Evening star., 1940-06-04

bad luck, Joan. 1t was rejected
by the company and by the army.
We're trying out the job that was
selected. I'm due to testify 1t any
day now"
Don't feel bad, Jim. You said
yourself your plane was years
ahead of the industry"
Il was counting on the money"
he said, Were pretty close to
being broke"
We've been broke before, it
never got us down. Well bank on
the Charters luck as we always
did"
Her Hand Tremble.
Right, darling" he agreed Then:
Look, I'm sending you the plans
for my ship by registered mail. 1
haven't any faith in this ship we've
built, and if I don't come out of the
test flight laughing I want to know
that my ship is in safe hands"
Don't talk like that, JIM"
"All right, darling. I'll phone you
at the end of the week and make a
date with YOU"
do, Jim," Joan said. Happy
landing!"
She put down the phone and dis
covered that her hands were
trembling. Jim had never talked
like that before. He had always
laughed at danger, boasted of his
luck. Lucky Jim Charters he had
been as a World War ace, as a
transformer, as mail pilot, as
test pilot. Now he had fright
ened her. She had never known
fear in the air, and Jim shouldn't
either.
Scott phoned late in the after
noon, and they made a date to step
out together. They would, he told
her, celebrate their reunion. But
1t turned out to be more con-
tinuance of his pursuit of her.
They had dinner together, and
danced afterward. 1t was nice, dane
ing with Scott: it was something
more than dancing. And it was
nice, even in the vast iridescent
room of the crowded night club, to
have him make love to her. It was
nice, but nothing more. 1t could
have been something more, with a
great deal of meaning, if it hadn't
been for the disheartening certainty
in her that he had said the very
same sweet things to others. Scott
was like that, Joan knew.
Dance for Miles.
They returned to their table
They had danced miles together.
The night had slipped away.
Sometimes" Scott said, II think
you're made of ice"
I'll thaw out some day."
He smiled unhappily. II doubt
it."
Your technique is a bit shop
worn, Scott"
Il get it. You keep thinking
there have been other women. It's
your pride"
MY pride" Joan said, laughing,
is all over the place"
Next time, we'll check it some
where. Come on, let's give up. The
evening has been a dismal failure"
1t was raining when they reached
the sidewalk. 1t took quite a while
for the doorman to get them taxi.
1t was while they were waiting that
the news reached Joan.
A newsboy sauntered past, shout
ing headlines in raucous, inco-
herent way. Joan felt sharp
alarm that was like a pain. She
gripped Scott's arm.
Scott, get paper. I'm sure that
boy said something about Charters"
Scott, laughing, called the boy,
tipped him coin for late edition.
He handed the paper to Joan,
amused by her eagerness.
Joan's Hunch Borne Out.
Joan glanced at the front page,
her heart hammering with fear.
1t was there, the news she had in
stinctively felt in these last few
seconds. 1t was there in black
headlines. And picture of Jim
Charted's smiling, handsome face.
For one terrible moment she was
stunned. She could think only of
Jim's smile, his laughter, his amaz-
ing capacity for staying young. She
could think, top, in that moment
which was all pain, of his courage
and his charm-and Of what they