The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1931-01-08
The Aviator Of Her
Choice
By GENEVERA COOK

e under the edge of a wide red RIB
bon, lifted her small. shapely heal
as she dipped the paddle rhyth
4 mically into the sparkling water
t and sent her high, sweet voice
{ echoing down the lake.
} "Will you answer, too?" she car
oiled happily. There was some,
: thing about this blue gem of a lake
IN the cool Maine woods, some.
thing about the purple mountain
: rising against the sky across the
long stretch of quiet water. that
seemed to yearn for beauty and ro-
nance and laughter and gayety and
love.
Suddenly, as If in answer TO her
call, there was the whirr of motors
IN the air, gray shadow flashed
across the path of the sunlight. and
Dale looked up to watch a plane.
like great silver bird, loop twice
and then fiutter down to landing
at the far side of the lake.
by the time she had padded
swiftly up to it. and poised beside
It, resting her hand lightly on one
silver wing, she found that both
eoekpits were empty, and no one
was In sight. Dale smiled mis-
chievously. "Well If I'm looking
Tor excitement and something ro-
mantle, 1t looks as If | might be
going to get it,"
Suddenly there was voice from
shore: "Hello" A man was COM
Ing toward her out of the rocks.
young, with wavy yellow hair and
deep blue eyes. "It must be a
water-sprite," he called. rs it the
spirit of the lake?" For mo-
ment Dale remained GREATNESS, gaz-
Ing at him.
Then Dale was startled by an
other voice. ooh. good morning p,.
Tall, slim, distinguished, with deep
black eyes which burned into hers.
second man bent over the canoe
and held out his hand. With a
gasp Dale put her hand In his. She
had seen this man before She
could not break away from the fas-
cination of those burning ewes.
Why she began, "you--you're-"
Yes" he murmured in a low
throaty voice, "Rio del Romot"
Tito del Romo!" echoed Dale
softly. "The wonderful Rio DEF
Romo! I saw you in The Fly-
Ing Ace and in "IIe Swoops to Con
quer'!"
"Were here to make picture
now he nodded almost impercep-
tlDly at the man with the light.
Wavy hair Il, of course. star in
1t. 1t is called Wings of Cupid ~
And you do stunts as In the
other ones? How perfectly thrill
ing May watch you some timer
She turned to the other man.
(which of you is the pilot?"
Rio del Romo interrupted him be-
fore he could speak. I'll am the.
hero Of the picture-of course
Rio del Romo-Im
The other man smiled aft her.
I'm only Craig Thornton, you see,"
he said
The next two weeks were thrill
ing ones for Dale, but they caused
her good deal of perplexity. For
one thing, when they swan togeth-
er, 1t was Craig Thornton who
swan and dived and rode on the
while Rio del Romo Law
on the raft and scowled. He didn't
ike things like that, he said. But
when they went to dances at the,
Loon club, it was Rio del Romo, the
lying star, who got all the atten-
ion. Dale was the envy of every
girl at the lake.
The day before they were to fly
'ver the lake and up into the noun
aims for the big scene, Rio del
aomo told Dale that he wanted her
o marry him. When she hesitated.
Re was overcome with astonish-
nent. Finally he said: "Well, to-
morrow, when my picture is done,
'ou may tell me then. To be the
wife of Rio del Romo, think Of
t. The wife of the famous flying
tarl"
Dale did think of it, but she
bought more of Craig.
In the morning she watched the
liver Glane loop and roll over the
AXE and then speed away over
he mountain. Craig, she sup
'osed, was riding with Rio, who
vas plotting the plane. Suddenly
Ter eyes widened in horror. d.
ectly over the mountain the plane
egan to spin, and went crashing
o the earth. With a cry Dale
tarted to run toward it. She was
obbing to herself: ooh, Craig,
|raig, Craig" For now she knew.
70 glory Of stars or pilots could
ompare with Craig, who loved her,
7hom she loved.
Suddenly there was a voice be-
ind her. do not cry, do not cry
or me, for Rio" He was gazing
t her with those burning eyes.
| do not go up. Me, I do not do
hese dangerous things"
Dale stared at him wide-eyed.
reathless "Who does?"
"Why, he, that Craig Thornton.
lie does all the plotting! Come, tell
lie you will marry"
But Dale never heard the rest Of
;. She was off through the woods
nd up the hillside to the place
here a broken bit of silver Law
rushed against the earth. And
lere, miracles of miracles, was
raig Thornton, one arm hanging
IMPLY at his side, smiling and
alSing toward her.
A long time later, Dale told him