WORRALS FLIES AGAIN

by Captain W. E. Johns

XIV. MORE SHOCKS (Pages 153 - 164)

A message comes in from one of Lucien's friends and is dispatched by carrier pigeon. The following day, Worrals goes to Tours to report Lowenhardt missing presumed drowned. Outside von Brandisch's office, a German soldier appears and he is marching out a British officer in Royal Air Force uniform. Worrals is shocked to see that it is her friend, Flying Officer Bill Ashton! Worrals reacts and von Brandisch notices. "You seem to have met before" he says. Worrals says yes, at Amiens, she helped her grandmother run an estaminet and he was a customer along with others from the English Air Force. Bill plays his part by insulting Worrals, "Had I known that you were one of the French Fifth Columnists I should have patronised your dirty tavern less often". “Worrals stepped forward and smacked his face. "Cochon," (French for ‘pig’) she muttered". Bill is taken away. Worrals tells von Brandisch that she is afraid something has happened to Lowenhardt. He is not at the chateau and an officer's uniform is lying on the bank of the river not far away. Worrals and von Brandisch discuss Bill. She asks if he was shot down and is told that if he crashed they haven't found his plane yet. Worrals realises that Bill is the messenger sent by Squadron-Leader Yorke that they were expecting. He would have volunteered to make a parachute descent in order to reach the chateau. Von Brandisch says the man won't talk and Worrals suggests that he might to her. They were quite friendly at Amiens she says. Von Brandisch firstly wants Worrals to show him Lowenhardt's clothes and they travel by car to the chateau. On the journey Worrals suggests that if von Brandisch lets Bill escape they could follow him and that would lead them to his associates. She asks as a reward for her idea for the release of her "uncle". Arriving at the chateau, Worrals shows von Brandisch the clothes. He examines them and thinks it is "very strange". Worrals is hoping for a way to speak to Frecks so she can tell her about Bill's capture. Von Brandisch wants Worrals to return to Tours with him but he does allow her a few minutes to go and tell her "sister" where she will be. Worrals is able to quickly have a few words with Frecks and tell her about Bill's capture. Worrals tells Frecks to release the third and final pigeon with a message to inform Squadron-Leader Yorke and to warn Lucien and Raoul to stand by for a quick getaway. Then she returns to the car and gets in with von Brandisch and is driven away.