The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1944-04-20

"But 1 can't leave Denise hang
ing around that airport
Connie arrived with tea at that
moment. Otherwise Cherry knew
she would have to say something.
She glanced at the clock. ''Shall
we see if there's anything parti-
cularly interesting on the news?
It's just about time" She moved
the dials on the wireless, waiting
for the announcer's voice.
Lets just hear the summary"
he suggested.
There was lettle fresh until the
last item. The three-thirty train
to Bristol crashed into a freight
train some little distance from
the Reading Station. It is feared
the death toll is likely to prove
heavy"
Cherry saw Simon's expression
change. Stark fear and horror
were in his eyes. In an instant
she was at his side, her hand on
his arm. Simon, think of the
number of people there must
have been on that train. Don't,
oh please, don't look like that.
She - she's probably all right.
She must be. Oh, Simon dear,
don't worry too terribly" 1t was
easy to say this but she knew how
much he was suffering.
''I'll go down at once" Simon
said, in voice she scarcely rec
ognized. 'The thing is, the best
way to get there? She's still got
the car, I take it?"
eyes. I'll ask Connie where she
garages it,
1--WE always kept it at Dicken-
sons just around the corner. Pc
rol may be our difficulty, I'll 60
around right away and see them
"I'll go with YOU"
They found the car; luckily
with tank practically full. II
was an agonizing trip out of Lon
don. Simon drove as if possessed
He shot across traffic lights, but
mercifully no vigilant policeman
was about to see him. Their speed
increased on the open road. When
they reached the wreckage, fires
were still burning. Men were
working hard, searching for the
Victims; nurses moved about
among the injured.
Simon found policeman. 'My
wife was on the Bristol train, Of
ficer."
The man looked at him SYM
pathetically. Some of the pas
sengers have gone back to Lon
don, SIR
They found a telephone and
Simon after what seemed an
eternity, got through to the
apartment.
mo news?"
'None."
perhaps she hasn't got there
yet"
A quiet-voiced Official told
them that only three women and
five men still remained unidenti-
fled.
Simon turned to her. "You
mustn't come in here, my dear"
The bodies were charred almost
beyond recognition. Two were not
Denise. But the third :.
This case we think belonged
to her set. One of the passengers
who escaped said it was in the
rack above her head" The case
was Denise's. Blackened and
charred, her initials were still
family visible.
The sheet was still withdrawn
from the body. The left hand
hung Imply. On the third finger
was a thin platinum wedding ring
and another ring with an en-
ormous solitaire dimond set
around with tiny emeralds. It was
unusual. Cherry had first seen it
on the evening Denise had an
nounced her engagement.
Cherry turned and left the
CHASTITY waiting room. She won
dered if Jerry Miller were also
there. But for him this would
never happened. A moment later
Simon joined her. GO back to
the car, will you? I just want a
word with one of these officials %
''The luggage? What happened
to it," she asked desperately of a
weary, hollow-eyed porter.
'Luggage?" He looked at her
stupidity for moment as if hard
ly understanding her. And then,
Every bit of it was burt. Not a
scrap left. But luggage doesn't
matter"
1t didn't of course, compared
with human life. And to Cherry
this news was salvation. She
turned as she saw Simon walking