Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

Every Tuesday iiolil.ook niul n ppncil from a wnis(ooa( iinckct, «n(l ho wiiH lioldiut; the iinlcliook hclwciMi liis k'li'o.-i, mi(lur thtj (aide, when on (o I lie scicfii came a pictnie of a jolly-lookiuK- middle afred man in a hathinij; costume, ovidently taken at a suimniinf/r pool. "Don't let this man's appearame fool \oii." vanu'd Carter. "He look.s harmless, ln'u he is one of the .ihrewdost invest ii.atois in the Department. His name is William lierkelev, ^yei!,'ht two hniidied a»d fifty pound-, height five feet eight and a half, jovial disposition, ]eft-h,uided. Stieaks French. Italian, Sjiani^h, (Jeiinan anc) Russian f1u(>ntly." 'riie si-reeii hec.ime a blank, the |)rojeclor wa.s stopped, and the ordinary lightini; of the room va.s restored. "]M3." said Carter erisplv. A hiack-haired ffiri in a uliite fnr coat left the table and walked round to him. '"You have been under .suspicion hv the Dc- partment of Ju.stice for the past four rJavs." he informed her. 'To play safe yon are beinif tian.sferred. Here are your instructions, your !-leamor ticket, and your pa.-sport. Under no circumstances are you to return to your present residence." The ificl went out from the room. "E.40." said Carter. A man on Phil's right stood up. "j\«new Diesel engine for submarine use is benig built at the Brooklyn Yard. Cct a cojiy of the plans." "Yes, .sir." E.40 went out, and another man ■was called upon by his numliei—R.56. "The American Chemical CoiTipanv's new gas is to be secretly tested at the Home'wood plant to-mon-ow night with a special new gas mask," Carter told him. "Be at the corner, one block north of the factory. There yon will pick np a newspaper to be dropped from a light grey loadstej-. Tliat paper will contain the formula of this new gun." K.56 lieparted, and Phil wrote in his little notebook without looking down at it. "You will now rise and take the oath of allegiance." .said Carter; and all tho.-e who were left stood up and repeated after him, phrase by phrase: "I swear my allegiance to the liomeland, and promise faithfidiv to execute any orders gi\'en by my superiors. This trust I will hold sacred. I will betray no secrets, though death be my reward." Men and woriien alike pl.Tred their right hands over tfieir licirt- ;is the-, took this oath BOY'S CINEMA The diamond in the ring on Phil's little finger sparkled in the light, and for a moment Dr. Ciiiter's ga/.e icsled upon the ring. 'I'he room began to empty, and Phil was being bhndfolded again \\\i,-u one of the men Was slopped by the door. ^ "lv40." Carter -aid to him in a low voice, " reward (!.4's friend." _ Out on the edge of the pavement, in Kim Street. Phil reached the kerb, stumbled on the edge of it, and sat down with a thud. Wdliams caught hold of his arm and helpi^d him to his feet, but did not notice a folded slip of paper in the gutter. "Sorry," ho said. "I ought nut to have let go of you." I'liil was led to a car tli.it was standing furl her along the kerb, and was helped into It. E.40 was at the wheel. "Now you're all right," said Williams. 'I'he car, a green sedan, was driven to the big apartment-house in 'J'went vKighth Pl.ice, and in the deserted entrance hall Williams said; " N'ou can take otV the goggles now." Phil's eyes had not bi-en taped before he left (he sanitarium. He look off the goggles and handed them over. "Thanks," he said. "When are we going to have our next meeting?" "In about a week," Williams replied. "I'll let you know." "Where will I be able to find you, in case I run on to something urgent'?" "I'll give you my phone number." Phil took out the little notebook and pencil. "What is the number'/" A shot rang out from the doorway. It made very little noise because a silencer was attached to the barrel of the gun that fired it. Phil fell dead upon the tessellated floor of the hall, the notebook clutched in his hand, and Williams consulted a list of tenants on the wall. E.40 joined him. and between them they got Phil into an automatic lift. The key of his flat was in his pocket, and on the fourth floor they used it to open the door. - Nearly three hours afterwards, a taxi-cab drew up outside the apartment-house, and John and Ted alighted from it with Eleanor. They had been to the Potomac Club, as arranged, and they had thoroughly enjoved themselves there. _^ "Phil may be home by now," said Eleanor. " Retter come on up." Th^v ascended to the fo n th floor, and John opened the door of the flat with Eleanor'i key. Phil was lying on hi.s back in flie hallway, hi* gla/.ed eyi'rt sluiing ,it the ciijing. "Phillip!" scriamed Eleanor—and fell faint ing beside the Ixniy of lier brother. ./ohn went down on one knee, nliook hiii h.ad miserably at Ted, and gently freed lh« notel)ook from (he dead man'* grip. On (ho page at which it ua> op,.,, I'jijl |,ad written: Anier Clieni (•as Dr C THE TEST Tl'A) was in (he Koiuth floor flat w lir-n Jolin relumed to it from the War I.)cpart- iiMiil soon after eleven o'clock in the morning. 'J'ed h.id been going thioiigh Phil's pajjers, as well as trying to comfort Eleanor, but he had failed to find anything. "Probably didn't want to take a chance on leaving any (>\id<'nce," decided John. "What did the colonel have to say'/" asked I'ed. "We're to carry on Pliil's work where he left ofl. Is i'^lcanor in her room'/" Ted nod<led, and John went to a closed door and tapped on it. " Eleanor!" he calle<l. "Come in," responded a most iinh;ippy voice, and he entered a blue and gold bed room, the fiuiiiture in which was mainlv of maple ply- wood. The room was full of sunlight, but Eleanor was kneeling on a window-seat and her face was buried in her hands. He went to her and kissed her hair. "Why did it have to l)e Phil'/" she moaned Why'?" "That's a question no one can answer," he murmiiied sadly. "He had so much to live for." "I know, and yet I'm sure he went the way he would have wished—in the line of duty." "Duty!" she echoed bitterly. Children were playing on a lawn in tho grounds down below, and he pointed to them. "Look out there, Eleanor. Phil gave his life to keep those kids safe. Gave it for every father and mother and child in this country. He died a hero's death. Eleanor." "Is that the way heroes die, shot in the back?" "He was a soldier," said John. "A .soldier of peace, fighting the enemies of peace. No uniform, no glory, but fighting for his country Men holding their breath got the Major out into the air and removed his mask and oxygen was administered January 6th, 1940.