And break at once - or yield to song

fire burning continuously, the lack of almost all ventilation had made it uncomfortably warm. He was back in the cave in thirty seconds, drawing the screen tightly shut behind him. "Quiet, everybody!" he whispered softly. He gestured behind him. "There's something moving out there, down the slope a bit. I heard it twice, sir." Panayis swore softly, twisted to his feet like a wild cat. A foot-long, two-edged throwing knife gleamed evilly in his hand and he had vanished through the canvas screen before anyone could speak. Andrea made to follow him, but Mallory stretched out his hand. "Stay where you are, Andrea. Our friend Panayis is just that little bit too precipitate," he said softly. "There may be nothingor it might be some diversionary move. . . . Oh, damn!" Stevens had just started babbling to himself in a loud voice. "He would start talking now. Can't you do something . . ." But Andrea was already bent over the sick boy, holding his hand in his own, smoothing the hot forehead and hair with his free hand and talking to him soothingly, softly, conthuously. At first he paid no attention, kept on talking in a rambling, inconsequential fashion about nothing in particular; gradually, however, the hypnotic effect of the stroking hand, the gentle caressing murmur took effect, and the babbling died away to a barely audible muttering, ceased altogether. Suddenly his eyes opened and he was awake and quite rationaL "What is it, Andrea? Why are you?" "Shh!" Mallory held up his hand. "I can hear someone" "It's Panayis, sir." Brown had his eye at a crack in the curtain. "Just moving up the gully." Seconds later, Panayis was inside the cave, squatting down by the fire. He looked thoroughly disgusted. "There is no one there," he reported. "Some goats I saw, down the bill, but that was all." Mallory translated to the others. "Didn't sound like goats to me," Brown said doggedly. "Different kind of sound altogether." "I will take a look," Andrea volunteered. "Just to make sure. But I do not think the dark one would make a mistake." Before Mallory could say anything he was gone, as quickly and silently as Panayis. He was back in three minutes, shaking his head. "Panayis is right. There is no one. I did not even see the goats." "And that's what it must have been, Casey," Mallory said. "Still, I don't like it. Snow almost stopped, wind dropping and the valley probably swarming with waterproof digital camera case large German patrolsI think it's time you two were away. For God's sake, be careful. If anyone tries to stop you, shoot to kill. They'll blame it On us anyway." "Shoot to kill!" Louki laughed dryly. "Unnecessary advice, Major, when the dark one is with us. He never shoots any other way." "Right, away you go. Damned sorry you've got yourselves mixed up in all thisbut now that you are, a thousand thanks for all you've done. See you at halfpast six." "Half-past six," Louki echoed. "The olive grove on the bank of the stream, south of the village. We will be waiting there." Two minutes later they were lost to sight and sound and all was still inside the cave again, except for the faint crackling of the embers of the dying fire. Brown had moved out on guard, and Stevens had already fallen into a restless, pain-filled sleep. Miller bent over him for a moment or two, then moved softly across the cave to Mallory. His right hand held a crumpled heap of blood-stained bandages. He held them out towards Mallory. "Take a sniff at that, boss," he asked quietly. "Easy does it." Mallory bent forward, drew away sharply, his nose wrinkled in immediate disgust. "Good lord, Dusty! That's vile!" He paused, paused in sure, sick certainty. He knew the answer before he spoke. "What on earth is it?" "Gangrene." Miller sat down heavily by his side, threw the bandages into the fire. All at once he sounded tired, defeated. "Gas gangrene. Spreadin' like a forest fireand he would have died anyway. I'm just wastin' my time." CHAPTER 10 04000600 The Germans took them just after four o'clock in the morning, while they were still asleep. Bone-tired and deep-drugged with this sleep as they were, they had no chance, not the slightest hope of offering any resistance. The conception, timing and execution of the coup were immaculate. Surprise was complete. Andrea was the first awake. Some alien whisper of sound had reached deep down to that part of him that never slept, and he twisted round and elbowed himself off the ground with the same noiseless speed as his hand reached out for his ready-cocked and loaded Mauser. But the white beam of the powerful torch lancing through the blackness of the cave bad blinded him, frozen his stretching hand even before the clipped bite of command from the man who held the torch. "Still!