and I
should have been greatly disappointed if you had not shown a keen
interest in its possibilities."

Miss Hardy's eyes were twinkling and Jane and Sue were astonished.
Behind the hard, outer shell of the martinet they had known beamed now
a very warm and friendly personality. For the first time in three years
they felt they really knew Miss Hardy and each was a little ashamed of
the harsh things they had said about the supervisor.

"Are you both interested in going to Chicago and personally applying
for positions with the Federated system?" asked the supervisor.

Jane and Sue replied in unison and Miss Hardy picked up the telephone
directory and after ascertaining the number of the local field of the
Federated line, dialed the airport.

The night operations manager answered and Miss Hardy informed him that
she had two graduate nurses who needed transportation to Chicago for an
interview with the personnel officer.

"When do you think we'll go in?" Sue whispered to the supervisor.

"That will depend on when there is space," replied Miss Hardy. "I
expect that since you will be traveling on passes it will be a day or
two."

Sue thought of the small sum in cash she had and wondered just how she
would subsist in Chicago if she failed to get the job as stewardess.

Miss Hardy jotted several notations on the pad beside her phone,
thanked the operations manager, and looked up at the girls.

"The first plane eastbound for Chicago with room for you will be
through at three o'clock this morning. That will get you there shortly
after seven. Can you get ready by that time?"

"We can be ready in half an hour," gasped Jane.

"I thought you could. That's why I told the operations manager to
arrange for your passage on the three o'clock plane."

"I'll have to finish packing," said Sue.

Miss Hardy looked at the clock.

"It's midnight now. If I were you I'd go to the dorm and go to bed.
Sleep until two o'clock. I'll come in and call you in plenty of time to
get dressed and get to the airport. Don't pack anything except what
you'll need for a night or two. If you secure the positions with
Federated Airways, you can write to me and I'll have your things sent
in."

"That's kind of you. Thanks so much," said Jane.

"I'm just making up, a bit, for the grind I put you through in the last
three years. Now get along to bed and don't wake the rest of the girls
by talking. A couple of hours of sleep will be the best for bot