He had salvaged the lock of silver hair his bullet had clipped. Now it seemed almost to stir with malign life in his pocket.
Captain John Smith came out of the radio room. The officer's gaunt face was oddly still, his gray eyes like chips of stone.
"At ease," he said. His pleasant English voice had that same quality of dead stillness.
"Word has just come from Regional Headquarters. The swamp men have attacked in force east of us, and have heavily beseiged Fort Nelson. Our relief column had been sent to relieve them.
"More men are being readied, but it will take at least two weeks for any help to reach us."
Tex heard the hard-caught breaths as the news took the men like a jolt in the belly. And he saw eyes sliding furtively aside to the dense black smoke pouring up from the incinerator
