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DONALD DUCK
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December 18, 1940.
OHY YOU WOULDN'T
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Tiger
Standish,
THERE WAS THE SOUND OF A SNORT.
ace
of British
"But the devil of It is,” complained Sir Harker Bellumy, bitterly, "that 1 am being held directly responsible! As though my Department had to act as nursemaid for every chit of a child who wants its bottom smacked!"
Tiger Standish, who had dropped in to make his daily report, Inoked at his superior officer. Y.i, that branch of British Intelligence which was concentrading an counter-espionage work, was being kept pretty busy these days, but he felt a certain amount of sympathy for Bellamy na the Infter poured out his platat. Later, he was due to transfer that sympathy from his superior to himself-hut at the moment this knowledge was mercifully hidden from him.
So it was that he lightly put the question: "What are you "bell-nching about now, you old buzzard?"
Bellamy sighed as though in all the world he could not find an understanding soul.
- "You've heard of Bianca Tedwortli, I suppose?“ his tone now Kardonle.
• "Well, I'm not quite blind in both eyes yel-you mean the wench who was palling up to the Nazi bosses until quite recently."
"That's the one. She's the daughter of Lord Bevington, Headstrong res a wild volt. Got smitten with this Hitler- Youth big and was willing to throw up everything, including her mutkinality, in order to lend a hand in the movement which was to regenerate the world. Excuse me for a
noment while I spit."
Having done this offlec, Bellamy continued: "There's nothing very much wrong with the girl fundamentally. I suppose-but, as I say, the ought to have had her bolton: amacked at intervals from the age of seven upwards. Thát would have taught her sense. She's nineteen now, by the way. As you know, she's only just been able to get out of Germany; the Nazi bosses, including Himmler, Chief of the Gestapo, thought she might have i dangerous influence en her former pal, whose name need not be mentioned, und so, at the outbreak of war, they played safe and popped her into a concentration camp. Not one of the worst ones, it's true, but sufficiently bad to cure the fair Blanca her former besotted infatuation. Last week, owing to the
influence of the American Embassy in Berlin (who, of
course, are looking after British affairs now) she was release. The authorities, after the ballyhoo tripe of the Milford girl, were not going to take any chances; con- sequently there were nu reporters, no news-reel operators, and no publicity whatsoever when Blanca Tedworth lunded, in Folkestone four days ago."
Standish, putting up a huge hand to his mouth, did his hest to hide a.yawn.
"How many more instalments, Ban he enquired. "Only two-and they're both very short. The first is that the girl bas disappeared, and the second is that you've damned wall got to And her."
Tiger bounded up from his chair.
"Well, that's a nice thing to say!" he cried indignautly. Haven't you got anything better.. to do than. to send me..... scouting round after a chil of a child?".
Bellamy took his time to light the short, black pipe which he had just filled with evil-looking plug tobacco.
I thought you'd say that," he replied armlably, "but If it's any consolation to you to know it, this is a very important job of work."
"It's a job for the pollee!!!
"No," he was uncompromisingly informed, "it's a job for Y.. And you're the men to do it-there's no one better."
began to fume afresh,
"Where do we come into it?" he retorted.
"Principally because our agent, Y.27, was able to see the Tedworth riel just after the crossed the German frontler, and being hard-pressed, gave her the plans of an entirely
raiding new
bomber about which the Nazis do not want anything known. You remember that business over Belgium the other day"
"You mean when a German plane shot down two Belgian fighters?"
Bellamy nodded.
"Yes. Those fighters were shot down because the pilot hud lnd the strictest instructions that in no circumstances whatever was he to allow his machine to be examined by anybody outside Germany-not even by a neutral.”
Tiger sat down again and filed his own pipe. This business
was becoming more interesting; it was just like Bellamy' to hide the truth as long as possible. One result, he supposed, of having spent over thirty years in Intelligence,
"Did she hand over the plans?" he asked. This time Bellamy shook his head.
"When I said just now that she landed at Folkestone it was more or less figure of speech. I should have anid she was supposed to land at Folkestone. The trith-or what at the present time must pass for the truth is that when her father, Lord Devington, went to meet her at the stage, he found no one amongst the passengers who in the slightest degree to his daughter." whistled,
.?"
"Who can say what happened?" Bellamy shrugged his shoulders like a weary Titan who finds the weight, of his Inbourn intolerable; "all we do know is that a girl resembling Bianca Tedworth get on the bout at Calais.... to you to discover the rest, my_boy."
"I'm not Sherlock Holmes."
It's up
"And I'm certainly not Watson," rejoined his superior, and turned to the papers on his desk.
his
The certainly wasn't good enough, and Standish voiced
"Slin
probably at the bottom of the Channel—what's the good of
sending me off on a wild-goose chase like this? And where the hell do I start, anyway?"
Whereupon Bellamy became as mysterious as though he were playing himself in a sensational Alm. Going first of all to the door, as though suspecting a possible eaves- dropper, he closed the heavy mahogany again, and returned to liis rest. After that, he spoke in a whisper for a few more minutes. At the end of that Ume, Tiger Standish got up and knocked the ashes out of his pipe.
*It looks like one chance in a million,” he summed up. "It's the one chance in a million that sometimes comes "off, my boy," was the anawer he received.
57
THE LADY
with the
secret agents, meets
GAUDY PAST
Het good servants during wartime in London,, it was still more difficult to procure them in the country, The ordinary woman might have munaged, but the Countes had her own Axed, and somewhat peculiar, Ideas about the servant question: she would employ no one on the male side who was not both young and good-looking. This determination of hers added considerably, of course, to the difficulties of the present situation.
What was more, Neverne Castle was situate in a very lonely part of what has frequently been described as the mast delectable county in England. The castle, which dated back to the early 19th century, was not, strictly speaking, built on Sussex land at all; it had been erected, according to history, by a direct dercendant of William the Conqueror, who had perched his new home on the very edge of the Sussex cliffs, But the intervening centuries, with the asalatunce of the seb, had caused serious erosions to take place. With this result: between the mainland and the castle keep, there was now a stretch of over 200 yards of sea, which, for several months in the year, tossed and formed, shrieked and thrilled, banged and battered
ninat both the cliffs on the mainland and those which surrounded the present abode of the Countess of Mittenden.
The man who was bound for Neverne Castle, there to take up the position of new builer, sat upright in the small boat which acted as ferry. The rustic who propelled the oats looked at him with a kind of shrewd, quizzical interest. "I opes as 'ow you'll like it there, maister," he vouch- rated; it be all right if you keeps the right side of Jer ladyship. Lenstways, with a snigger that might have been the cloak for scone secretly amusing thought, "that's what they do say, round about Tere."
Sidney
By
Horler
"Alind your own business, Was the stiffly-ufterea
comment,
was only givin' ye a bit of advies muister." went. on the rustle; "but seeing that his passenger, was in no mood for further converse, he concentrated on his earsman- ship and, within a few moments, brought his boat to the castle landing-place.,
טי
A few minutes later, John Giles was interviewing his The Countess of Mittendon was a woman, new mistress, he was now able to observe, of perhaps 55 years of age- *ind a bid 55 at that." As though to fight the ravages of time, her ladyship resorted to a make-up that was not sa much elaborate as excessive; her face icoked as though one would have to scrape off the paint with a knife before coming to the skin beneath. Her hands, tup, were unpleasant- -veins, dead-coloured, with the long, pointed nolls looking as though had been dipped in blood.
they "Yes," she said in a hoarse low-pitched voice that grated on her listener's ears, "your references appear to be quite sutisfactory, Giles, and when I spoke to the agency this morning, they said that they were sure you would give comfortable service. I hope you will be very here, Giles"
·
me
Conventional words, but the new butler did not like the smile which accompanied them. He remembered the words of the gnaried old boatman. They were likely, he considered, to become prophetic.
"I hope, too, your Indyship, that I shall give you good service," he replied-but he spoke la German Instead of English.
The Countess put one of the claw-like hands up to her mouth. Even do, a sharp cry of mingled surprise and alarm broke from her lips.
"Who are you?" she demanded sharply, one hand now to her breast: and why do you speak to me in German?" The new butler did a surprising thing. Instead of replying, he took from his walstcont pocket a disc that seemed to be made of silver, or some other gleaming metal. "This is why," he replied, showing it to her. And now his volee held only authority.
IN A DUNGEON FAR BELOW THE ROOM IN WHICH THIS CONVERSATION HAD TAKEN PLACE, a girl
They had gone down to the saloon, her companion had: ordered a whisky and soda for himself and n caffee for her; she had talten ʼn first sip-and then that nwful darkness had core, enveloping her about like a black blanket.
There was nothing ́ between that memory and the infinitely more horrible one of waking up in this dreadful place, which she now knew to be a prison-cell from which there could never be any escape. What had happened to her; where she had been taken; who was responsible for taking her there, all these things were insoluble mysteries. The brutal fact that this was reality and not a nightmare, out of which she might mercifully awake, was sufficient. She wished she were dend,
WITH
XTH THE FIRST SOUND OF THE BOLT OUTSIDE THE DOOR BEING DRAWN, she awoke out of her lethargy, springing to her feet, her captive's chain rattling as she did so.
It was a man who now come into the place; before, it had been women. Two women-one thick-set with a cold, hard, unpletsant face, who looked like a servant of some kind, and then another more horrible creature this because, possibly due to fear of showing her face, she wore a mask, Both these women had frightened her out of her few remaining wits-but neither bad induced her to tell the truth. She would not tell the truthnot even if they killed her for it. Because, she felt, this.resolve was the only possible reparation she could make to her country for her former foolhardy conduct. Besides, so much was at stake....
The Intruder, who was a stranger to her, drew up a three-legged stool, which was one of the few pleces of "furniture" in the dungeon, and regarded her intently.
"Do you want to leave here, Miss Tedworth?" he asked. "Because if you do, it will be quite a simple matter, you know."
She mistrusted his face just as much as she mistrusted his voice.. Like the women before him, he would name his conditions; she knew that.
"You realise, of course, that very quietly I must be found? My father is very important man in this country.
a
The man put up his hand, siniling us he did so. "How do you know you are in Englund, Miss Ted- worth?" You may still be in Germany,"
יד
She shook her head.
"No, I know that's not true."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because if i were in Germany, there would not be
all this secrecy-that woman who comes in wearing a mask would be able to show her face."
This time the man's smile was even more odious. "Perhaps the mask she wears is much more pleasant' than the face underneath," he commented: "but we waste tiene. What did you do with those plans, Miss Tedworth? Tell me that and you shall at least be given a more suitable lodging. You must And this place very dump."
As though to give emphasis to his words, he pulled up his, coat...collar and shivered. It must n most realistle bit of acting, but it made no impression to her.
"I tell you what I have repentedly told those two wemen-I know nothing whatever about any plans."
He jumped up.
"Why Lu you ne? It's no use-and it only makes you suffer more. Now, Miss Tedworth, you shall have one last chance. And when I say 'inst' I mean it." Again be suited netion to words, but this time the plece of pantomime was cinister; putting a hand into his coal pocket, he took aut
revolver.
"You are becoming a liability, Miss Tedworth, und so, unless you give me the information I require, you will have to die,
am afraid."
"I.
A wan' smile spread over her pale face,
"I'm not afraid to die-1 want to die," she replied,
The
further words died on her lips; the man opposite her saw her face grow rigid, whilst her eyes seemed to be on the point of falling out of her head.
"What Is It?" he asked gruffly.
The reply did not come from the girl; it came from behind.
Even so the Nazi spy Would
"Drop that gun-and put up your hands!” said a voice that sounded like an accusing judge's; "you have played your last masquerade as a British officer, Herr Otto Welss; your famous impersonations as a captain of the Tanks Corps are now at an end. Drop that gun, I tell you."
have got his revengo by shooting the girl had not Blanca Tedworth suddenly ducked. The bullet which had been intended for her brain squashed itself against the dripping wall of the dungeon.
The next
on the man. from behind ament Flyer Standish hud
and had brought him crashing to the uneven stone
one floor. The chained girl watched, in mingled fascinated horror and relief, the terrible struggle which ensued.
strong, Standish was stronger. if the German was Moreover, he was fired by a burning sense of anger. . That any girl, let alone a girl of Bianca Tedworth's gentle upbringing, should have been treated like that was a slight to the whole British race,
The third blow that he anushied to the Nazi's face
who, but for her modern dress, might well have been a captive of the original owner of Neverne Castle, crouched completed the job, against the damp wall, She crouched for n very good reason-around her right onicle was a band of steel. Attach- ed to this was a thin, flexible, but very strong chain made of the same metal, terminating in a staple driven well into the, 15-foot thick wall.
The girl was Blanca Tedworth.
So bemused was she in her misery that, for mony hours now, she had remained practically motionless in that animal-like position. Every vestige of faith that she had had was now gone; she realised that her plight, although pitiable, although, Indeed, almost Incredible, was hopeless. Chained there like an animal deep down beneath the earth, with no light beyond the storm lantern, whoso wick was trimmed from time to time, kept seme- times
nes without food and even without water, she longed for death.
But death seemed still far away. It was her robust strength that kept her alive and, for the first time since aho was born, she cursed, her youth
One
of her many troubles was that she could not remember the immediate past; she could recall getting on the crose-Channel boat along with a lot of soldiers coming on leave, at Colols; she could recall going on deck and talking to two officers, one of whom she, remembered, was wearing the uniform of the Tank Corps. It was this officer. who asked her she would like to have some coffee-and, because after all she had gone through, the very sight of a British face made her almost lil with happiness, she had
THE COUNTESS OF MITTENDEN HAD LEFT LONDON ("who wants to be blown to bits by those dreadful bombs? How I do hate that man Hitler!") and was residing in her country seat, Neverna Castle, in the county of Sussex. The move. had, had (la disadvantages: The staff problem, for instance; whilst it was extremely difficult to stingroed, a
*
THANKS for the flowers, B.," replied Standish, "but after all it wasn't so difficult. After you had given me that tip about the Countess of Miltonden, I made a few enquiries on my own, and discovered that she had been one of the most prominent pro-Hillerites before the war- n fervent Nuremberger and an even more fervent Munichols. one respect A Indy with a gaudy past in more than Delving a little deeper into her past, I found that, amonget her many lovers and during her husband's lifetime, too, naughty giril-was the Baron von Stumm. As you know, B.or if you don't, you ought to know the Bacon was one of the high lights in pre-Hiller Germany; as a matter of fact he was a big bug in the Intelligence Service. When the Nazis come into power, they took over all the archives a the old Secret Service-and, you may bat, with charac- teristic German thoroughness, they marked the Countess of Mittenden's name with an X They decided, of course, that she was very likely to be useful later on,
"How useful she was proved by what I saw in that dungeon at Neverna Castle. She had been warned to expect visitor, and when an elderly woman, accompanied by a British officeť, 4" +14)
Standish waved his pipe as though it' were a musical conductor's baton...
"My dear D1" he, chided; "where are the brains of yester- year? The elderly lady was Blanca Tedworth, of course." TURN to Pago 7, Column Five-
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