Evening star., 1940-06-17


out and ran to be the first to greet
John. The group of employees
rushed forward. Jim Bromley grip
ped Joan's arm and hurried her
along. Come on!" he urged, Joy
ously shouting.
They were all there as John
climbed slowly from the plane. He
pulled of his helmet and grinned
and ran his fingers through his
hair. His eyes were bright and
eager, but there was in them some
thing that showed how bad the past
few minutes had been. His glance
ran over the crowd and met Joan's S
eyes.
TITS all right, JOAN" he called.
"Everything's all right"
He dropped to the ground then
and faced Laura. Laura, all dark
beauty, smiled radiantly. II was so
afraid, john" she said, and slipped
her arms about him.
John laughed and kissed her.
Then across her head he met Joan's
eyes, and she could see the laughter
die on his lips. She turned her
back, touched Jim Bromley's hand,
and said, I'm going, Jim. There's
nothing more for me to see."
And she went to where she had
parked the car.
John North said, "Ill see you
later, Laura. I've got to- get out of
these flying clothes"
Jim Tells John.
He strode toward the hangar and
Jim Bromley fell into step beside
him. John said, That's the best
pursuit plane in the world, Jim. 1
can't understand why the other ship
went to pieces"
III tell you in a minute" Jim
said. 1T was sabotage. But first 1
want to say you're a fool. -
"Okay,' John grinned. He felt
grand: if he was a fool he was a
grand one. Go ahead and say it."
Thanks" Jim snapped. You
make a monkey of yourself over a
dame that is poison right in front
of the girl you love-and who loves
you"
John halted abruptly. IT told you
once about Joan Charters" he said.
Yeah. But what does her past
matter? 1t happened before she
knew you. And to hell with her
past. She's worth a dozen like Laura
Ward. That Ward dame Is too
beautiful to be true, John. She S
got chunk of ice for heart and
a calculating machine for a mind
A blind man could see it."
You're in love with her your
self, jim"
with Charters? Sure I am. And
I wish she didn't see me Just as a
big brother. John. that girl has a
heart and it's warm"
John North shook his head. Lay
of, JIM" he said.
Scott Lanning telephoned that
night. He was coming at 8 to take
her out, he said. Joan debated
for moment, then decided. Why
SAAoNAOuI Y llC tdhC llcl OuL! 1neTe
wasn't any reason why he shouldn't
They went to the gold room of
the Stanton Hotel. 1t was almost
like their visits to night clubs in
New York and Miami long ago. AL
most but not quite Scott was lust
as handsome, just as nicely tailored,
just as proper gentleman as he
could be when he desired. They
would, he said. be joined later by
his father and Helene. In the
meantime they could talk and
dance. He was in rare good humor.
He showed no signs of disappoint-
ment for his failure to wreck North
Aircraft Joan was surprised at
that. The only thing he had ever
shown anger over losing washer.
She said, after they had danced
and returned to their table, Scott,
you're a scoundrel I should hate
you for doing that to John North"
He grinned as he lighted a ciga-
rette. Il lost, but I'm not a bad
loser. Not in such matters. Now If
I had really lost you-"
But you did lose me-"
mo. You're with me now. John