The times-news., 1938-11-12
BY BETTY WALLACE

4
She asked swiftly. "Casualties?"
"One," he admitted reluctantly.
He told her that a light fighter
off the Enterprise, spiralling into
the clouds, had some way gotten
into trouble. Not engine trouble,
for the mechanics checked the
ships too carefully before each
flight. Maybe he got ratified. He
never did fly into formation" de
had nose dired, spinning into the
sea, and one of the big flying
boats had come down on the
choppy water to render assist
ance.
Only" he said carefully, not
looking at her. 1T was too late.
She licked her suddenly dry
I lips. "Who was it? Anyone,
know"
"No. It was a kid recently trans
| ferred from Pensacola
That meant he had not been
! flying long. She felt little SICK.
! There were not so many casual
ties now as there used to be, her
father said, proudly. The navy
was building some real flyers. But
there wer eenough so that you
couldn't ever forget the bravery
of men who flew. Enough, so that
Jack must have known, in swift,
awful flash as he watched that
other man going down, that may
be some day it might be his own
ship that dived like that, straight
into green water. Every man
in the squadron faced that posi-
bility. They were gallant, joking
about it, or simply ignoring it.
But it was there. And the wives
of the men who piloted airplanes
must live always under the
shawow of disaster. Judy thought
of Diane Bell, who never slept
nights when Bill was on duty.
Diane had said once, "They die a
thousand times. Over and over
and over in your mind. And then
at last-the real time-;when 1t
actually happens" She had add
ed, Maybe. it's a relief. To know
it's over. You don't have to worry
any more"
Judy touched Jacks hand swift
ly. Her eyes sought his. Prom
ise me you'll be careful, Jack"
He patted her reassuringly. The
tired eyes came alive. "l'm care
full. II didn't think you'd care
much-though-" ..: H.,
"Of course ! carep' she said,
The doorbell rang. She leaped
to her feet: That must be
Dwight" .'..,.
Dwight" Jacks face was sud-
denly still and guarded, and the !
things they had said that night on !,
the battlewagon seemed to come |
alive between them. 81 thought
he" =
Judy explained swiftly, "His girl
flew here from the east, you
know. But when he had to shove
off, she got mad, and ran away.
l guess he-he went to her hotel |
first and he-he wants to ask me
about it." |
"But what do you know about
it?" Jack was frowning.
There was no time to explain
further. She opened the door, and
Dwight, his handsome, face flush
ed and his eyes bright with i'm
patience was asking, What hap
pened to Marvel? She's, checked
out of the Coronado"
al know it." Judy said quietly.
"Won't you come in and sit down.
I'll tell you e what little i
know. :"
Dwight greeted Jack, and sat
down on the sofa beside him.
Judy had not expected Jack to be
present when she gave MarvePs
message to Dwight, but there was
no help for it now. She said, Il
went there, as you asked me to,
Dwight. II tried to explain to
her. But she wouldn't listen. She
was very angry. She kept saying
that you could have stayed If
you'd wanted to. l explained and
explained-tried to make her see
but she said she was leaving for
Los Angeles and never coming
back" $500 -"
"Leaving?" Dwight's head jerk
ed forward, and he cried, "For
Gods sake, couldn't you have
talked a little sense into her? /
wasn't off on any pleasure
jauntp
al know it. But she just
wouldn't listen"
Dwight's face seemed . to be,
growing paler. He said; Los
Angeles. Well, know where she
is. With those friends of hers.
I'll so after her." But then he
said. "Still, YOU shouldn't have
let her go, Judy" e!
What could l do to stop herr"
Judy asked. N>