The Veiled Lady by Lee Falk Page A

Looks like they headed off in this-"

    Above him a great buzzing was growing.

    Straightening, the Phantom turned to face the approaching source of the ominous sound.

    CHAPTER TEN
     
    Colonel Weeks came striding across the gravel parking lot behind Jungle Patrol headquarters. Taking his place in the jeep, he gave Sergeant Barnum an address, adding, "He's supposed to be home today, according to the people at the field."

    The stocky sergeant put the machine in gear and they roared away."You think this might have something to do with Doctor Love's crash?" he asked.

    Lines showed on the commander's forehead. "We don't know there's been a crash, Sergeant," he reminded his aide. "All we know is she hasn't communicated with us since yesterday."

    Sergeant Barnum concentrated on his driving for a while, taking the jeep through the narrow dusty streets and alleyways of Mawitaan, cutting sharply round corners and easing through the thick afternoon traffic on the wide thoroughfares of the market area. European and American cars mingled with horse-drawn carts; messengers on motor scooters cut around native women with wicker baskets balanced on their heads.

    When the jeep was climbing uphill away from the sea, the sergeant asked, "You think Gabe McClennan had something to do with . . with whatever happened?"

    The gray-haired colonel bit on the stem of his pipe for a few long seconds. Faint smudges of shadow under his eyes indicated he hadn't slept much since the disappearance of Doctor Love and her party.
    "I like to build cases on facts," he said finally.

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    "Hey!" Sergeant Barnum hit the brake, in time to avoid hitting a stray piebald goat which was clacking its way across the narrow cobblestone street.

    When the jeep started up again, Colonel Weeks continued, "Right now we don't have anything against Gabe. Nothing except his past record, and I don't like to hound a man because of that. The thing is, Sergeant, I can't keep from wondering why Orlando didn't take the helicopter into . He was the pilot originally scheduled for the job."

    "Okay, suppose he wasn't sick," said the sergeant. "Maybe he got hoodooed. Everybody's heard stories about the volcano. Orlando's a family man and all."

    "That's occurred to me," admitted the colonel. "I can't help it, though, Sergeant, I've got a hunch- a hunch that something is not quite right."

    "Here's the house." Sergeant Barnum parked the jeep against the curb.

    They were in a block of fresh, white two-story homes. The stucco, tile-roofed houses were so close together they gave the impression they were all segments of a block-long wall.

    After the colonel rang the bell, an iron grille in the heavy wooden door swung open and a little hand appeared where a face was supposed to look out. A tiny voice asked, "Yes, what is it please?"

    "Is your father home?" Sergeant Barnum said.

    "I think he's sick," answered the tiny child's voice. "I don't think he can see anybody."

    "Tell him the Jungle Patrol wants to talk with him," said the sergeant. "It's very important."

    "Okay, I'll tell him."

    The colonel touched Barnum's ann. "There's a side entrance off the alley between houses. Go watch it."

    "You think he'll try a skip?"

    "Another hunch."

    The sergeant nodded, trotting off.

    A kitten's fuzzy face appeared at the peephole in the door. "This is my new cat," announced the tiny voice. "I'm holding him up so you can see her."

    "Very handsome," said Colonel Weeks. "Now I'd like to see your father."

    "He's too sick," explained the unseen child in the Orlando home.

    "Hey! Hold it!" came Sergeant Barnum's voice from the narrow passageway between the bright white houses.

    "I haven't got a name for him yet, but-"

    The colonel pivoted on one foot, running to join the sergeant.

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    He found the stocky Barnum grappling with a middle-sized dark young man against the iron-grille fence at the alley's end.

    "He runs pretty good for a guy with his appendix just out," remarked the