The times-news., 1938-05-03
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wanted to fly.
ROGER BRECKNER-hero; he
wanted to test the strstosphere'
BERYL MELROSE - wealthy
widow; she wanted Roger. -,
EVELYN LA FARGE-Jaek'e
mother; she wanted a son-in-is~'
Yesterday: Pressed to marry
Jackie diseoursges her mother
hut she knows from past expert
enee that her mother someho"
will win out
CHAPTER II
"Im afraid | can't come out to
the field today" Jackie said re-
rretfully, when Roger Breckner
telephoned that next morning
Her foreboding had proved cor
rect so far. Evelyn had taken 10
her bed with one of her SICK
headaches! She seemed really so
in. however. that Jackie felt she
ought not leave her. One never
knew into what Evelyn's head
aches might develop.
"But it's such a swell day.
Rogers voice betrayed dlsap-
pointment even over the wire.
Unlimited ceiling, visibility per-
feet, only a two-mile 5. W. wlnd.
| thought you might try your FIRST
solo, if you wished"
If she wished, Jackie'S heart
gave a leap, then bounded flat
ike a tennis ball with no bounce. !
"Maybe | can come out later, she
suggested, but her voice did not !
sound very hopeful. "Or tOmor-
row
"Pm taking off for Washington
tomorrow" Rogers interrupted.
He was a free lance pilot; occas-
sionallv he did some test flying
besides instructing. IF you can't
take YOUR lesson today, couldn
YOU run out long enough to grab
a bite with me at the Airport
Inn? Maybe we could manage TO
get aired out, too, afterwards y
Jackie never turned down a
chance to get "aired out" as Rog-
err called it if she possibly could
help herself. "Pll do my best" she
promised. Maybe | can leave
Mother that long" If Rogers was
going away she would just have
to manage. Not because she had
10, see Roger, but because she
might not get upstairs" until he
returned, and besides she was so
eager to hear all about the tests |
he was going TO make in Wash ,
ington.
When Evelyn learned her !
daughter had an invitation to
have dinner with her young man
she got surprisingly better. OF
course YOU must go, darling" she
insisted sweetly. "And do wear
something especially nice" She
meant something feminine and
frilly. if such a garment could be
found in Jackie's wardrobe.
The slate-blue tailored suit,
with its silk blouse, that Jackie
tipped into after a hasty shower,
was not as beguiling as it might
have been. but il was decidedly
smart and the golden flecks in
Jackie's eyes were so dancing and
eager that most any young man,
with the aid of the moon, would
want To talk about something be-
sides flying.
Evelyn would not have conSid-
cred the Airport Inn a very ro-
mantle setting. Its tables were
covered with red and white check
cred cloths, booths lined the sides;
there were musical and game ma
chimes and always a great deal OF
clatter and laughter. What ap-
pealed to Jackie were the auto
grapheG photos of aviators, many
of them "old-timers," that hung
proudly on the walls, the hum Of
airplanes overhead, the press Of
excitement and activity.
"Isn't it terribly dangerous >"
Jackie asked, after Roger had fin
ished telling her about the tests
he would make. So far they had
talked of nothing but flying.
Dangerous" Rogers fine even
white teeth were exceptionally
white in contrast 10 his weathered
skin; his eyes crinkled at their
corners when he smiled. His
rough tweeds were always casual.
but he wore them with an air of
distinction. His thick hair was
wavy, bronzed from sun and wind;
his shoulders broad and strong.
He would never admit any dan
ger connected with his beloved
flying. Now he shrugged even the
suggestion away. "At worst
might break an eardrum, or get
a bit groggy from lack of
oxygen, he said. you've got to
climb about $4,000 feet to do a
straight drop in order to see if
the ship will hang together"
3
81 hope it's a good ship"
Jackie said. She shivered appre-
hensively. No matter what Roger
said, she knew test diving was the
most dangerous thing any pilot
could do. 1t didn't seem right to
ask man to do it. Roger had
told her how the blood drained
from ones head, rendering one
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