Page 34 (1/2)

As if to answer hih up in the ainly black shape crossed the moon and disappeared down the valley Bond s thee had thought out an alternative route over Gerue the toss with NATO? Well, if a Marseillais couldn't blarney his way across two hundred miles, nobody could!

And now, up the road from Sa of the local fire-engine The blinking red light on its cabin roof was perhaps athe corner of the darkened cable station, prepared his story He crept up to the wall of the building and looked round Nobody! No trace except fresh tyre-marks outside the entrance door Blofeld must have telephoned his man down here before he started and used hione? Bond walked out on to the road The tracks turned left Blofeld would be at the Bernina Pass or over it by now, on his way down into Italy and away It ht still have been possible to have hihts now held Bond in their beae unless he hiht? No, he adine!

The shining red vehicle pulled up in front of the cable station and the warning klaxons ran doith an iron groan Men juround So up at the Piz Gloria, where a dull red glow still showed A man in a peaked cap, presumably the captain of the team, came up to Bond and saluted He fired off a torrent of Schwyzerdütch Bond shook his head The ain showed incolish was called over 'What is it that is happening?' he asked

Bond shook his head dazedly 'I don't knoalking down from Pontresina to Samaden I caoing to take a train from Samaden Then I saw these explosions up the uely - 'and I walked up there past the station to see better, and the next thing I kneas a bang on the head and being dragged along the path1 He indicated his bleeding head and the raw elbows that protruded from his torn sleeves 'It ed ot a Red Cross outfit with you?'

'Yes, yes' The ues wearing a Red Cross brassard on his arm fetched his black box froue over Bond's injuries and, while his interrogator told Bond's story to the Captain, bade Bond follow hiht of a torch, he washed Bond's wounds, applied quantities of iodine that stung like hell, and then strapped wide strips of Elastoplast over the dahed Hell of a bridegroo to make! The Red Cross man cluck-clucked in sympathy, produced a flask of brandy out of his box, and offered it to Bond Bond gratefully took a long swig The interpreter ca we can do here It will need a helicopter froo back to Samaden and report You wish to come?'

'I certainly do,' said Bond enthusiastically, and, with many politenesses and no question of why he should atte a taxi, he was borne coestures of goodwill and sy Personenzug to Coke and then by express to Zurich, Bond got to the door of the flat of Head of Station Z in the Bahnhofstrasse at two in theHe had had some sleep in the train but he was almost out on his feet, and his whole body felt as if it had been beaten ooden truncheons He leaned wearily against the bell ticketed 'Muir' until a tousled man in pyjamas came and opened the door and held it on the chain 'Urily The English accent caain, I'm afraid'

'Good God, man, come in, come in!' Muir opened the door and looked quickly up and down the empty street 'Anyone after you?'

'Shouldn't think so,' said Bond thickly, coratefully into the warmth of the entrance hall Head of Z closed the door and locked it He turned and looked at Bond 'Christ, old boy, what in hell's been happening to you? You look as if you'd been through a le Here, come in and have a drink' He led the way into a coestured at the sideboard 'Help yourself I'll just tell Phyllis not to worry - unless you'd like her to have a look at the da'

'No, it's all right, thanks A drink'll fix me Nice and war as I live'

Muir went out and Bond heard a quick confabulation across the passage Muir ca the spare roos and stuff out in the bathroom Now then' - he poured himself a thin whisky and soda to keep Bond company and sat down opposite him -'tell me what you can'

Bond said, 'I'm terribly sorry, but I can't tell you much The same business as the other day Next chapter I pro about it I wouldn't have conal off to M, personal, triple X cipher to be deciphered by recipient only Would you be a good chap and put it on the printer?'

'Of course' Muir looked at his watch 'Two-thirty am Hell of a time to wake the old man up But that's your business Here, come into the cockpit, so to speak' He walked across to the book-lined wall, took out a book and fiddled There was a click and a s open 'Mind your head,' said Muir 'Old disused lavatory Just the right size Gets a bit stuffy when there's a lot of traffic co, but that can't be helped We can afford to leave the door open' He bent down to a safe on the floor, worked the coht out what looked like a portable typewriter He set it on the shelf next to the bulky teleprinter, sat down, and clacked off the prefix and routing instructions, winding a small handle at the side of the machine at the end of each word 'OK Fire away!'