The Ely miner., 1934-05-11
WINGS OVER
HOLLYWOOD
8
By THAYER WALDO
@. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

nOT KEN NORMAN was stand
- ing outside the field office when
the car drove up.
1t was big coupe, glittering
with nickel.
A pale-faced man got out of the driv-
er's side and came forward.
Beyond him Norman glimpsed a
woman who was slender and blond.
Both wore smoked glasses.
"Can we charter plane here?" the
man asked.
II reckon you can," Norman said.
''Where do you want to go?"
"Just down to Yuma, AriZ., and
return-short stopover. But l wan:
fancy flying"
The pilot shrugged and turned to-
ward the Office. "Come on in," he
suggested; "you can talk to the chief"
The airport manager was summoned.
A few moments parley and several
large bills settled the details, Norman
was assigned to the flight.
He left them then, heading for the
hangar to prepare a ship.
Outside, however, he paused, per-
plexity assailing him. The mans face
the visible part Of twas somehow
familiar.
Norman suddenly saw that the girl
was leaning out the car window to-
ward him.
He looked at her and caught his
breath. The glasses were off now and
the change brought startled recog-
milton.
Thelma Moore-the loveliest and
most popular ingenue in all Hollywood.
"Is-is it arranged?" she called.
There was a shade of shy hesitancy
In her voice.
The flyer approached, his puzzlement
deepening.
What was this all about?
Then the truth dawned on him. That
was Roger Bramwell, the famous ro-
mantle star, and this thing must be
just one more In the current crop of
picture colony elopements.
"Why, yes" he answered hastily.
conscious of overlong silence; SIN GO
ing to take you as soon as a ships
warmed up"
"Oh." She smiled at him a little;
1t gave her the half-wistful look he
remembered best from her films. "I'm
glad it's going to be you. I'll feel very
safe"
Thanks" he said, and continued to-
ward the hangar.
Half an hour later cleaning, low
wing monoplane stood ready on the
runway.
Norman notified his passengers and
they came at once.
Bramwell entered without speaking.
but as the flyer was helping Thelma
Moore in, she said: "It's a lovely
plane, isn't it?"
He smiled at her appreciatively.
'Sure is" he agreed; zone of the
sweetest little jobs I've ever seen.
First chance I've had to handle her,
too.'
"Well, then" Bramwell remarked.
closing the cabin door, suppose you
start doing it."
Momentary anger pricked Norman,
but he clambered behind the controls
without speaking, threw the little con-
tact switch, and showed down on the
starter.
Already warmed, the powerful motor
roared with immediate life; in an in
slant they were gathering speed along
the smooth track.
Three, four, five hundred yards, and
then Norman touched the altitude
lever.
Gently the trim craft left ground
and commenced to climb.
Twenty minutes went by in silence,
save for the cylinders steady drone.
An unreasoning resentment held
Norman as he considered the pair be-
hind him.
Obviously Bramwell was an irritable,
unpleasant sort, possessed of typical
Hollywood temperament.
And Thelma Moore-wen, she GER
tainly seemed deserving Of something
better. Her unspoiled charm, he re-
fected, was even more evident Off
screen than on. Just sweet kid,
probably headed for heartbreal- with
that bird who.
A hand on his arm interrupted the
musing.
Norman looked around to find the
girl beside him.
Bending closer to be heard above the
motor, she asked: "Would you mind
very much If sat up here with you
for a while?"
Her nearness, the faint perfume of
her hair, thrilled him.
"Why, of course not" he replied.
She slipped eagerly into the seat at
his side, and Norman glanced back.
Bramwell was hunched down in his
chair, hat over eyes, apparently sound
asleep.