Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

Every Tuesday "Oh, no, no, no," he protested. "I Vrant to talk, and I want that coffee." He stepped close to her, looked down into her face from his superior height. "Can't you see that an hour like this will never come again? In an hour the submarines will be waiting. In two hours we shall strike. And in a week you and I will be in our own country." He slid his hands down her arms. "I have served under many com- manders," he said, "but none I admire more than you." "If I am in command," said she, "I order you to let me go." His hands went to her shoulders in- stead, and he kissed her on the lips; but she broke away from him, ran to the stairs, and fled up them to her room. He followed slowly, and the door was shut when he reached it. A little lamp was alight on a table between her room and his, and beyond his door was a curtained recess. He listened at her door for several moments, then pickea up the lamp and carried it into his room. He extinguished the lamp, tip- toed forth on to the landing, and slammed the door to make her believe he had gone to bed: but without a sound he crept into the I'ecess and concealed him- self behind the curtain. Minutes passed, and then the girl stole out of her room, carrying her coat, and his room," she and Bob BOY'S CINEMA and his face was distorted with fury as he watched them round a corner of the school-house wall. "You are a little fool," said Ashington fondly. "What do .vou mean by coming out without a coat?" He took off his own greatcoat and wrapped it round her. "Where is he?" " Upstairs, locked in replied. " You're a marvel!" He turned towards yie road whistled, and almost immediately Bratt came running in at the little four- barred gate. "You know who I am?" asked Ashington. ■Yes, sir," responded the special constable promptly. "You're Commander Blacklock." "When the patrol arrives tell them to stand by—nobody to go in or out. Keep your eyes skinned." "Aye, aye, sir," salute. Ashington led the girl back towards the house, and Hardt fled before them into it without being seen. "David," said the girl, stopping abruptly, "you won't have him arrested until I've left the house, v.ill vou? Couldn't you have let him go back on his 9 down to the St. Magnus. She sails In an hour." The idea of going up the stairs again frightened her, and that was as well, because Hardt was in the hall. "I haven't got a thing of my own," she said. " Everything I have is Anne Burnett's." "Then here we go," decided the make- believe Ashington, and he took her out through the kitchen and the yard to the playground. The patrol had arrived and were lined up near a swing. Bob Bratt standing beside the sergeant in charge. Ashington walked over with the girl. "I'll be back in half an hour," he announced, " to pull him in. Stand by." "Beg pardon, sir," ventured the .sergeant, "but wouldn't you like us to save you the trouble?" "No," was the very definite reply. "I've \ the only sound to be heard was the rustle of her skirts as she went to the door of Hai-dt's room. She turned the key in the lock, stood perfectly still for a while, and like a shadow reached the stairs and went down them to the living-room. Captain Hardt left his hiding-place and leaned over the banisters. The gale had died dov.'rt and the dawn was breaking. In the faint light he saw her disappear, leaving her coat on a chair, and he was creeping down the rest of the stairs when he heard the back door being opened. The girl had gone out that way. She sped from the yard into the playground, and there in a low voice she called: " David!" Lieutenant Ashington ran to her from an out-building, and took her into his arms. " Joan! ' he breathed, kissing her. ''Joan, that was the worst ten minutes I've ever spent. But it's all over now." "Yes. darling," she whispered. Hardt had sneaked out at the back door ship? He would at least have had a fighting chance." Ashington — or Commander David Blacklock, to give him his real name- shook his head. •Too risky. He might have met some- one who knew the real Fraulein Thiel, or the real Ashington. Hear that?" Three hoots from a siren had sounded. "What is it?" asked the girl. "Destroyer flotilla. They've been load- ing extra depth charges all night—result of our midnight labours. In a few hours there won't be any foreign submarines in Sandwick Bay—just a few spots of grease drifting out to the North Sea." The girl shivered and gulped. "I think I feel rather sick," she mur- mured, and her face was white. He helped her into the living-room and he made her drink from his flask. "Now bustle upstairs and get your things." he said, when she began to look a better colour. "I'm taking you straight Hardt's right hand came out from under the cloak and the long-barrelled revolver covered the corporal's heart personal reasons for doing this job myself." ESCAPE! THE steamship St. Magnus was at the pier in the harbour when David Blacklock reached it with the girl. It was bound for Thurso, but it was to call at other islands on the way. David inter- viewed the bearded captain, v.-ho had received his instructions, and the captain conducted them to his own cabin. "I've had it cleared up for your lady's use," he said. "It's a wee bit of a place, but it's warm, and you'll have it to your- self, that's the main thing." The girl expressed her thanks. The captain went off to the deck—and the tousled head of the engineer appeared above the hatch of the engine-room. " I'm warning you, Walter,"' grumbled the old Scotsman, '• unless I get a day in port to work on my bottom-ends it'll not be a day ye'U be losin', but a week!" "We'll see about it, James," promised the captain. David was giving the girl a parting kiss, in the cabin, when through a port- hole he saw a passenger approaching the vessel with a gramophone in his arms. "Good heavens!" he exclaimed. "We've left the parson tied up in the school- room !"' "Oh, poor Mr, Harris," said the girl. "To the rescue! " David gave her another hug and hurried ashore. The patrol of Marines were still lined up in the playground when he reached it. He detailed two men to guard the back Oito'oer 2Ut, 1030.