The Coolidge examiner., 1931-02-13
Found Her Lover
in the Sky
By RUBY GRUBER

rs he seriously injured?" Betty
asked anXiOuSIy, her eyes fast fill
ing with tears.
The kind gray-haired woman at
the desk hesitated, her voice SYM
pathetic as she spoke. "Mr. Dalton
is in the operating room. have
no later report than that. If you
would care to wait, will call you"
Thanks. | will wait" Betty
walked slowly to the door of the
waiting room.
She crossed the Threshold and
sat down near the door. Directly
across from her sat a man. He
wore a leather coat, and Betty's
eyes wandered to the leather cap
with chin strap, lying on the
table-a fellow flyer, waiting to
hear about Jimmy, her numbed
brain reasoned.
"YOu have heard from Jimmy
DaltOn?" The voice of the young
aviator startled her. She glanced
up. He was advancing across the
room with swift strides to the kind
old lady from the desk who was
standing in the doorway.
"Not yet" She smiled and went
back to the desk.
You know Jimmy?" timidly ven
tured Betty.
Hes my pal and what a
pal! Oh, God! l hope he comes
out of itr' The weather-tough-
ened face of the aviator was rigid,
as he clinched his hand over the
arm of the chair.
"You know him?" he turned to
the girl.
Yes" Betty answered.
Jimmy ever speak of Zip?
that's what he always called me-"
mo, ! might as well
tell you. never heard him speak
only saw him D"
"What do you mean?" inter
rupted Zip. You mean you are
one of those aviator worshipers?
Jimmy is pretty much of a grand
stand fellow, but ! didn't know he
had fan following. OF course
you are not just one of the mob
of goofy hero-wOrshipers Jim.
my knows your"
why yes he sent me mes
sages oh, | might as well tell
you all of it,"
Not unless you want to-" Zip
tried to appear unconcerned.
81 do want to- You see. | teach
school up in the plains, and every
morning as was walking to
school. a plane passed. Well. one
morning the pilot leaned over and
waved at me. OF course, ignored
1t, as | should. few mornings
later. he dipped low in front of me
away down to the trees and
dropped the morning paper
For week he dropped the pa
pers regularly; then one morning
a tiny parachute came floating
down, and the most lovely roses
were in the little basket Candy,
magazines. more flowers followed
Every morning, something differ
ent and all so lovely"
"And you learned to love him."
asked Zip, his gaze lingering on
the troubled little face.
II guess do don't even
know what he looks like he
always had on goggles and he'll
met"
Jimmy is handsome chap"
admitted Zip.
'He is wonderful He often
wrote poems and stuck them in the
flowers. or marked a funny joke in
a paper, and one time he wrote:
q laughed at this; hope you do,
too"
"That was an idea," Zip grinned.
"He always signed his poems. j.
D. Then, one morning the plane
passed. but he didn't wave. | won
dered about it all day. and then
that night old Doctor Martin
passed, coming out from Hicks
burg. He stopped in at the farm
house for supper, as is his habit.
and in his argument against avia-
ton. he spoke of flyer having a
bad crash that morning. | called
the hospital, and learned the name
of the flyer was Jimmy Dalton"
"Mr. Dalton Is resting very well.
but the doctor says no visitors to-
day.
His wife is with him now." the
kindly old lady smiled and left
them.
His wife?" Betty was dumb
founded.
"Sure, Jimmy's married. Got
boy four years old" Zip admitted.
think of mel" Betty pulled her
hat down over her eyes to hide
the trace of tears. She must get
out of here!
81 think you are adorable; and
upon close inspection you look bet
ter than my fondest dreams" Zip
was now standing before her, and
trying to take her in his arms.
care you mad? Go away" She
pushed him with all her might.
mad about yOn. You see dear.
my name is Jack Drake. so why
shoudn't sign my poetical efforts
j. D.'T'
"Oh. go away! hate you
and vour !. D.'s' and Jimmy and
everythingT Betty sObbed
yesterday morning | was re-
lieved by new pilot as all the
men familiar with the country
were ordered to search for Jimmy,
when he failed TO come in. other
wise you would have known ]
wasn't Jimmy"
"And you wouldn't have heard