Paws of the Bear
Summary
A tense tableau unfolds amidst the nascent tremors of global conflict in Belgium, where the audacious Russian operative, Olga Raminoff, unleashes a defiant shot at an encroaching German general, thereby igniting a perilous dance with destiny. Into this maelstrom steps Ray Bourke, an unwitting American voyager, whose chivalrous impulse to offer Olga his name as a shield against immediate reprisal only ensnares them both in a shared death sentence. A dramatic aerial rescue by Allied forces plucks them from the jaws of execution, setting the stage for an unexpected reunion aboard their homeward bound vessel. Here, Ray encounters Curt Schreiber, a former collegiate acquaintance now tethered to the German government, entrusted with sensitive documents destined for Washington. Foreshadowing a likely search, Schreiber shrewdly entrusts these crucial papers to Ray. Olga, her affections for Ray blossoming, implores him to relinquish the documents, appealing to their nascent bond. Yet, Ray's commitment to his word, a sacred vow to Schreiber, holds firm against her pleas. As the American coastline looms, Ray, seized by a blend of pragmatism and burgeoning romance, proposes a matrimonial pact: marriage to Olga in exchange for his endeavor to return the papers. Their union sealed, they retreat to his expansive estate. The narrative reaches its cunning zenith during a visit from Schreiber, who, upon his abrupt departure, "borrows" a suitcase from Ray. A subsequent discovery reveals the very papers he had entrusted to Ray, ingeniously retrieved without a single broken promise, a testament to a convoluted, yet perfectly executed, double-cross that preserves both honor and objective.
Synopsis
In Belgium, at the outbreak of the war, Russian agent Olga Raminoff shoots at a German general when the enemy enters town. Ray Bourke, an American traveler, gives her the protection of his name, but nevertheless both are sentenced to death. They are rescued by an allied rescue plane and later, bound for home, Ray meets an old college friend, Curt Schreiber, who is in the service of the German government. Schreiber has important papers to be delivered to Washington and, knowing that he will be searched on board ship, gives them to Ray. Olga beseeches Ray to give the papers up for her sake, but his word to Schreiber is sacred. Nearing America, Ray tells her that he will make an effort to return the papers if she will marry him. Once married, they settle on his estate, where Schreiber comes to visit one day. Leaving suddenly with a borrowed suitcase, Schreiber opens the bag and discovers his papers. Thus, the German is able to retrieve his papers without Ray breaking his promise to Olga.
