Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-07-12
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Jock Benson chuckled. His birds want
bit Of a rest after last night"
I'm glad you're having bit OF
rest yourself, sir. Not that this must
be much quieter than Southampton. 2"
"Quiter2" he laughed aloud.
II always think Of you when see
one Of our chaps in the sky" chimed
in Mr.. Bowler.
Booml Booml Booml
Those three bombs were a good bit
nearer than the last one had been.
"Hark to that nowl" cried Mrs. Bow
Ter; and the couple did not stand
upon the order Of their going.
Poor old thingsl Jock felt glad they
only had a few hundred yards to go
before they would be safe in Trafal-
gar Square Tube.
AS for him, he began leaping up
the steep bare stone steps Of the iron
rallied staircase. There were five high
stories, but he was in fine condition,
and he felt, while he was finding his
tiny keyhole, as cool as a cucumber
AS he pushed open the door, he
struck match, and shielding the tiny
quivering flame with his hand, he
walked forward into his living room,
and found the coat for which he had
come up again. Then he blew out the
match, put the coat on, and went across
to the one window. From there he
stared down at old Father Thames, the
one thing London can't black out.
Maybe it would be best to wait
few minutes? The barrage had died
down as suddenly as it had begun.
That meant a dogfight was going on
above the clouds. Pleasant to be down
here, and not up there. Then he felt
a bit ashamed of being as light
hearted as he was tonight, in such
world of woe. But he couldn't help It'll
Elsie Cameron was such a splendid
young creature, as well as the sweet
est girl in the world This time to-
morrow she would be his wife, and
they would be in village in the Cots
wolds, where the good folk had only
had two bombs up to now-or so Elsie's
father had said, when handing him
the keys of the house which was his
wedding present to the airman SON
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Jock knew he owed whole weeks
honeymoon leave to the Royal Flying
Cross he had received today at Buck
ingham palace from the hands of the
king The honor had pleased his squad
ron leader, it may be whispered, more
than it had pleased himself, for owing
to the royal investiture his wedding
had had to be put off "a hours.
At times, today, Jock Benson had
felt half frightened at the thought
that alone, among millions Of young
men, this terrible war had brought
him good fortune. He was now 26, and
as he stood there, staring down at
the ghostly looking gray waters Of the
river, he recalled the past.
Queer thing, lifel Three years ago
he had been a Woodworking partner
in a not over successful business, with
flying as his one hobby. And he had
done a crazy, at the time it had
seemed an irreparable, thing! Pity be-
ing akin to love, he had married
dancer four years older than himself.
She had had the odd name of Kitty
Brawle, and he had soon found that
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He had thought her a sweet simple
little thing, and by no means clever.
Yet how very sour and crafty she
had turned out to be, and how soon
she had hated the life for which she
had said she longed-that of the good
little wife who makes a comfortable
lone for a lover-husband.
Kitty had haunted him ever since
be had arrived here yesterday. OF
course he knew why. 1t was because
he had not been back to Garrick House
since they had parted-he had little
thought, then, for ever.
And now he remembered the horrible
evening when he had come home here,
q few months after their marriage,
and found her Keeling drunk. The next
day had taken place the only violent
scene he had ever allowed himself to
have with her. She had stood up to
him, telling him for once the truth,
that she could not stand life that
was so duly respectable and, above all,
without money to burn.
So she had gone back to the provin-
cial theatrical troupe which called it
self the Jolly Companions. From then
On she had continually asked him for