Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-10-02

Wherein a Young
Pilot Feels the
Guiding Spirit of
His Sweetheart
IN TWO PARTS-PART ONE

ting in his billet at tea time that aft
ernoon. 1t may have been tea time for
those few who in England had leisure
for tea, and Frank still thought of
1t as tea time, but for him it marked
the beginning and not the end of his
day.
He had not been long out of bed,
and very soon he would have to put
on his dark glasses and walk over
TO the aerodrome and start his days
work. He was one of those highly
trained young men on whom the safety
of England during the hours of dark
ness depended, a night-flying fighter
pilot.
1t is well to bear this in mind, in
view of the story that Frank tells. We
must not think of Frank Smith as a
historical subject, or as someone likely
to suffer from hallucinations. On the
contrary. he is one Of the pick of
England's fittest young men, level
headed and trifle unimaginative,
and for months now he has been I'M
der close and skilled observation for
the slightest sign of nerve strain. He
never drinks anything stronger than
tea, and that not very strong.
His billet Gall these facts must be
assembled quite academically) was in
four room cottage at the very end
Of the village street. He was the only
member of the fighting forces living
there, and that day the whole family
on whom he was billeted was out at
work, for Frank intended to eat his
breakfast up at the mess when he went
to the aerodrome. So we have the un-
disputed fact that Frank had an empty
stomach at this moment but that does
not seem sufficient to account for
what Frank says happened.
The door of his bed-sitting room
opened and in walked his girl friend,
Henrietta, in her w. A. A. F. uniform.
A month back that would not have
been surprising, because at that time
Henrietta had been billeted in the
neighborhood too, but she had been
transferred to Goldman in the Mid
lands, 200 miles away as the aeroplane
flies, and, under wartime conditions
of travel. quite II hours journey, al
lowing for crossing London and wait
ing for trains. But Frank was very
pleased to see her, for he knew that
last night Goldman had been heavily
bombed by the raiders whom he,
among others, had been unable to in
tercept. 1t was an enormous comfort
to know that Henrietta was safe, in
stead of having to wait for postcard.
Frank got to his feet, hurriedly, out
of the shabby old leather armchair
on which he was sitting.
GOSH" he said. This Is a surprise,
dear"
SIn CIV tr1, tv,fN hi
and kissed him, hotly. Frank is little
shamefaced when he tells about this.
He knows that it is not done to kiss
and tell, and yet the warmth and pas
sion of that kiss, as he also knows,
is an important part of the evidence.
Il just had to see you again, DEAR"
said Henrietta, her lips still close to
his. II couldn't wait"
They got it pretty bad at Goldman
last night" said Frank. You were
lucky to get away"
oh" said Henrietta, "it wasn't diff
ficult. Not when I wanted to see you
again so badly"
She kissed him again, hotly as be-
fore, SO that his head swan little.
But Frank, as has already been point
ed out, is level-headed young man;
and a year and half in the R. A. F.
had grained into him habit of think
ing about rules and regulations.
you've got short leave?" he asked,
trying to get things straight in his
mind in face of this intoxication.
Yes. I can't be away for long. Oh,
by the way dear, I'm not at my old
billet any longer. I'm at The Exten-
sion now, in Welshpool Road"
THE Extension, Welshpool Road"
repeated Frank. I'D better write that
down."
"Oh, don't bother now, DEAR" said
Henrietta. You'll remember it all
right"
She was still in his arms, and Frank
was just as reluctant as she was to
part even for the brief time necessary
to make the note. He thought he
would remember it, and events proved
him correct. They kissed again, pas
sionately, and Franks head swan even
more. He just managed to think about
mundane affairs for moment longer.
Have you fixed up somewhere to
stay tonight" he said.
"Oh," said Henrietta a little sur
prised. Il wasn't intending to stay.
I've got to go back directly"
But you knew I'd be on duty this
evening"" protested Frank. That only
gives us half an hour together"
Yes, I ought to have known that,"
admitted Henrietta, but I wanted to
see you again dear, SO much"
Then she kissed him again and
Frank was incapable of further argu-
ment.
When he is telling about this he
says that the rest of the conversation
they exchanged was of no Importance
at ALTO say nothing of the fact that
he could not, try how he would, re-
count it word for word the way he
was able to recount the earlier con-
versation. They had only half an hour
together, when all is said and done,
and Frank was very pasSionately in
love with Henrietta, and they had not
seen each other for month.
At the end of the half hour Frank
looked reluctantly at his wrist watch.
1--WE got to go now, DEAR" he said.
IT know you must" replied Hen
rietta. "Oh, don't want you to 60. i
I don't want to lose you again. It's |