THE
CHINA... MAIL,
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER
20,1954.
Sequence
L
which meant
But prosently the pseudo- policeman, who answered to the name of Mike, stretched himself and said with a yawn:
ANNING had a nicknames wrist-watch - but he nothing to Lanning. could not tell the time because his hands were out of sight. They were tied together, not In the approved fashion, be hind his back, but behind another back, the back of a grandfather clock. HA ankles were secured to its feet and a cord round his neck kept his face pressed against its face-or rather, against the glass door that protected Its face. He seem. ed to be embracing the clock.
"Well, what are you going to do with this lot?"
The clock was not going. I had been pulled away from the wall and used for its present purpose because there was no other piece of furniture in the room suit- able for tying Lanning to, All the chaira were in possession of the gang, ex- cepting for the chair that was in possession of Geraki. One thing that perhaps they hadn't reckoned with
WŁA
Cora nt once rose to her feet and stood with her back to the empty fireplace.
"First of all we want the woman," she ail. Cockburn "Perhaps Mr Lanning can tell
us where she is."
"I've no det," saki Lanning
His breath promptly.
misted
Today this unique thriller is
concluded
Hartley by L. P.
the glass in front of the clock-
face and the room grew dim
"You can speak when you're spoken 10," Cora Nold. "H would be nice if she was here.
"I rather think that Lanning does know where Mike. "He told me he had an for Important
she is," said
THE STORY SO FAR
GEORGE LANNING has rescued Enid Cock-
from witness waiting
burn
the head-2 quarters of a gang of “ Communists who are after Za secret paper brought ue from América by Enid's,
brother, Gerald.
Lanning's blood ran cold. "2 don't want to now," muttered sullenly.
him at the Sloane Court Hotel, and he wanted to ring her up. that
clock-face I promised him he should.' the acted as a mirror. Except where his own face blotted out the reflection he could see most of the room, which was brilliantly lit by an un- shaded bulb hanging from the centre of the ceiling. But it didn't help him much.
Forgotten him
They seemed to have for gotten about hlm and
"You hear?" said Cora,
"Не
doesn't want to. He doesn't want to telephone to Enid. Well, one of us must."
At this Valde undulated up a rustic of his corduroy with
to Cora's and went trousers,
he said, "but she'd recognise
voices. She'd certainly recognise mine."
side.
་་
our
littered.
"And mino too,"
Cors.
her."
Ho
admitted
Leaving Gerald seri- ously injured, George goes for assistance, but is “ar-✦ rested” by a plain-clothes who takes policeman George back to the house,,
The "policeman" turns out to be one of the gang, Gerald recognises him as the murderer of a man in Gerald's flat, and George
"I said a few things tos ngain a prisoner.
Gerald, or they wanted to give the impression that they had. They were sip- "I didn't say much," grunted ping their drinks and chat- Radek, I did a bil"
How Lanning hated him. "You wouldn't pass for an anyhow," sald Cora. "What about you, Mike?
ting casually about other matters, referring to people Englishman, by Christian names
and
FALCONER'S
can now offer
CULTURED PEARL RINGS
mounted in gold
from
$30.00
FALCONER'S
ESTABLISHED SINCE 1855
Opposite the General Post Office.
Tel: 22143
:
Would she come to your cali?"
Mike shook his head, "She'd know, my voice," said:
he
"I've met her with her brother. Wo were by way of being chums." He laughed and Gerald, stirred uneasily in his chair,
to do ex- We used periments together. Why Bot stry another?
"Make Gerald telephone to his sister-she'd come all right then.'
"Gerald!" erjed Cora sharply, Gerald opened his eyes, drew a breath or two, and whisper- ed faintly, "Yes?"
"I'm afraid he wouldn't
Sinister
Lanning's throat' went dry, "No," he said..
He didn't look up, but. heard the catch ellek,
"Any time within the hext five minutes,” Corn" saldą: "you -are at liberty to change your
mind."
The sound of ticking Alled the room. Lanning felt the sweat stealing down his chest. This is just funk," he told himself, "You're only attached to a Heath Robinson contraption which probably wouldn't work, even if
NATHANIEL GUBBINS
N ̈ Wayne University, Faro reshaped, and by Thursday Detroit, USA, a proIt the silly man in Detroit is the absurdly on y tắm 1 đồng. fessor with nothing interested the columnist has better to do has dis- climbed and descended 24 staira
I'd have, brained him' is i 'did; "Tomlin-Instead of just making him late for his date at the .library. They both wanted to trail us, you see.. But, Gerald was too trusting,, 85 were you, Lanning. You didn't see my covered that a housewife, eight times in four days, stooped driving preparing a meal, walks 500 four times to get in the milk, at least 50 times to look for lost n-honx." But Lanning steps, stops a dozen timen, cuttings and put Lottie's food was tired of thinking that, and and reaches for things on on the floor, torn at least 100 shoots of copy paper out of his while Mike was droning on, re- ahelves 40 to 50 times.
ating kls triumph, an Idea Perhaps it might interest punishing rounds with a cat in typewriter, and fought eight. struck him.
warrant Win a
DRAWING' the gun was loaded, which it al- was so easy to start the this ridiculous man to know order to produce one columb
BY. GORDON HOGG
moment past,
One thing he knew; he could risk of bringing not take the Enid here, without her escort, before the hour was up. They would dictato his messages at the pistol point, they would "Well?" snapped Corn, "The answer
is no,"
said Lanning.
made no answer, and They their faces didn't change, but
and Radek, Milce
who were stlit silting, got up and the four of them closed, slowly on him. gun and from He caught the glint of Cora's held their hands he thought they all were armed.
past..
All bluff
"If you want to kill me," he said rather loudly, "why don't you shoot me, without all this silly buriness?".
His breath misted the glass, but he saw Cora smile.
If it
Another idea... ·
FOT
much
down
i
this
So if any.housewife would curo to
exchange jobs this
Bumbling Letters
go in
would be still casier to how It
energy columnist uses to prepare a columnist is willing, most certainly len't. Pull'your- stop it. self together,
Gently he leaned his weight column. But try as ho would he couldn't persuade himself, that against the mahogany case. The Beginning on Monday the contraption wouldn't work pendulum faltered, bumped onco columnist rises at 6.30 am,
or twice, and stopped.
wolks down 24 stairs to make since he had left her, some or that the gun wasn't loaded.
Mike was maying: "Lanning
get in minutes. He watched the crinkled thread
morning too, stoops to times. Only
Dero Mrs Mimin, con mill see Enid if he wants a fow
the milk,
breakfast prepares Sometimes he thought he might gradually straightening out as can
was Krast 700 But, anyhow, we shall be
wonderful again Lottie the Dovil
Cat and Friday though I dont reckon rescue, sometimes he thought thoe Wards. Ten minutes past ten. seeing her later, and we'll give toons again to put it on have to wait half an hour for the minute-hand carried it down-
the her a message from him.",
He you ought to tie yore als up at was long the clock sald; by "a quarter for rescue
floor, makes tes, walks upstairs the back like on orses tall even and glupeod the
nt stopped
Cora made a clock.
nervous to take a cup to his Life Part- if the pastman does think # gesture, shut her eyes and put nor the Plucky Little Woman, arty and makes you look clever.
walks
lifts cup to After all, the postman is no Valdo her hands over her car.
again, and Radek stiffened and turned drink tea and tries to read all tghbrow even if he does away. But nothing happened. the morning papers apart from for amatoor theatricals and read.
Workeakfast Lottie
second and bookch. Time was not ready for them. the Daily
After her
Re theatricals. I enjoyed vore A Desperato as he was, Lanning
the mother in East site on the newspapers actin always enjoyed the anti-cllinux.
to wash her face, so that energy Lynn and Hearly cried when is consumed lifting her well- Lore child was taken up to fot body
and off the paper this eaven by angels on wires "We don't want to kill you, Mr Lanning," she said sweetly.
columnist is reading.
said dont shed no tears for me But it could only be a respite. The lift la "We only want you to change He made what noise he could to times, with tempers rising
done several mummy, as I am appy not
One on though it was a pity
the of your mind. And we have found drown the silence, shuming his both sides, until Lottie, fancy wires broke, and the
edolert this. well, the most parsun-
feet, scratching the clock's backiing hermit We didn't invent it.
heavyweight angel fell into the stalls. sive way.
with his nails. Finally he burst
I thought you was wonderful We aren't clever enough.
purst champion of the world,
spars jolly with the "The Germans used it in the into song For he's
columnist, and the in vore bonnet and cape when kicked out into the war-sometimes to
putting on a pair you was things, sometimes just for fun.
think could
of, and white, he of
to save his hands mow by the postman who was from
om inceration, spars back. the crool usband, though I dont They were good at booby-traps. was singing he had another idea.
Owing to the glass door being When the battle 19
reckon he need are kicked BO and You still have about three and n
ajar, his forehead was some Lottie has torn
ard so, da to knock you flat. the morning half minutes to change your inches from the clock-face. If editions of the Feverbrook Press vore face and I am not a "You've got the one with the mind."
"All bluff," said Lanning to he ducked through the glass the to pieces the columnist takes sorry I called im names and said hair-trigger, haven't
the rest of the papers o, himself. He tried to find some shot might pass over his head.
I would punch im on the nose. the up 24 flaw in the gadgol's mechanism. his song he heard a volee covstalrà and reads them swiftly. If he does it again.
In the silence that followed;
shall punch tearing out a few items ho fin on the nose and no mistake. The gun wouldn't go cft because "Why, the clock's stopped!"
·As you ave bin workin so ard the thread was pulling the
He then loses the might need. With puzzled faces they moved items and spends more mergy
yore actin to say nothink of towards the clock, Cora leading looking for them under desks,
vore work as dally elp I was no, it wasn't. Soon he think: the steady cking of clock and the stealthy down- almost on him and then ducked. papers and cursing in a loud ward movement of the minute- hand secined mind.
to paralys
the way
they
Round trigger.
Mike?" mid Corn. "You know how to fix it. Do you want a chair?"
And out Rood fellow-the only one he col cloves
But
the
да
over
at
on
.:
"No, I can reach," said Mike. gger the wrong way.idn't Lanning waited till they were chairs, and piles of old news toonderin if you would care for
"Here's the thread, then.” From BI ashtray oh the sho produced chimney-piece two short lengths of thread, cach with a loop at either end.
Line of fire
his
A shot rang oul, There was
"his!
voice.
day at Southend.
f qve bin readin a book about bear. The queen bee files igh in the air and all the bees tru so follow er. Only the strongest bae gite there and then The
a hot scaring sensation on scalp. He feit the blood run- ning down his face and won- Fazeinated, Lanaing watched
dered if he had been blinded. Mike pass a 'loop of each thread
He heard a volce above the He then opens the typewriter, stingi im to death. Good lord round the trigger of the little
hubbub, "Cora's
the puts in a blank sheet of copy wot, a game. hit"
and the pistol. Bumping against Lanning
But paper and stares at it for a con- I liked the scent of a fallen body. The gang
were sitting down thud there Mike agrin; they was not
hod realled their there were 50 many sounds, siderable time while Lettie, who beind vore ears Friday, Wot stretched up and slipped the glasses and were talking dosul sounds outside the room, and has followed him, sits on his about glitin spliced up? pistol through one of the aper-
torily. Suddenly Cora said: "I now, it seemed, sounds inside shoulder and stares too.. tures below the central ball that
The columnist then t unnk it's about time now," and "Putothe, and it was the last he love
light out!” shouted
*sentences 'and' crowned the clock. Its muzzle
fascinated by the moving keys
If he
pointing straight at Lanning's rose, carrying their glassca heard before he fell, clasping leaps from his shoulder and
the two threads their backs against
"Now, one for the hand and one for our friend's neck," said
much good on the telephone," "wards. said Cora briskly, "she wouldn't hear him. No, Lanning's tho man, Lunalug?" she barked out. Mike.
It was extraordinary what a crack she could put into her silvery volee. "We're asking you to 'phone Enid, to tell her to come here at once,
Rather hug her
He worked quickly. Including the unlying and retying of the curd round Lanning's neck, the whole operation
unly took few minutes.
volco
"Mike,
Th
floor, 1/
All is right
When he come to he was still
A
holds the keys down with her paws, More
energy is used lifting her from the typewriter for. struggle Another fight begins
and
the
mastery gloves on,
By this time the typed sen
"Goal,"
yrs truly
you act
G. Bumbling (andy man).
Dero Mr Dumbling.
liked actin my am gled you in
· East Lynn, though I was ashamed as the shockin lang. widge you used when the port zman kicked me out into the snow, Wots more there was no
t
stage with vore flats up like a prize. fighter just because the portman believer in reeliam in the drama. Although, the, kick as brought on my lumbago. bit we all ave to suffer for bur art... A
At the next performance goin to wear a pad so he
аль
and disposed themselves in forehead, it looked like a vicious ine against the chimney-piece, the clock, unconscious to the little bird. Stretching higher,-
B. Mike passed
why have they done round the shank of the ball,, that?? wondered Lanning, and be whence they hung loosely down- then the answer flashed on him. They were getting out of the. line of fire and, incidentally,
So they Ying on the foor but Enid was leaving Gerald in it. did mean business, after all. Or beside him. There were a lot of] tences have become meaning call for you to come round back was it the final build-up of the waliding about in, a quiet and the
other people too. They were less. The paper is tom out of the typewriter (more energy), hoax?
like nurses in orderly way
a ball and a screwed up into "There are one or two things hospital ward. Only they thrown angrily away. Lattia Lanning might like to know,"
weren't nurses,
plays football with it, dribbles they were ព Degan
Mike, in
it through the open door and sing-song policemen, real policemen.
columnist wearlly shouts: you fact, shut up at try to talk," she said, the
you all right?" he asked. histed Cora. "Why tell him?" "Am
Another sheet is put in the I all right?" The latent hostility between
sentences Mike said. Everything's all right," Enid typewriter, the two flared up.
typed all completely meaning- She busied herself trying to less. The second sheet of paper to the malls that was vore own + needn't listen, Cors make more comfortable the coat is screwed up into a ball and fault because we made you stage Put your hands over your cars, that was serving him for
over the left shoulder, a thrown
supposed as you're going to in a minute.
This time. Lottle is playing carpenter, as you dra pillow. If he's thinking about that cur
The post- It neatly at to be a andy man. one thing," ho said I cricket and catches
man reckona you ought to of his I could tell him quite
Cora Enid screwed deep fine leg. lot about it. I spent an hour or
resign as the angel was Mrs. "You
her
right face. "Yes,
This goes on until midday, wigglesbotham two admiring it. Nice job, that
who ad ospital have two minutes to decide,"
with-nothing written and Lottle treatm
treatment after er fall and Allard, Pity he won't see it through the heart"
didn't know she had one." "I Lanning stored at the motion-
round the pa "This loop goes Jess clock-face.
Lanning murmured. He knew it minute-hand. You follow? In
bluf There was the about five minutes the hand will
Try not to think about it," something that Enid said. "And there's now by heart.
"What shall I think about Ho then?" he asked, weakly.
"Why?" asked Lanning. "Don't you want to see her?" Cora, countered. "Aren't you tired of hugging that clock? Wouldn't you rather hug her?"
"And if I refuse?”
Then
We shall
try to per- suade you,' said Cora, in a business-like way.
can
full moon grinning down
An adjustment was made to the clock-face: the glass door was pulled out a little to allow one of the threads to pass under it, and wedged with a match- box. "Before I put off the safety- said "Mike, who tras catch" clearly enjoying himself, "Td better explain.”
Stand still
provocatively
at pull it light and the gun will go Gerald hasn't told you, I bet, him, and above, in the semi- off. You follow? The other the dirty double-crosser. circle below the frame,
the thread, attached to your neck- didn't want anyone to know.
No paying them picture of an idyllic milkmaid lace, will also, fire the gun, it. The chap in his fat wasn't #athen one was uns down with her cow, set in a sylvan you put pressure on it, so I ad- thug he was Tomlin, the F.B.I kissed him. landscape.
vise you to stand very still, Mr man. Master 'Gerald · mado A "Me," she said. Lonning. You've sure you follow? big mistake in telling me that. Now before I put off the safety If he hadn't been a pal of sorts. catch" "You've Miko," said Cora quietly.
forgotten one thing, "What?"
The two minutes didn't matter, the time of day, or night, didn't really matter. only he knew how long it was since he and Enid parted! That hour-the hour that must clapse before she called the police in now seemed the framework
"The clock's not going.' They laughed: Mice swore, and still treating, Lanning as an ad-
of his life. And it was a lost Junet of the clock; he rocked hour, adrift in time. He couldn't them both until the clock tick-
locato it. He didn't know when caNow," said Cora, resuming
end.
Mike puts off
il began, or when it would
He had no standard, no fixed control, "before point to measure it by. Some the safety catch, would you ilmas I seemed a Ilfe-time like to telephone to Enid?"
MILK
DE
THE END
and
moro
exhausted and sound asleep on
can que a proper go, and bring the quae down.
Re the eavy angel fallin'la-
Lynn
14
on
be tabla
the Sunday edition of The New Just the wort to ave the
appens again. York Times, her favourite news-
I
I ahant am sorry paper for nape because it is to go to Southend with dois as thick, like a mattress.
the postman is after East It also goes on throughout producing Ay Fever and I thall Tuesday morning and most of Wednesday morning. By that be right in the
middle hearsals for
dome time the situation is desperate Fever I shall be a mother tolto time. In Ay Lottle is locked a far away was once an actress and I shall bedroom, howling like a ban-
ave my ale done in the urchin style the postman
ahce, the meaningless sentences probably
GAULLE LAUNCHES
HIS THUNDERBOLT
זיז'.
PARIS NEWSLETTER from SAM WHITE
་་་
I the long gathering storm, ept of Potain.
surprisingly gentle in his treat double-dealing, the intrigues of
He holds Weygand
ex-
he
Paris. Villain of the first volume 1 He speaks repeatedly and with a little less than a week Marahal Weygand; De Gaulle is great bitternessof• “English.
of General de Gaulle's war
chiefly the Foreign Office and the
Intelligence Service and c memoirs will have broken responsible for, and necritics ablished doser olatulle over France.
render of 1940, and him as "this general escribo established closer relations
Russians, Anna Then the first 400-page adept at scoring brilliant vic
that one time
rolations volume of his memoirs, "The*. tories on paper.ppt with Sir Winston were at their Call," will be published. It & After the collapse, deteellem, worst" surgeried to the will be followed at brief in was so general, says De Gaulle, Russians that might trapater tervals by
that even Churchill med my headquarters to
volumes,
two other red to France making a SINGING WIFEREN
2. De Gaulle fas devoted himself.
pesce," "
MA CASUALTY de the Mendes Gaulle was, so, disgusted, De
to his memoirs "for four years that he wished to resign his post — Prince revolution, who will
to the almost total exclusion of as Under-Secretary of State for be missed: in London; } Ambas. Political activity is Publication Detence, but was dissuaded andor Herve Alphand formerly of them is the lazón
swalled "literary event, in
printing of 20,000:
rach) han
The night before his sacret Wrench representative 01 NAT departure for England, De and now diania
Gaulle, dibeditave the same
Bordeaux restaurant ng Retain, accen
be passed the Marshal, "f
siluted the "man 1:no-
sed as my chieL:
Lof
says this mother is always ing to bo Younger than
and wont proic old, ranell
Be the scent beind my cars sometimes I use, meet, the to- night
in dreamland and sohie- times tiger tiger, Larst Friday ||F. think it was tiger tiger toot
is supposed drive mon mad,'*:
See you same time same place Friday sharp !!.
Yrs truly
¿Eliza“ Miles' (mra), [World Copyright."
I CAR BRT LANÇAS