Penny slid into the latter chair just as Francine came into the cabin. As she went down the aisle to take the only remaining seat, the reporter shot the younger girl an irritated glance.
“She thinks I took this place just to spite her!” thought Penny. “How silly!”
The stewardess, trim in her blue-green uniform, had closed the heavy metal door. The plane began to move down the ramp, away from the station’s canopied entrance. Penny leaned close to the window and waved a last good-bye to Louise.
As the speed of the engines was increased, the plane raced faster and faster over the smooth runway. A take-off was not especially thrilling to Penny who often had made flights with her father. She shook her head when the stewardess offered her cotton for her ears, but accepted a magazine.
Penny flipped carelessly through the pages. Finding no story worth reading, she turned her attention to her fellow passengers. Beside her, on the right, sat the over-painted woman, her hands gripping the arm rests so hard that her knuckles showed white.
“We—we’re in the air now, aren’t we?” she asked nervously, meeting Penny’s gaze. “I do hope I’m not going to be sick.”
“I am sure you won’t be,” replied Penny. “The air is very quiet today.”
“They tell me flying over the mountains in winter time is dangerous.”
“Not in good weather with a skilful pilot. I am sure we will be in no danger.”
“Just the same I never would have taken a plane if it hadn’t been the only way of reaching Pine Top.”