Guilford High School - Rostrum Yearbook (Guilford, ME)

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THE ROSTRUM 28 train. With perfect timing it can be done. A friend of mine is engineer on that train. If he knows that the plant is going to be blown up, he can turn the train off onto that old siding which goes into the supply room beside the powder room. I will make the change at the siding during our noon period. There is no afternoon train. Oh, here is Theresa. How ilong have you been here, Theresafrw I have been here long enough to get the general drift of things, I guess. Am I supposed to get the plans of the plant for you? I think I can get them tonight. I have to go back at seven-thirty this eveningf, After this, Theresa Pirout, a beautiful girl with golden hair and a fair skin, sat down beside Jeanne. No one could help but notice the contrast between the two girls. Both Ieanne and Theresa had French fathers. Ieanne's mother had been French. The Germans got her. Theresa never spoke of her mother, a Swiss woman. Theresa's moth- er was dead, but Theresa could not for- give the people of her mother's country for not fighting. In her love for liberty, equality, and fraternity she was truly French. Yes, Theresa, you are to get me the plans of the factory. YVill those plans be in the files of your General Shmidtz?', I can secure them tonight. You will be here to get them about ten o,clock?', I will be here. Now, Jeanne, take your market basket and go to Monsieur Rauilieris home. I will write you a note to give to him telling him exactly what I want. I, too, must go now. I will be back at ten o'clock.', Pellitier went quietly out into the night and disap- peared. In the house, Theresa was preparing to go back to General Shmidtis office. .She has a strange premonition that something unexpected will happen which has a great deal of effect on their plans. As Theresa walks quickly into the of- fice, she wishes she could give up the whole idea. She hears footsteps and the general comes in. He gives her orders in a Curt Nazi tone, 'iFraulein Piro-ut, I want you to typewrite these orders for me. I am going out. You may leave as soon as you have finished. Heil, Hitler!', i'Heil Hitler, Theresa answered ca-s- ually. As soon as the last dying sounds of his footsteps have faded, Theresa sat down at her desk and typed for a while. Then she got up, ran to the window and looked out. She saw that the general had left in his private car. Quickly she reached for her key to the file cabinet. Soon the file was opened and the prec- ious plans were in her hands-the plans that help to bring the doom of the Axis nearer! A funny sensation rushed through her mind. It seemed almost as if she were being Watched. Looking up, she saw a German officer staring at her. NVhat are you doing with those files? VVhere is General Shmidtz? Answer me immediatelyf, This tall blond German lad spoke accusinigly, as though he sus- pected somethinfg. She must think fast. The general? He just left a short while ago. I do not know where he went. VVhat am I doing with the file? I am looking up some maps for the generalf, She was frightened. If only she could have been a better actress. Her surprise still showed on her face. I do not believe you! You are lying! You wish to steal those plans. I am sorry that I must take you prisoner, my pretty frauleinf' He, too, was surprised. He didn't want to sentence this girl to the death she must face, if he turned her in to the German police. She was just a French girl, at least she talked like one. Without quite knowing what he did, he stepped closer and asked, MAre you French? Yes, and proud of it, Theresa snapped back the reply. My mother was Swiss, if you must be so inquisitive. How dare you say that I am trying to steal! You impudent pig! You do not

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22 THE ROSTRUM THOSE WHO DIE According to the records, Pellitier is the best qualified man we have for this job. Jeanne Fortin and Theresa Pirout, who works in the generals office, can help himf, spoke the man in the shiny blue serge suit, looking up from his book of records. K'Pellitier can come here. You will go to the house of Pellitier and give him do it then. Jacques, Monsieur Henri this note. He is to return with you. Be one sees you come in careful that no here. You may go nowf, Later Jacques enters with another man. The man speaks, You sent for me -Henri Pellitier?,' Yes, I did. Sit down. So you are Pelli- tier. I am Raymon Foulon. Have you not heard of me in my work in the under ground systems of F rance?', Without waiting for a reply, the outspoken Fou- lon continued, Your record speaks well for you. You have done well in your ef- forts to hinder the Nazi hordes, who are trying their best to orush our gallant spirit. They can starve us, they can tor- ture us, they can kill us. But they can never kill the true France that every Frenchman holds fast in his heart, never until they kill every Frenchman who has been born into this world of hatred! 'Enough of sentiment, we must never give way to sentiment. If we do, it will be our downfall. The real purpose of your being here is to give you your or- ders. They are simple. The Tennerie factory, where you work, must be de- stroyed. Your helpers will be Jeanne Fortin and Theresa Piroutf' aBut not Jeanne, this is dangerous! Canit you put someone else in her place? You see, I love Jeanne Fortin. We were to have been married in June4but the Germans camef, I am sorry. I didn't know, but ilt can not be changed now. The plans are made. You must carry them out to every letter of every word. You know all of the people who will aid you. Jeanne can secure the explosives. Theresa will get the plans to the factory for you. She can do it easily enough. You and Jeanne both work in the factory. It will be simple. Have it happen when there are as few as possible there. We can at least try to be human. Will you do it?', I will do it. The task will be com- pletcd by Friday night. Today is Wednesday. It shall be donef, After say- ing this, Pellitier left the room. He had work to do tonight. He must see Jeanne. Fifteen minutes later, a tall, dark, un- shaven man in an old suit of work clothes, which had been shabby for a long time, walked quickly up the steps of a house in the suburbs of a once beautiful, but now ruined, Paris. He glanced cautiously around him. Seeing no one, he opened the door and stepped in quickly. In the corner of the room, bending over her book, trying to catch the fading light of a dying sun, sat a beautiful French girl. Jeanne,v the tall man murmured as he walked across the floor. Jeanne.v Henril I thought perhaps they had gotten you. I have been waiting a long time. WVhy are you so late? I have something to tell you. You and your friend, Theresa Pirout, have been chosen to help me destroy the fac- tory in which we work. It must be done by Fridayf, c'Henri, do you know that a new ship- ment of French soldiers, for the Nazis to send to the Russian front to be slaught- ered, passes the plant soon after we get out of work tomorrow? Why not kill them now? It would save them from the horrible fate that is in store for them. XVould it not be better to kill them be- fore they can become traitors to Franceiy K'Jeanne, you are right. At four-forty we will blow the place as high as the elephant who jumped the fence. If We can just get it close to the powder room, the shells which are in there will ex- plode and destroy the track and troop

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24 THE ROSTRUM even know enough to be decent to a lady. Get out of here at oncelv You canit order me out of here. I am a German and you are French. By the way, my name is Herman Gunther, not a pretty name but at least it is German. lVhat is yours, my fraulein, and are you fran or frauleinilv Bly name. Nlonsieur Nazi, is Made- moiselle Theresa Pirout. Now will you get out before I call the police in? I will not get out and if you call in the police I shall have you arrested on the charge of resisting arrest and slan- der. You would die if I told them what you were doing when I came in. Give me a little kiss now and promise to be good and I will let you freef, He stepped closer and kissed her. Her hands were clenched into hard balls and she drove them into his hard chest again and again. Finally he said, My dear, as long as you hit me I shall never stop kissing youf, At this she gave in. They heard steps in the hall. The door slammed shut. Now,', he said, they have gone. I heard them come in. That 'is why I pre- tended I was just another German sol- dier trying to get a kiss from a pretty French girl. That is why I did not men- tion the plans again. I only asked you about t-hem to make sure you were really taking them. I see now that you were. XVhen I saw your fair hair I thought you were a German. Theresa, I am a German, yes, an American-born German who would do anything for the fatherland. I come from America-that is my fatherlandl I come here to help you. Quick get that typing done. Then we will take all the plans and things which are of value out of here. This place will blow sky-high in about fifteen minutes. You know there are really some important papers in that room. My mission is to destroy them. Hurry or it will be too latef, Theresa looked at him. Was this a trick? She took a long look into his eyes. They told her that all he had said was true. They told her something else, too. He was in love with her. But now there was no time for love. She must finish that typing. Herman was in the generalis oflice putting fortification maps i11to his brief case. They would come in handy when the Allies raided France. She heard steps in the hall. Her typing was nearly done. VVhat if he made her stay later to do more work? She told Herman that Shmidtz was coming. He came out of the office and as the general came in, he was helping her into her coat. So my secretary has decided to find herself a handsome young Nazi to be the father of her children? Let me tell you, countryman, she is a nice girl for a French one. Pretty as they make them. She wouldn't go for me, though. Of course l am married but that doesnit matter. lVe supermen are truly wonder- ful. arenit weiw As he spoke, llerman watched him. When Shmidtz stopped for a breath of air, Gunther broke in. Yes, the super race is wonderfull The super race is made up of fine Amer- icansf, After saying this, Gunther swung his fist into Shmidtz's face and Shmidtz was lying, face down, on the floor. Herman and Theresa hurried out. Soon after they left the building the whole place was in shambles. Gunther's mission had been accomplished. Back at Ieanneis home, she and Henri were waiting. 'Ilhey heard steps and rushed to the window. It is Theresa, but who is the German officer with her? Quickly, hide in this closet. He may be here to arrest us. But why does she seem happyfpv The door opened quickly and in stepped Theresa and the Nazi. Theresa jerk. and pulled down the shades with a Then she rushed over to Jeanne hugged her. She enlightened the sur- prised leanne by telling her of the Ger- man-.-Xmerican who was going to help