“So you’ve been helping out?”

“That’s it.” The examiner rose. Norma too stood. “We all have one great purpose. Each of us must do what she can wherever she is.”

“To bring this terrible war to an end,” Norma added.

“You’re right again,” the other smiled.

“Whew!” she exclaimed after looking Norma over from head to toe. “You certainly do look fit.”

“I should,” Norma grinned. “Our college has put us through some training, I can tell you. We marched five miles bare-legged in shorts, with the snow blowing across the field!”

“Climbed fences. I’ll bet.” The examiner smiled.

“Yes, and walls too. We did gym work and took corrective exercises.”

“Grand! They were preparing you for—”

“Just anything.”

“That’s swell. My name is Warren.” The officer put out a hand. “Lieutenant Rita Warren, to be exact. I’m going up to Boom Town. Want to go along?”

“I’d love to!”

“Right! Then come. Let’s go.” Swinging into the regulation thirty-inch stride, Lieutenant Warren marched out of the hall with her recruit and along the snow-lined path.

“That Interceptor Control sounds intriguing,” Norma said as they marched over the crusted snow.

“Oh, it is! It really is!” Lieutenant Warren’s face glowed. “The most interesting work in the world. I’ll tell you a little about it. But don’t let me tell you too much.”

“I’ll flash the red light.” Norma laughed, as she asked, “How much is too much?”

Lieutenant Warren did not answer, instead, she said, “We are stationed along the seacoast.”

“Just any seacoast?”

“Any coast of America. There are a number of us in each group. We take over some small hotel. The hotel is run just for us.”

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