Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-10-09
Copyright: 1872: By News Syndicate Co. In
Wherein a Young
Pilot Feels the
Guiding Spirit of
His Sweetheart
IN TWO PARTS-PART TWO

After that, low in petrol and am
munition, and feeling criously weak
which is not at all to be wondered
at, whether one uses the hypothesis
that he had been under considerable
strain for some time or the alternative
one that he had Just been through
profound spiritual experience-he
asked permission of the aerodrome to
come in.
Night fighter pilots are not expect
ed to make long and tedious reports
when they return from a flight their
nerves and strength and physical con-
dition are too valuable but Frank,
strung up and laxative, poured out
a good deal of hasty comment to the
flight lieutenant as soon as he reached
ground 1t is significant that the whole
of Franks interest at that time was
centered upon the radio locator. He
was commenting upon it eagerly, upon
its possibilities and its weaknesses.
He babbled away happily for some
time, elated with his double victory,
like a child home from picnic. When
closely questioned on the point, he
admits that he was not thinking very
much about Henrietta. Although she
was in his mind several times it was
usually because he was looking for
ward to telling her about his success
as far as the rules Of the service
would permit-and on one occasion
when he heard that the Germans had
not repeated their previous attack on
Goldman and he was glad on Henriet-
ta's account. Certainly the German
raiders had not done so much damage
that night. That was the raid when
10 German planes were brought down
and it first became evident that a
weapon was developing which would,
when perfected, deprive the night
bomber of the immunity which it had
hitherto enjoyed.
Frank spent the rest of that night.
until dawn, in the dispersal room
wearing his dark glasses ready to as
cend in the event of the arrival OF
further raiders, and when daylight re-
leased him from duty he went back
to his billet feeling unusually fatigued.
He slept very heavily during the day,
until late afternoon when he had to
return to the aerodrome for a final
long questioning about the practical
employment of the radio locator at
the hands of high R. A. F. officers
who came for that special purpose.
1t is pity that the notes that they
took are, of course, secret and quite
unavailable to the scientific inquirer.
But it may be considered as some sort
of evidence that next morning, after
a quiet night during which, presum-
ably, the Germans were digesting the
unpleasant fact of the destruction OF
10 expensive night bombers) Frank
was suddenly told that he had been
given five days leave. Fighter pilots
are never, however, told that they
have earned leave until it is actually
beginning Authorities have noticed
that the knowledge of imminent leave
sometimes has a deleteriouS effect on
the pilots skill, making him too reck-
less.
So that leave may have been COM
ing to Frank for some time back, and
the fact that it was given to him
Unexpectedly may not be any proof
that his superiors had noticed any
sudden change in him that necessi-
tated a rest.
Frank, of course, decided to spend
his leave in Goldman. 1t was tedious
Journey, because he was unable to
ulGdllS VI 1Od0 oAioHoAo ~ ~
London, and had to take the train
which meant a long and tedious wait
at Paddington after he had crossed
the capital with its faint smell OF
smoke and its gap-toothed blocks OF
destroyed buildings and its occasional
bomb-craters in the streets. He was
looking forward to seeing Henrietta
again. He had no fears for her safety,
having seen her safe and sound after
the last raid on Goldman.
But Goldman, when he arrived there
was a shocking sight. The train did
not go as far as the central station,
for there was no central station left.
Frank had to leave the train at a
wayside station half a mile away,
which had fortunately survived. A thin
pail of acrid smoke still hung over
the town. The old High street was an
avenue of smoking ruins on which
A. R. P. gangs were still hard at work.
The bridge over the river was gone,
although the engineers had already
succeeded in laying temporary SUD-
stitute beside its wreck. There we're
posters hung here and there telling
the homeless survivors where to lind
shelter and food.
Frank had to ask his way to Welsh
pool Road, and he was glad when he
was told that it was in an outlying
part of the town and had not been
bombed at all. That would at least
mean that Henrietta had lost none OF
her belongings nor the roof over her
head. But Welshpool Road, when he