Somewhere on the Coast of France

As the clouds slid in front of the moon the two men dashed across the open beach to the German Pill Box. Armed only with knives the escaped POW's knew their chances of overpowering the two German machine gunners were slim at best. Desperation had pushed Lt. McCullum and Lt. Howcott to this dangerous gambit. After five days of scouting the area they had determined that this was weakest spot in the German defenses. The fact that this particular pill box was equipped with a small motor boat the Nazi's used for daytime patrols made it an irresistible target for the two men. As they prepared to storm the pill box the fickle mistress of luck smiled on them, the steel door opened and one of the guards stepped out all of his attention focused on the conversation he was having with the other guard. As he was shutting the door the guard turned and Lt. McCullum reached out and slashed his throat. They quickly disposed of the dead German soldier and prepared to rush the final guard.

Lt. Howcott jerked open the door and Lt. McCullum charged in. In the short seconds it took the guard to realize the person coming in was not the other guard returning, Lt. McCullum plunged his knife into the guards heart. McCullum and Howcott quickly looted the small bunker for supplies and dragged the boat out to the ocean.

Lt. McCullum looked at Howcott and said "Eddie my boy you feel up to a sea cruise?"

Lt. Howcott said "Shut up and push yank. We are to bloody close to getting home to stop and tempt fate."

-------------------County Courthouse, Greenville Texas

"Sheriff Grayeagle, I am dismissing the charges against these men and I've a good mind to have you arrested for assault. Your use of excessive force in the apprehension of these men guilty of nothing more serious than trespassing shows an utter contempt for our system of laws. As much as I wish it was, its not within my power to remove you from the position of Nomocotton Sheriff but it is within my power to suspend you power to enforce the laws. I am hereby authorizing the County DA to appoint four special deputies to oversee Nomocotton and investigate this obvious abuse of Power!"

Ben Abrahamson and Dozier Lunsford both leapt to their feet to object.

BANG BANG

The judge slammed his gavel down and snarled "Bailiff if those two men don't sit down right now I want them arrested for contempt of court. I will not allow the vigilante Justice of Nomocotton to rear its ugly head in my courtroom! District Attorney Phillips I strongly recommend you appoint Jacob Smithson to head the investigation of this shameful incident."

District Attorney Phillips slowly stoop up and said "Your Honor, the defendants were wearing Klan costumes, they were carrying a kerosene soaked cross. Less than two months ago Joey Beddingfield, the previous Sheriff of Nomocotton was murdered by the Klan. There was a shoot out at the Margison Ranch between locals and the Klan, German John's was torched once before. There is a great deal of circumstantial evidence that Mr. Tolly was involved in everyone of these incidents. Your Honor it is a known fact among the law enforcement community that Jacob Smithson has been bankrolling Klan activities for years. Sir you are asking me to appoint the wolf to guard the sheep."

The Judge scowled and said "DA Phillips I will not sit here and listen to you insult a pillar of our community like Jacob Smithson. You will comply with my instructions or I will have you jailed for contempt. I am fully aware of your involvement in the ongoing attempt to thwart the FBI's arrest of the Japanese spy hiding in Nomocotton. Sir you are dangerously close to being removed from office for Malfeasous."

---------------------------Oak Cliff Texas

"But Doctor, I can't be pregnant!" cried the young lady.

"Miss ah----------" the Doctor reached over and picked up the chart, reading the name off of it "Smith, if that's your real name, I assure you there is no mistake. You are at least 3 months pregnant, I would estimate a due date in late August."

------------------------Bullen Family Kitchen, Nomocotton, Texas

"Cindy Jean Bullen I ought to wash your mouth out with lye soap" Said the blushing Adaline Traywick.

"Addie don't play innocent with me, everyone in town knows you to been circling around each other like teenagers. I'm just curious where you were last night at 10 PM when I tried to call you" Asked the Grinning Cindy Jean.

The embarrassed Adaline Traywick mumbled "Ben took me out to dinner and a movie in Dallas."

The two ladies were interrupted by the sound of a crying baby.

--------------------Nomocotton High School Lunch Room

Wyatt Lunsford sat down at the table with Ling Pau Mhin and Kary Kay Beddingfield. Wyatt asked "Kary Kay what are you reading?"

Kary Kay looked up and smiled "I got another letter from Pearly. He says he is fine and he is a first Lt. now."

"Dogs, another promotion? Who would have believed little Pearly would turn out to be a great soldier?" Said a grinning Wyatt. He glanced over at the quiet Ling Pau. He noticed she was studying as hard as she could. He reached over and took her hand and asked "What you studying Pau Pau?"

Ling Pau looked at Wyatt and smiled "Texas History, Mrs. Pennel tell me I need to know or I can graduate. It say here Texas was once an independent country but they asked to join United States. Why?"

Wyatt laughed and said "Cause America is best dern country in the whole wide world."

Ling Pau frowned and asked "Why they lowering flag?"

Kary Kay looked up from her letter and stared out the window. In a scared voice she said "They do that everytime someone in town gets one of those telegrams. I wonder who Tiptoe is visiting today?"

-----------------------The Lunsford Ranch

Tiptoe cursed his job and the Nazi's and he slowly walked up to the door. As he started to knock he could hear the sounds of women laughing. Tiptoe thought to himself "God, I hate this." He reached out and knocked on the door.

A smiling Cathy Lunsford opened the door, took one look at Tiptoe and started to cry.

Tiptoe said "Cathy, I am so sorry but I have a telegram for Margie. Is she here?"

Cathy shook her head no and asked "It's my boy Tommy isn't it. Something has happened to him, hasn't it"

A choked up Tiptoe said "Cathy I'm supposed to deliver this telegram to Margie but I can't find her any where. Do you want to sign for it?"

Joan Margison yelled from the Kitchen "Cathy, if that's my John you tell him I aint ready yet."

Cathy asked "Tiptoe you can't tell me anything till someone signs for that telegram can you?"

Tiptoe said "Lord I am so sorry Cathy, I'm just doing my job. You know I aint trying to hurt you."

Cathy slowly reached out to take the clipboard and sign for the telegram.

--------------------In New York Harbor

"I'll be dogged, Stan would you look at that" gasped Big Bobby Bullen as he pointed at the Statue of Liberty. "That lady shure nuff is as pretty as I heard. You know sumptin you are right I'm a pretty lucky man. I'm getting to go home and I'm still alive. It's just a matter of weeks till I get to meet my boys."

Stan said "I told you the lady would cheer you up. Makes you proud don't it."

"Dang Straight! Even a worn out old gravedigger like me." Said a grinning Big Bobby.

------------------North Africa

"Cowboy I don't care what you say if we don't stop running soon we aint gonna stop till we get to Galveston." Moaned Pvt. Hiram Traywick

"Hiram stop complaining would you rather be in a dern Nazi POW Camp." Said Corporal "Cowboy" Zahn.

"Dog No, I would rather we stood and fought them. I didn't come over here to run from them Nazi's I came over here to kill them." Snarled the angry Private.

---------------The Crack of Dawn March 1st, 1943, along the English Coast

Exactly 200 days after taking off to fly a bombing run over Germany, an exhausted 2lt. Randy McCullum helped drag the small boat on to the English Shore. He turned to Lt. Howcott and said "We made it, By GOD we made it."