THE Blonde Countess

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 13335, 23 December 1943, Page 7

THE Blonde Countess

HERBERT 0. YARDLEY

CHAPTER 41 I hin£r his desk and guardedly I Rea °L the call that awaited him I the secretary of war, Greenf* < s ed that speed was even L urgent than he thought, # lor, if the secretary’s ambiguous ** he knew that today the allf°r "nt message would go forth '[ t he rendezvous of the Amentransports and the British fleet. p clo len code book was restored , place with no one the wiser. J ' U ld be, for Greenleaf, a closed '■ t He had missed destruction ' C bai ’ r - s breadth and had no wish !fcavehis peril recalled to him. For I present he could presumably iUc m ° re freeiy> being reason ‘ L S ure that the all important rervous of the transports could not be re ad in the American cipher. J. t hoff s oon would the capture of ,' 3sen be discovered? When he iiled for one day to send his mes4?e t 0 be transmitted to Mexico — +Jt would be tomorrow —unless — *. (here was a chance, a desperate, •nlikely chance. If it could be pulli off be might plan a coup so great iat h would equal in importance a rictory on the western front, the re,Bjse of a German push, or the turuL back of the German fleet, as at Jutland. He sobered from the indication of that dream. There were: tremendous difficulties in the way of the realization of his coup. And line, time was short between now and tomorrow morning.

The Hon Noah Higgins burned the liny memorandum which he carried in the back of his watch, a memorandum which gave the day and tour, the latitude and longitude of lie rendezvous. Greenleaf had himself enciphered that message and in lie evening it would be on the air The station in Mexico city would hear it and await translation. The attendant at the shack in the tills would be awaiting an invisible hk message from the captive Jensen, The Countess would drive to lie shack, her chaffeur would retelve an innocent appearing receipt lor gas, the Countess would drive to Washington, develop the hidden message on that receipt, and through thannels at her command, send the message to Mexico. If Jensen sent 10 message these things would not happen, and within twelve hours the Thole German secret service "would know Jensen had been trapped. Other measures would be taken and it once. Could he, somehow prevent this knowledge from escaping, delay this reorganization three days, verv much might be done.

"Mr Secretary,” Greenleaf said, “it kof the utmost importance that the Countess Thorlund should be innocently occupied ibis evening from eight or nine o’clock until midnight. Can I ask the assistance of Mrs Higgins?”

The secretary frowned. "We are giving a small dinner this evening to Mr Johnston. You know Ihe identity of Mr Johnston.” I have my suspicions,” he said. “I lake it that the Countess Thorlund kas not been invited to that dinner.’’

She has not.” The secretary emmed. “Mrs Higgins does not like ike Countess and there is no diplomatic reason for her being there.” I see. No doubt the Countess *ould be like to be there however. A -mail, very select dinner to meet the mportant Mr Johnston.” The party is complete. The instations have been accepted,” tho !ecre tary said stiffly. Greenleaf said with firmness: 'iou will, however, permit me to i 6 vs Higgins? Something might e arranged.” The secretary looked at. him with I ask why?” Cfeenleaf said gravely: x ll v\ou!d be better that you didn’t at the moment. You’ll have cf I me ’ * can assure y° u Hi s 1 e utmost importance.” be secre tary regarded him half anuojance. half in amusement. 5 , seci ' e * service should bo ' 4^ et ’” Greentleaf said. '^ re - ou the only one in Wash(r ° n t 0 know everything?” the se- ** Clustered. ”1 seem to have no 'fhaf lS fl ° m JOU bllt knows Gr Secre ts you have from me.” code^h °t the stolen Poor °°k’ ca Ptured Jensen, of nal a niUrc^ ere( t HHI. and of the crimi®iann^tionS 116 WaS at momei H *kat ac k n °wledged to himself Ject tbe was wholly cor-

wa y-” he said. “I can to pj ltit,Cr at you can't. You haTe . ay acoorc *ing to certain rules aret ’t binding to me.”

“Do you mean,’’ the secretary asked, “that you break the law whereas I don’t?” “You surprise me with such insinuations,” Greenleaf said with a fine assumption of indignation. “The questions are those of conventions, diplomatic usage, and all. I have to employ, er —r—short cuts you might say. Time is of the essence.” The secretary realized that. “God knows diplomatic methods are indirect and slow as molasses in January,” he agreed. “Permit me then to speak to Mrs Higgins,” Greenleaf said. “Merely turn your head the other way. Shut the diplomatic ear. Forget this conversation and the names mentioned.” “You mean it?” the secretary, asked, giving him a searching look “It is truly important?” “More important than I can say,’’ Greenleaf replied. The secretary said, after a moment’s thought, “Very well then, I owe you this much for deciphering the German code. That was a great achievement.” Greenleaf got up briskly. “And now I will drive with you to your house. Were Ito go alone my reasons might be questioned by the curious. Whereas with you it will be thought that we discuss the chemical preparedness of this country.” “I cannot - remain at home long,” objected the secretary. “I must return to my office.” “Ten minutes, fifteen at the most.” Greenleaf said. Perhaps that wouldn’t have sufficed had not the secretary said to his wife: “Give him what he wants, Myra, if it’s humanly possible. He has good reasons.” Perhaps luckily for the secretary, he was not commanded at the moment to tell those reasons, for he would have been put to it to do so. “And what can I 'do for you, Mr Greenleaf, that is of so great imoortance? You do not come to my official dinners. You plead mysteri ous duties elsewhere.” “It is the greatest regret of my life,” Greenleaf said. “In Terre Haute we’d say you're trying to pull my leg,” answered Mrs Higgins. “It is for someone else I wish to ask an invitation to dinner.” “Yes?” “For the Countess Thorlund.” Mrs Secretary Higgins became perfectly stiff and expressionless. “For my special dinner tonight? It is very special. It includes only people I like. The invitations are all accepted. I do not see how I can enlarge the number. I assure you I don’t want her anyhow. She’d make half the women present look like small town fry. She is too beautiful to have around Naturally most women detest her. I don’t go as far as that myself. I only say she’s probably a climber and her morals are no better than they should be.” “I’m surprised at you,” said Greenleaf. “What have morals to do with it? We’re not back in Terre Haute. Not that Terre Haute has any morals, but you know what I-mean.” “I don’t see how it can be done,” she replied. (To be continued.)