New Britain herald., 1930-09-19

avid of experience, restless under the ing had lived in this atmosphere for three eyars; it had impregnated his being. Be happy today for tomor- row you'll probably be dead" was his motto, as it was his comrades, and he preached it quite honestly.
 Dagger, like most of her genera ton, received it unquestioningly She saw it being verified all around her. Boys she had danced with the night before crashed in the morning flights; brothers of girls she knew vanished blankly in the nightmare of the trenches.
 Naneering seldom spoke on this theme-perhaps because he was subconsciously aware that Dagger required no arguments to accept it. But if he plumed himself on being directly responsible for her acquies- cence to it, he was mistaken. AL though she compelled herself, with iron resolution, to keep Howard out of her thoughts, the memory of his loss was unacceptable. He had come into her life, and gone as these other boys and men were going out of other peoples lives. And, resent fully, she resolved not to be so rob- bed of love again.
 Yet she tolerated no familiarity from Naneering, and they almost never talked scntimentally. The bond between them was deeper as matter of fact; their enjoyment of flying and the mute attraction of two violent and untrammeled char acters.
 Dagger never wearied of his com pany, and gradually he came to monopolize her time. If they were not at the flying fields, they were driving somewhere, invariably at headlong speed, dancing or dining. Hostesses, now, invited Naneering | through Dagger-"Oh, and you'll bring Jack, won't you?" No party i was complete without them, for Dagger was becoming as well | known tas he was. The local press | had devoted columns to her quail fication as a pilot, and special ar;i- cles were being published all over ! the country.
 | AS far as aneering was concern 1 ed, she more or less blindly lodged | pleasant comrade, whose presenCena reflection. He was attractive, a l pleasant comrade, whose presence started those disturbing little cur rents of emotion which had first frightened, and, finally, soothed her He had vice, however, which bothered Dagger occasionally. A | heavy thinker, there were times when he overstepped her mark At such times he was scrupulous to avoid her, but she always heard of it. Willy, maybe. would come in, | pop-eyed, to report:
 Hear about Naneering's bust last night? He crowned feller down in l Dann's-wanted to fight the M. P.'s off the wagon"
 Dagger spoke to him once on the i subject, and he was winningly peni- l tent.
 T know I'm a pup" he admitted. But every once in a WhileoI just ! have to cut loose. And you know, I do hold my liquor pretty we'll" | Up to a certain point, Jack After | thatAeWll, a flyer cant afford not to have full control over himself"
 He laughed shortly.
 r Full control is right! In France a pilot who can't keep control after he's full will crash in a week. They 1 fly drunk half the time"
 But you mustn't" she protested. "Of course, you'll crash sooner or later, if you're drunk. Anybody would"
 He shrugged, his eyes, inflamed and pouched, lighting up with a blend of affection and amusement.
 Regular little saint you are. | Don't worry about me. We all crash sooner or later"
 You mustn't talk like that, Jack | Why, if you"
 | Would you care a little bit?" She forced herself to impersonal- | ity.
 I'd care if anyone crashed It's it's so unnecessary"
 Weeks slipped away, and withou! realizing it, the two began to take each other for granted. They excited 1 the dcrision of their young friends by the decorousness of their rela- tions; they did not know that-the repression they mainly through Dagger's self-control, the automatic recollection in each mo- mert of temptation of the moment