 said. “You were got oat of the ij for some reason. What was it? -re to find out. You say the ■fenless was all ready to go. had V 1 on hat and coat, and then suc--sly changed her mind. Wasn't fee any meisage, letter, telephone fiook her head, utely none.” d at last, were yon doing when the came in ready to go?” silting.” ‘oa were lookinc at her?" 'Yes, at her beautiful clothes. I ; admiring them. I suppose I 51 have been staring, for I was -mous of a pause, and when I •d up she was gazing at me in- “?■ And then she seemed pre■•Pied. as though she'd suddenly v ;iu of something, and went into •room to telephone.” 3. ' stare d at her. seeking the elu- • Something that was on the verge jls c onsciousness. ‘-e-e wasn't anything peculiar ,‘ l her clothes? Her or S!” wrinkled her forehead in 'he • l t 0 recall the scene. ? ey Were beautiful—the • olour j er Ibe scarf harmonised with 1 Tas 2 lovely silk thing.” U Scarf/ ‘ be said thinking If s { r; e ; nny lo °’ £ bout the scarf.” Va f l ° C ' * 1 reme mber noticing she Whe ° 1 Came ' A " d I “ ler ' ‘the* 6 ' A<IS rea( l- :r to go out, she th & ~^ S ‘ oo£e l-■ I d been sure •it i!! ee gold baads at the end. ‘- £ d only two—” Ur aware of his eyes blazing 5 important?”

“Tt might he.” he said with d:~cu.:y, "You say your eyes were on the scarf, and that the Countess no- [ tired you staring a: itT" i ■ "Yes." "And then she wen: to the teie- ' phone and stayed seme time." “It seemed like fifteen minutes.” I "And you waited, and then she : P-honed again?" Yes. "And then she said she couldn't ' go and wrote the note?” "Y'es. She said she'd like to walk with me it wae such a nice day. aud | I said maybe I ought to hurry and j take a tail. Then she said It wasn't ! so important as that.” "She did. did she?" Greenleaf said j absently. "Listen. Joel, had the \ Countess noticed you staring at the : ’ firs: scarf, the one with the three j cede stripes?" Joel pondered. "1 did look a: i: and admire it. I \ \ suppose she might have guessed." | Hi a ted iy he patted her shoulder, j "You've beeu no end of help." he f ’ said. "How?" she asked innocent.*'. —l'il tell you some time. I’ve got to get busy now. I think, to. you'd ; better stay here if you will. I want you to be kept out of sight for a few : dav- Do vou think you can stand : it?" "Oh. yes, if it's neccessary." , “And maybe even cook for the men I leave here?” -I'm not much of a cook." Joel I ■ eaid modestly. *T fancy you’re better than any | they are used to.” •‘You're going?" “I must. I've important things to do. 11l leave two men. They'll take good care of you. And I'll be back | later, some time during the night ■ possibly." She looked solicitously at his worn i face. "You ought to sleep.” she said. Her eyes dropped before the kindIt look in his. “It's good of you to be interested.” | he said. "But I can't sleep now. Later ■ I'll sleep for a week.” He went away hurriedly. Blane ■ and his helpers were combing the ’ place but had found nothing of seeming significance. And so they might look for a week without finding what | they sought. Time did not permit so long a search. Besides, he had not ’ the equipment here to make the nee- . essary tests. “Lay off. boys." he said. "Blane you'll have to come back with me. : : Yon fellows seize anybody who ] comes. I don't think anyone will but i Jake. And domt show yourselves. 3 Lie lew. Jake will turn up after j dark probably. Tell him I want him jin town at once. I’ll have the car 1 waiting where we left it. Miss Car- | ter will cook for you. So you re ! luckier than the rest of us.” They grinned at that. Greenleaf and Blane, after a glance from the partly opened door, hurried into the woods and half an hour later were driving in a semi-circle to reach Washington from the southeast. They must take what precautions they could and trust to luck their manoeuvres were not observed. To go thus, in broad daylight, was risky I out there was no choice. If he was i to do what he wished to do. speed was of the utmost importance. iTo be continued.)