The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1943-10-28


go, but then he'd be bound to
say that even if he were little
scared. And after all he terribly
young. He's not twenty. He's been
saying goodbye to me for the
last two hours. He says he's got
a nasty premonition. Still, Tips
may turn up. The general idea is
that he'll be wild if he comes back
and finds they've gone off with
out him."
Jane came to life. Her head
lifted. Those words had pene-
trated her distracted brain. 'He
won't be. He'll be furious"
ooh, of course, you know him,
don't your" said Sparks.
1--WE met him once or twice"
$50 it was you'll" exclaimed
Hunter, forgetting the possible
loss of her beloved Jimmie now
that she was making an interest
ing discovery. "That reminds me.
Iris said yesterday she'd seen him
dining with one of the Waafs up
in London. She wanted me to find
out which one it was. I didn't
recognize you from her descrip-
ton. But then Iris always was a
cat She said your hair was mousy.
I don't think Lambolt's hairs a
bit mousy, do you, Sparks?"
Jane didn't care about Iris
Stanton or how she'd described
her. who's trying to find Tips?'
she asked breathlessly.
"Oh, I don't know. Several peo-
pie so far as l can gather. even
heard Guy ringing up Iris and
asking her if he was there"
"And wasn't he?"
"No, he wasn't"
Jane said to Sparks. 'See you
later. I've got a telephone call to
make"
She sped swiftly along the dark
road and out of the gates past the
sentry on duty. She fumbled for
two pennies and found them. She
wished she didn't feel so impel-
led to do what she proposed do
ing. All of them, Jane knew from
what Tips had told her, were only
too anxious to have a crack at
the enemy. Also, she thought with
pride, Tips was probably badly
needed. He was acting Squadron
Leader now - she'd heard some
one mention it only the other day.
They might not do so we'll with
out him.
She had to ask the exchange
for the number. I'm afraid I
don't even know the name of the
house. But Flight Lieutenant
Stanton is living in it and it's in
Stretton."
The girl said after a moment,
"Stretton 435. I'll ring them for
YOU"
'Thank you"
She waited. She could hear an
odd buzzing and then the girls
voice after what seemed an eter-
nifty: I'm sorry, but the don't
answer"
James heart sank. She begged
the operator to try again. But at
last she had to give it up. She
came out of the booth and won
dered what to do next. How could
she find out if Tips was with Iris
Stanton?
A clock nearby struck the
hour. One, two, three seven,
eight, nine. She wasn't on duty
until ten. An idea came to her
and grew more feasible the more
she considered it. There was her
bicycle in the shed near the bill
lets. Surely she could get to Street.
ton and back in an hour Hur-
riedly she raced back to get it.
She had difficulty with the lamp
but at last she got it going.
She pedaled steadily, not going
too fast to begin with, certain that
swift pace at the outset would
be difficult to maintain and get
her there no more quickly than
moderately easy one. But some
how she seemed to be going on
forever. Unless she was quick and
made a better speed she'd never
be back in time to 60 on duty
and Tips would be unable to
reach the airdrome before the
squadron actually took off.
Jane had to push her bicycle
up a hill and pause for a moment
at the top to get her breath. She
pressed her hand to her side
where violent stitch was becom-