AIR FORGE GIRL!
CHAPTER VII
I Jane, a fashion atist, shares
an apartment ,in London with
Stella, a free lance journalist.
Jane joins the YVAAF. The night
before entering service she walks
through dim streets and collides
with a flight lieutenant of the
RAF. Stopping to break her en
gagement with Stella she discov
ers that the lieutenant, Timothy
Poel-Sanders—nicknamed ‘Ti)>s’
—is Stella’s d’v'orced husband.
Jane hears that Tips’ squadron
flies at 10 o’clock and that they
are searching for him. She pedals
to the home of Mrs. IStanton,
where she finds the flier. He
leaves at once. Mrs. Stanton ac
cuses Jane of sending Tips to his
death.
Her voice cold with disgust
and anger,, the contempt she
felt for the other woman show
ing. clearly in her eyes, she said,
“Tips would never forgive you
if he knew. Don't you realize it’s
his job to go off on a stunt like
this, that he's got to go and what
is more lie wants to go? Can you
believe for a moment that he'd
willingly shelter behind a wom
an’s petticoats?”
Iris’ sdbs ceased. She glared j
at Jane. “Oh don't be so damn- :
ably British! 1 . : Tips, means
everything to me. 1—I'll go mad
if anything happens to him.” Her
Voice rose hysterically. Someone
across the road shouted angrily.
“Put out that light! \\ hat's going
on there?” Jam* pushed her into
the sitting room and closed the
front door.
»
“You’d better try to pull your
self together,” she said curtly.
“All I can say is I hope there
aren’t many women like you in
England trying to hold men back
It will be a poor outlook tor the
country if there are.”
Iris looked as if she could have
killed her. “You're not in love
or you wouldn't say that.”
Jane didn't take up that chal
lenge. Instead she looked at the
closk on the mantelpiece. Her
heart stood still. It was close to a
quarter to ten. Tips should have
got back in time, but what about
herself? Without another word
she dashed from the house, found
her bicycle and made off at top
speed, with a sickening feeling of
certainty that she couldn t possib
ly be liack in time for duty. At
ten fifteen she was turning in at
the gates of the airdrome. She
put her bicycle in the shed, gath
ered together the things she wan
ted and went in trepidation to re
port for duty.
It was the next morning. Jane
had been severely reprimanded
by the officer in charge for being
late. She’d had the most uncom
fortable quarter of an hour of
her life, but when it was over
she was comforted by the feeling
that bygones would be bygones.
It wouldn't Tie held against her.
Her story that she'd gone to see
friends, lost her way in the
blackout and had trouble with
her bicycle, had apparently been
believed, to her great relief.
Sparks siiid, "Look, there's
Tips Poel-Sanders! 1 bet he was
sick he wasn’t able to go. ’
fie was coining loworu mem
across the smooth green turf of
the flying fields. Sparks had told
her when she’d arrived last night
how he’d got back just after the
squadron hud taken off. He'd
been to see friends, she'd
understood. She'd overheard two
officers talking about him. say
ing: “Poor old Tips! You should
have seen his face when he found
he’d missed the show." v
“I say, Lamboldt, between
friends, you two weren't togeth
er last evening, were you?
Tips was passing them as she
spoke If he saw Jane he gave
no sign of recognition Hi-' face
was hard and set.
“Were you, Lambolt?”
Jane hesitated. JShe wished
Sparks hadn't asked her this
question because she didn’t want
to answer it. /She said, “1 was
and I wasn't; Sparks. Oh. I know
that must sound absurd to you.
but do you mind terribly if we
ii-av'e it at that? It's a long anil
rather involved story.”
.' arks squeezed her arm. “Do
not he silly. You don't have to
t." me anything you don't wish
t U
The other girls were coming
along behind them. There was ,
but little laughter today. They I
were all tired from being on du
ty.
Jane said she’d put a kettle on
and make tea. It was too early to '
go to the cook house and get any
thing yet a while. “Anyone else
like some?”
There was a chorus of accep
tances.
“I'm going to lie down,” said
Hunter.
“Do. I'll take you a cup.”
Hunter seemed to have grown
up overnight. Jane’s heart went
out to her. Even though she
might not be deeply in love with
Jimmie Stafford—and somehow
she hadn’t really sounded as if
she were last evening—she was
clearly tortured today. When
Jane went up to her a l'ew min
utes later she found her on her
knees before the open window.
K'he face she turned to Jane "'as
leak with misery.“I wish he had
n’t told me he’d got a premoni
tion,’’ she said brokenly. “If he
doesn’t come back . . .” Her face
crumpled up and tears fell down I
her cheeks.
He will, Hunter. Here, drink
They waited until they could cou:>t t.*e number.
this tea! It'll do you good.” I
Ryman, the girl who shared j
the room with Hunter, another j
of the younger ones, came quiet
ly in and Jane left them together
She went into her own room and
found Sparks already slipping a
dressing gown over her under
clothes and snuggling down in
bed.
Sparks rolled over and pulled
theldankets round her ears. Jane
also lay down. Hut though she was
so utterly tired she couldn’t
sleep. Then she heard some one
call out sharply downstairs and
the sound of the distant drone of
engines. In a moment she was
out of bed and rushing to a win
dow. They were on the horizon
now. Far distant specks coming
nearer every moment. As yet
she couldn’t count how many.
■‘Sparks, they're back!”
In an instant Sparks was be
side her. They waited until they
could count the number.
"One, two, three.”
Heads were leaning out of oth
er windows. Airmen were run
ning toward the landing field
There were officers standing!
about. Jane could see Tips a lit
tle apart from the rest looking
up at the sky.
"Four, tiv'e, six." Sparks’ voice
was low and tremulous. Her hand
clutched Jane's arm.
“Seven, eight,” said Jane and
her voice too was shaking.
They waited. Then: “Eight,”
echoed Sparks bleakly.
“How many went?”
“Oh, Sparks!"
‘The others may be behind.”
They weren’t. Soon it was
known all over the station Flight
lieutenant Stanton had been shot
! dor n. Those who had returned
front the raid had seen his plane
going into a spin, smoke issuing
from the tail. Jimmei Stafford
had crashed too. Two other planes
had shared a similar fate. The
pilots of the eight, who had come
back safely told their stories of
what had happened. They had
accomplished the task they’d set
out to do
I him t* tvnywnnr.
In the billet the stills who had
been trying to sleep gave it up
as hopeless. Jane and Sparks
dressed again and Sparks said
what about going along to the
cook house. Probably by now
they could get, some breakfast.
Bret burst into the room at
that moment and announced that
Hunter was having hysterics.
Sum one had just told her the
news. “I)o’ either of you know
what we can do with her? She’s
in the most frightful state.’’
“A cold sponge might help/’
suggested Sparks.
“Poor Hunter!” murmured
Jane. Her eyes filled. One thought
predominated in her mind. Jim
mie Stafford had taken Tips’
place and Jimmie Stafford hadn’t
come buik. Had Tips gone it
might have been she having the
hysterics instead oi Hunter, ex
cept that she wasn’t the hysteri
cal kind.
They found Hunter lying on
her bed. Hyman was beside her
begging her to be quiet, not to
give way.
"Drink this,” said Hoyle firm
ly. “Come on, Hunter. You’ve
got to; do you hear?’'
Hunter seemed to make an
effort to pull herself together.
Tnen her eyes fell on Jane. The
pupils dialated until they were
large violet discs in her white,
ravaged face. “Go away,” she
screamed, looking wildly at the
others. “Send Lambolt away. I
won’t have her near me,” Hoyle
tried to soothe her. But Hunter
pushed her aside with an angry
gesture. "But for you,” she raged
P“oel-Sanders would havfe gone
and Jimmie would have ibeen
alive at this moment.”
“Be quiet. Hunter,” said Hoyle
sharply.
"1 won t be quiet. You don’t
know what Lambolt did I do.”
She spoke to Jane, her voice ris
ing: "Oh don’t think for a mo
ment that 1 believed that cock
anil bull story about your being
late last night, because you went
out to see friends or the story he
produced either. It’s as clear as
daylight what happened. You
found him and warned him, did
n’t you? And he of course just
stayed quietly away until the
squadron had taken off, in order
to save his own skin. There’s a
hero for you!”
“Hunter!" Jane’s face was
white and she was trembling alt
over. “Hunter, how dare you
suggest that!”
“Lfcive her to me Lamboldt,
said Hoyle ifirmly.
Jane turned and left the room
She found Sparks hanging over,
the banisters. It was quite clear
that she had heard all that had
been said and doubtless so had,
all the others.
“Let’s , go for a walk," said
Sparks. “Come on, Lambolt. I’Ve
got a real urge to get away from
the station for a little while.”
Jane went slowly upstairs and
put on her hat and coat.
“Don’t forget your gloves,”
said Sparks. “There’s a nip in the
air this morning.”
Her voice was now gentle and
sympathetic: “For heaven’s sake,
Lambolt, don't look so wretched.
No one’s going to^ take the slight
est notice of what Hunter, says,
and if I were you I’d try to for
get it.”
Jane tried. She managed to
put it from her mind for several
days. Then one afternoon she
walked into the kitchen at the
billet to find Hunter and Ryman
having tea.. IS he was in the room
before they noticed her or Hun
ter might have lowered her Voice
a little as she said bitterly,
“\\ hat 1 said the other night I
say again. Tips Poel-Sanders is a
coward and Lambolt is •, as had
If she hadn’t warned him and if
he hadn’t stayed away from the
station until the others had star
ted, Jimmie would be alive to
Jane shut the kitchen door and
stood with her back against it.
“Von know you've got to stop
saying things like that. Hunter,
otherwise you’ll be getting into
trouble. If Tips hears of them...
Hunter swung around. Her
eyes blazed. “I hope he will. I’d
say them to his face if I had the
chance. A man who can behav'e
as he behaved . . .”
Jane looked at Ryman. “D’you
mind Ryman? I just want to
speak to Hunter alone.''
Ryman slid out of the kitchen.
“Hunter, you must know it’s
so impossible. He was just so
sick he couldn’t get there in time
. . . everyone on the station
knows that.'’
Hunter said fiercely, “You’re
bound to deny it, of course, just
as you’ll deny that you preven
ted him from going. Why, I no
sooner told you what was in the
wind than you sneaked out, pre
tending you had friends to tele
phone.’’
“I did make a telephone call,”
said Jane.
“To whom?”
Jane hesitated. Should she tell
Hunter the truth? In a flash she
made up her mind this was the
only thing she could do. “To Iris
Stanton. I thought Tips might
bo with her.”
“lie wasn't. Guy himself tele
phoned.”
Jane’s eyes met the other girl’s
“I know Mrs. iStanton is a friend
of yours, but the fact that she
foul her husband that Tips was
not with her didn’t seem to me
to be v'ery conclusive. When I
heard he was wanted, I decided
to try to find him myself.” She
told of her Ibicycle ride. Of Tips’
immediate dash for the airdrome
She said when she finished. “So
now perhaps you’ll understand
how unjust you-’ve been.”
For answer Hunter collapsed
on to a chair, her head in her
hands, her shoulders heaving
as sobs rent her body. Jane went
to her and put an arm about her.
Bhe tried to soothe her, to tell
her she mustn’t cry so terribly.
“Hunter, please do try to pull
yourself together.’’
Hunter blinked back her tears
and said desperately, “I’m all
right. I—I’m sorry Lambolt. It
was just . . .”
(T’O BE CONTINUED)
Oversea Christmas Mail
Must Start Early
Christmas Parcels For Overseas Men Must
Not Exceed Five Pounds Limit.
The Christmas shopping season ■
is here even though the weather
is still warm.
Mailing of gifts for Army and
Navy personnel overseas must
begin by September 15, if many fo
the men and women in our arm
ed services are not to be disap-1
pointed and September 15 is
less than a month away.
Christmas gifts may be mailed
by parcel post to Army men and
women overseas only between
September 15 and October 15.
After the latter date, such par
cels may not be mailed unless a
written request from the soldier
for the article is presented with
each parcel. No soldier should
have to ASK for-a Christmas gift
so gifts must be mailed on time.
T'he Navy also urges that gifts
be mailed between September
15 and October 15.
Reasons for the early mailing
dates are: The vast distances
that the parcels must travel to
reach our men at war fronts and
stations the world over; fre
quent transfers of thousands of
men from one location to anoth-,
er, which means forwarding of |
the mail and consumes additional |
time; the necessity for giving
preference to reinforcements, j
arms, munitions, medicines and1
food in allotment of shipping,
'■nace. which often means that
shipments of gifts must wait.;
And it is most urgent that gifts
be delivered to the men IN
TIME FOR CHRISTMAS, to
keep their spirit high. The only i
way to insure against disappoint
ment for the fighting men is to
buy at once and mail early—mail
your gifts as soon as possible
after the September 15 starting
Those who have relatives or
friends in the serv'iee should re
member that we have fighting
men in Alaska, Greenland, Ice
land, England, Sicily, far sepa
rated regions of Africa, the Near
Eastern countries. Australia,
many of the Spulh Pacific islands
India. China. South America and
other areas.
Weeks are required for a ship
to reach many of tlu|;e stations.
There can he no assurance, of
course, that the first ship sailing
for any of these locations will
have space available to carry
Christmas parcels. Gifts may
hav'e to wait until vitally needed
supplies and equipment have
been shipped, to assure victory
and to save the lives of our men.
If the parcels are not mailed
early, that delay may prove to
he just enough to prevent their
arriv’al by Christmas day, with
consequent disappointment to
the men who are’ offering then
lives for their country and ours.
Mail of all kinds is vital to the
spirit of fighting men. Every of
ficer who has inspected our Ar
my and Nav'y postal facilities
iverseas has reported that thou
sands of fighting men disregard
mess call when it conflicts with
mail call, and get their letters
first. Officers at our large mili
tary and naval stations report
that the spirit and eqiciency of
their men receives a distinct lift
vhen mail is distributed, and
chat delay in mail service mused
a decided decline in spirit with a
consequent letdown in efficiency
A disconsolate soldier or sail
or who thinks he has been for
gotten at Christmas obviously is
riot at his best. So the gifts
MUST be mailed on time so that
’they can arrive on time.
Rules for Christmas mailing
to the fighting forces overseas
were made public in June for the
guidance of early shoppers. They
include:
The parcel must not exceed
five pounds, and must not be more
than 15 inches in length or :15
inches in length and girth com
bined. It should 'lie marked
“Christmas parcel" so that it
may be give special attention to
I assure its arriv'al before Dec. 25.
Not more than one parcel may
be mailed in any one week to the
same member of the armed for
ces bj or in behalf of the same
mailer.
The parcel must be well and
strongly packed, in a container of
metal, wood, strong fiber board,
t>r similar materia^, then wrap
ped in strong, paper and tied
with twine. The cover should he
such that it can be opened readily
for censorship. The contents
should be packed tightly.
Perishable goods, such as
fruits that may spoil, are pro
hibited.. Intoxicants, inllamma
ble materials such as matches or
lighter fluids, poisons, and any
thing that may damage other
mail also are prohibited. Gifts
enclosed in glass should be sub
stantially packed to avoid break
age. Sharp instruments, such as
razors and knives, must have
their edges and points protected
so that they cannot cut through
the coverings and injure postal
personnel or damage other pack
ages.
Since the armed forces are be
ing plentifully supplied wit,h
food and clothing, the Army and
Nav'y recommends against these
as gifts.
Addresses must be written
clearly and completely. In addi
tion to the return address of the
sender a parcel for an Army man
should show the name, lank, Ar
my serial number, branch of ser
vice, organization. Army post
office number, and name, of post
office through which the parcel
is routed. A typical address for
an Army man:
Private John R. ])oe (A. S. No..)
Company F. MJTlli Infantry
A. P. O. 810, '■< Postmaster
New York. N Y.
: Thy address on a parcel for a
i Nav'y man should include the
■ name and rank or rating of the
addressee, the Naval unit to
which he is assigned and the Na
vy number assigned thereto, or
the name of his ship, and the
fleet post office through which
the parcel is routed. A typical
Navy address:
John M. Jones, Seaman first class
United States Nav'y
Naval ,Air Station
Navy 1 no (one nine nine)
rr Fleet Post Office
San Francisco. Calif
U. Roger IV. Doo, U. S. Navy
U S. S. Minnesota
' • Fleet Post Office
, Can Francisco. Calif;
Allen at Work
MaJ. Gen. Terry .'.Hen, divisional
commander in the American Sev
enth army, confers with a regi
mental commander just before an
£ttack in Sicily.
IYmi Women Who Suffer From
NOT FUMES »
CRIIIY FEEIMOS
' Hood This Advice!
ft you—like so many women be
tween the ages of 38 and 52-suffer
from hot flashes, weak, dizzy, ner
vous feelings, distress of “irregu
larities", are blue at times—due to
the functional middle age period in
a woman’s life-try taking Lydia E.
Pink ham’s Vegetable Compound at
once. It’s the best known medicine
you can buy that’s made especially
for women.
Pink ham’s Compound is famous
to relieve such distress. Taken reg
ularly—it helps build up resistance
against such annoying symptoms.
Zt also is a fine stomachic tonic.
/Thousands upon thousands of
women—rich and poor alike—have
reported benefits. Time and again
Lydia Pinkham’s Compoupf *has
proved some women’s happiest days
often can be during their “40’s".
Also beneficial for younger women to
help relieve dlstressof female month
ly functional disturbances. ^Follow
laM directions. Worth tr ngl
SOIL
Conservation
NEWS
Bv
R. J. SEITZ
and
O. P. SOUTHERLAND
F. F. Allen, Route 1, Besse
mer City in the Mount Beulah
neighborhood is preparing his land
for alfalfa to be seeded this
fall. He also plans to construct
some terraces in the held before
seeding the alfalfa. Then too, to
give him an estimate of how
much lime is needed, he has sent
two samples of soil to Raleigh to
be tested for both lime and ferti
lizer requirements.
Henry Clark, in the Crouse
neighborhood, mowed his pastures
to keep down weed competition
;tnd promote the growth of seed
ed grasses and clo.v'ers.
J. J. Friday, in the Hardin
community, has been grazing sev
eral acres of kudzu for the past
few weeks, since the dry weather
has cut his pastures short. He
says, “Since I started pasturing
the kudzu the milk production
has increased. I wish I had forty
acres more of it to graze. An
other thing, the kudzu is grow
ing on the poorest land on tip
place.’’ Mr. Friday recently com
pleted construction of a milking
barn and installed equipment to
handle fluid milk for market in
and around Hardin,
Pink Sellers. RFD, Bessemer
City, in the T'ryon community,
has a fine stand of kudzu on two
acres of thin and galled land that
has been laying out for years
and producing nothing This
natch will be used for grazing
next year and he plans to apply
some acid prosnhate and disc it
heavy this coming spring.
On another field of “black
jack” land, a soil sample was ta
ken about a year ago to deter
mine its need for increased crop
production. After following th<
recommendation made from the
soil analysis Pink says, “the corn
in (hat, field is the best it’s ever
made and I think I'll get at leas
twentv-fiv'e hushels to the acre.
It never has made over fifteen
bushels before.'”
— BUY WAR BONDS
ONEIaI DAY I
VITAMIN JLdLTABLETS ■
'T'HINK of it I Your min- H
imam daily requirements W
of A and D Vitamins or of L
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the name ONE-A-DAY V
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WHEN Headache, Mus
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“Morning After** interfere
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PROFESSIONAL
CARDS
Dr. Evan S. Wehunt
DENTIST
Rooms 201 - 202
Farmers Bank Building
CHERRYVILLE, N. C.
David P. Dellinger
Lawyer—Notary Public
Special Attention
To Collections And
Settling Up Estates
CHERRYVILLE. N. C.
Matthew A. Stroup
Lawyer—Notary Public
Office In Cherryville
National Bank Building
CHERRYVTLLE. N C
PATENTS ^
Prompt, expert service. Send
sketch or model for free opinion.
Expert Washington associates.
DAVID P. DELLINGER. Special
Attorney, Cherryville. N. C.
MOSS RADIO
SERVICE
PHONE 3571
CHERRYVILLE. N. C.
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Representing THE TRAVELERS, Hartford
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“ALWAYS ACCOMMODATING"
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THE HOUSE OF HAZARDS
By MAC ARTHUR
»MI]
A UNIVERSAL^
COMPLAINT, I KNOW, (=j
[-BUT WHY ARB THE /
SO STUBBORN
ABOUT SUCH A
SIMPLE _ ^
Jf
J JOE, I DON'T CAPE /F IT IS TRADITION
— YOU CAN'T DO THIS TD ME WEEK AFTER.
WEEK— PLEASE JOE! / CAN'T t—
- 7HEN YOU WON’T STARCH
W COLLARS $0 STIFF THAT\
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