Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-17

Nancy ~ ner sweetheart rom can't
well. and when she learns that Blake
Is . saboteur seeking to disrupt the
national sviation program through his
to believe taht Tom and her brother
Pat. q student pilot. are in with him.
By WORKING with Blake she manages
INGENIOUS plot. She is trying to reach
Bristow when word comes from the
airport that Pat has been hurt.
CHAPTER x.
please don't worry" Madge
Fletcher kept saying over and over,
one arm around Nancy's waist.
I'm sure he'll be all right, I'm sure
he will"
Nancy tried to speak, found she
could not. and picked up the hat
and jacket one Of the girls had
brought for her from the locker
room.
There's company car waiting
to take you there" Madge Fletcher
went on. The driver will wait there
until-until you're ready to leave.
Don't worry about coming back to
the ONCE today"
Nancy nodded, fighting to keep
back the tears. The unexpected
friendly sympathy from the head
stenographer had somehow broken
doWA the reserve she had kept up
so long. She gave Madge Fletcher's
hand an affectionate squeeze and
went out to the yard.
Tom CantwelI was there. standing
by the door. His lean tanned face
was pale and drawn with anxiety.
Nancy just heard about It.
Never mind the company car-Ill
drive you out to the hospital"
She turned on him in a sudden
fury. Il never want to see you
again. 1 never want you to even
speak to me again. This is your
fault, all Of it. You got Pat into
this. I'll never forgive you, never
as long as I live"
"Nancy-listen to me"
She turned and ran blindly toward
the waiting car, paying no attention
The minute its door closed behind
her, she burst into tears.
Distance Seems Long.
Go ahead and cry" the driver
said amiably, starting the car. Get
it AL cried out of you before you
get to the hospital. Then you can
60 IN to see your brother with your
face washed and smiling"
She choked down a sob, and dried
her eyes. 1t just wasn't possible to
explain that she wasn't crying be-
cause Pat, her adored brother, had
been seriously hurt-but because
she had just told Tom Cantwell she
never wanted to see again.
The distance between the BristoW
plant and the Emergency Hospital
at the airport was an unbearably
long way. Even though the driver
of the company car ignored rules
and regulations about safe driving
it seemed to Nancy that hours
passed before they turned into the
gravel driveway leading up to the
little building.
She was halfway out of the car
before it stopped. The driver called
her back.
Want me TO wait for you?"
She shook her head II don I
need to go back TO the office today"
The Emergency Hospital was g
little, compact building with white
painted walls and strong smell of
ether. A trim nurse at the recep-
ton desk rose to meet Nancy.
Thorne? He's in No. 8, down
the hall. You can see him in just
a few minutes"
How badly" somehow her
throat would not let her say the
words.
The trim nurse smiled at her.
He has some bones broken, pui
he'll pull through all right" She
hall If you'd like to talk to her"
Nancy all but ran down the severe
little hallway. Iris BristoW stood
outside the door of No. 9. her flower
Like face pale and drawn.
oh, Iris, I'm so glad you're here!'
uuFG WING DTlVlnk.
The blond girl reached out quickly
and caught her hand. Keep Your
chin up, ducky. Pats going to be
all right"
THAT isn't it. That isn't all
Nancy caught herself quickly How
did it happen?"
well, it seems Pat was driving
down the highway just beyond the
airport"
"Driying!' Nancy gasped. He
wasn't flying when it happened?"
Iris Bristow shook her head.
Pats the kind of pilot who breaks
his neck on the ground. He'd just
left the airport driving some one S
car, when all of sudden her
voice all at once became hard,
some old jaloppy came racing out
from a side road without any warn
ing and forced him into tree The
driver of the jaloppy wasn't in the
accident and just beat it down the
road without stopping"
Nancy was silent for a moment
An old car, darling out from side
road. That had been the method
used to wreck the Bristow trucks.
Was it possible that the same meth
cd had been employed TOTO get
rid of Pat? But if Pat was on the
same side, why should there be any
attempt to get rid of him?
IT looked like something DELHI
crate" Iris Bristow said grimly
Some one actually trying to break
Pats neck for him."
Nancy turned to the other girl.
"Iris-it must have been. Be-
cause"
A white clad nurse appeared in
the door Of No. 9, interruptins her.
you may come in and see your
brother now, Miss Thorne."
Thanks" She turned to Iris.
"Wait for me. I've something ter
ribly important to tell you" Then
she tlptoed into the hospital room.
Relieved About Pat.