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More than a dozen nurses of approximately the same age, weight and size, were assembled in one of the parlor suites at the Hotel Kirkwood when Peggy and Jane arrived.

Many of the girls spoke cordially, but two or three were strangers, wearing the pins of other hospitals in Des Moines. Easily the most striking girl in the room was Inez Hunt, a sleek, dark-haired beauty in a white linen frock, and a daring striped turban with bag to match. She was sitting a little apart from the others, glancing through a magazine. She didn’t look up when the other nurses greeted Peggy and Jane.

A few minutes later a door to an inner room swung open. Then a distinguished, grey-haired man came out.

“Good morning, girls,” he said cheerfully. “I asked all of you to come at this time because I wanted to tell you a little about the background for work in aviation before you apply.”

He plunged into his message, and Peggy instantly sensed the man’s sincere faith through his words. “Skyline has an unmatched record of one hundred and fifty million miles of flying, including thirty thousand coast-to-coast flights and fifty-five thousand Chicago-New York flights. We have achieved this remarkable success because we’ve lived and breathed safety, from the president of the airline to the newest grease monkey at our School of Aeronautics. As an example, for every hour an airliner is in the air, sixteen hours are spent on overhaul and maintenance!

“And this is true of every successful commercial aviation company in the business. But the public has been slow to realize it. The history of man’s mastery of the air is still in its opening paragraphs. The Wright brothers didn’t fly until 1903.

“Now, I want to tell you a little story. Several years ago an airline executive made a particularly bumpy trip. He noticed the nervous, tense expressions on the faces of the passengers. The weather was bad. Sleet beat against the windows, and the clouds were dark, threatening masses.

“There weren’t any women passengers on the plane. He thought, ‘If there were some good-looking girls, these men would be too busy thinking up bright remarks to stew about the storm. Why don’t we have official hostesses to make the passengers more content and confident?’

“He proposed the scheme at the next business meeting of his company, and was scoffed at. Girls were timid and scared of thunder and lightning. Women flyers were rare. But the man was stubborn. Women didn’t faint and go to pieces these days. See how many drove cars. Look at the sturdy swimmers and tennis players. Maybe it wouldn’t work—but why not try it?

“Finally, the company agreed to train eight young women to become regular members of flight crews. No chorus girls, no thrill-seekers. Capable girls, who could keep their heads in an emergency. One type of girl answered this requirement, the trained nurse. She was trained for speed, efficiency, confidence.

“The rest is history. Nearly a thousand air hostesses travel regularly on most of the four hundred airliners in the country. Not only have they brought comfort and enjoyment to our millions of passengers, but they’re fast becoming a new symbol of charm and dignity.

“If you are selected to take our training course, and become the proud owner of our gold globe-and-wings you are joining a noble band of women.” He paused a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was matter-of-fact. “Now, if you’ll count off, beginning over here, I’ll talk to you privately in the other room and take your qualifications.”

Peggy groaned inwardly. Inez was number one, and she and Jane would be the last!

It was a difficult hour of suspense.

Inez came out, smiling in her secret, superior way. Gradually the applicants dwindled away. Peggy was the last one. Jane waited for her, in the outside room.

Mr. Hallett checked her name from a list. “Let’s see, Miss Wayne. You’re just twenty-one. Your weight is one hundred and ten, your height five feet three. Right?”

Peggy nodded. “Yes, sir. That’s correct.”

“And your home is Mount Ayr. Any brothers or sisters?”

Peggy was a little surprised at his chatty, conversational tone. In a moment, she found herself telling him about her father and mother, and her dad’s lumber yard, and how she’d always been interested in nursing, but that the airplane hostess idea was new to her.

“My roommate, Jane Fuller, took nursing especially with that idea in mind. She’s so enthusiastic about flying that she has me excited about it,” Peggy volunteered.

The man sighed. “It is a thrilling vocation, Miss Wayne, but it’s hard work. Looking after the comfort of twenty or so passengers; serving their meals; seeing that they don’t forget their purses or coats or gloves; checking luggage and tickets; answering questions about maps, cities, points of interests and the weather—it isn’t all just looking beautiful and chatting with traveling celebrities.”

Peggy had sobered instantly. “I realized that, Mr. Hallett, as you talked with us a while ago. But I do believe that any girl who has the wit and stamina to go through the three difficult years of nurse’s training can take it.”

“So do we! That’s why it’s our first requirement. Thank you for coming, Miss Wayne. If you’re selected you will be notified in a few days from our Chicago headquarters.”

“Thank you.”

Jane greeted Peggy, as she returned to the parlor of the suite, with an anxious smile. “I don’t know how I’m going to live through the suspense of the next few days.”

“Let’s take it a day at a time,” Peggy replied philosophically. “Right now, let’s go have a light salad lunch, and take in a movie before we report for duty at three.”

“I wonder what Miss Graves will tell him about us?” Jane worried. “I wish I hadn’t been so fresh with her, that time she caught me making fudge in the lab. kitchen two years ago—”

Jane giggled. “Silly! She’s forgotten that. Just remember all the nice things she’s said to you about your work.”

One thing that helped through the suspense was an extremely busy period at Iowa Wesleyan. Several nights the girls didn’t go off duty until after one o’clock. Even Jane didn’t do much rolling and tossing when they finally managed to get to bed.

Peggy took the week-end off, to go to her home in Mount Ayr. Her mother had sprained her ankle the week before graduation, and her parents had been unable to attend. Doctor Black was joining her for Sunday dinner at her home, and driving her back to the hospital in Des Moines.

Ben Black, the handsomest bachelor of the crew of internes at Iowa Wesleyan, had singled Peggy out for his attentions six months before, shortly after coming to Des Moines. He had visited in her home several times. When he arrived on Sunday morning the Waynes greeted him as an old friend.

Peggy decided to say nothing of her application for the air hostess work unless she were selected. She was completely uncertain of her parents’ reaction, and the girl wisely chose not to upset them unnecessarily.

“Mrs. Wayne, you make the finest strawberry shortcake in the state of Iowa. And your fried chicken is worth driving hundreds of miles—” the young man declared.

The telephone in the hall shrilled.

“It’s long-distance for you, Peggy,” her father reported.

The girl’s heart was racing as she went to answer.

It was Jane, calling from Des Moines. “Peggy, we both received special deliveries just now, from Skylines. Mine has a pass good on Wednesday’s plane to Chicago. I’ve been chosen to take the preliminary course! Should I open yours?”

“Of course, Jane! Oh, marvelous!”

The distant sound of paper being torn came faintly over the telephone. Then Jane’s exultant voice cried, “Yes! It’s just like mine! Peggy, isn’t it just the most wonderful thing that ever happened?”

“It really is. Thanks, heaps, for calling.”

“Good-bye. See you tonight.”

“Good-bye.”

Peggy went slowly down the hall to the dining room. How would these three receive the news?

“Who was it?” Mrs. Wayne queried anxiously. “I hope nothing has gone wrong at the hospital.”

Peggy took the plunge. “No. It was grand news. Jane and I have both been selected to take the preliminary air hostess course for Skylines, Inc., in Chicago. We’re to leave Wednesday on the noon plane.”

The three faces around the dining table were blank with startled surprise.

“Peggy! What do you mean?” Her mother was the first to recover her voice.

“James Hallett, the personnel director, interviewed a dozen of us Tuesday, but Jane and I really didn’t dare hope to be among the chosen few. I wonder how many others got letters?”

“But I thought you wanted to be a nurse,” her father objected.

“Only nurses are employed. The hours are easy. The work is steady, and the pay is high. And it’s fun, too. There’s scarcely a girl in the country who wouldn’t give her eye teeth for the chance.”

“But, Peggy, darling! It’s so dangerous!” Mrs. Wayne wailed.

“Oh, no, it isn’t! Why, do you know that for every hour an airliner is in the air, the company spends sixteen hours on repairs and maintenance? It really isn’t half so dangerous as my riding back to Des Moines on the highways with Ben this afternoon.”

“Thanks,” the young doctor remarked dryly. He had dark curly hair, a straight nose and frank gray eyes.

“You know what I mean,” Peggy said hastily. She went on, swiftly reviewing Mr. Hallett’s talk to the applicants. When she finished, she looked appealingly to her father for his decision.

“Your mother and I will fly to Chicago with you Wednesday, and look over the situation for ourselves,” he announced gravely.

Peggy nodded in agreement, her eyes shining. “That’s very fair of you, Dad. If you and mother decide against it, I’ll do what you wish.”

Doctor Black glanced at his wristwatch. “I don’t like to hurry away, but if I’m to get you back to the hospital by three, Peggy, we’ll have to be leaving. Perhaps, it won’t be such a dangerous trip if we don’t have to go too fast.”

“You’re annoyed with me,” Peggy stated directly, as soon as the roadster was headed north to Des Moines. “I should have told you, but Jane and I thought it would be better to say nothing about it. After all, the odds were against our being selected.”

“I’m not annoyed,” the interne said after a long silence. His eyes were grave. “But you can’t expect me to shout for joy because you’re leaving, can you? Iowa Wesleyan is going to be a dull spot without you, Peggy.”