Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-05-11
CHAPTER 3

ELLEN DALE was a trif1e
bleary-eyed at breakfast next
morning. She had done consider
able crying, mainly because she
was a somewhat lonely little girl
in spite of her amazing screen
career. You can't exist on $15 a
week until you are age 10, be sud-
denly snatched to fortune and
fame, without having something
drastic done to your emotions.
And you can't have an extremely
adventurous escape from death
without changing still more. A
human soul is as impreSsionable
as a human body, or more so.
Ellen's had responded to shock
in a manner that would have sur
prised and alarmed her Hollywood
producers and press agents. The
song-and-dance lady? The pep
and-personality girl? Cinema's
darling? America would never
have recognized her this morning,
down here in old Mexico. Except
for her costume, she looked more
like a tired little college coed,
who had been out too late at q
Junior prom and eaten too many
olives.
But while crying Ellen had done
a deal of thinking, too. The ter
ror of that moment in the clouds,
when Bill Baron had jerked her out
of the plane, repeatedly came back
to her. And the subsequent black.
binding walk in the cold rain. He.
very spirit seemed to have froze
there, and even though it thawe
under the warm hospitality of tn
Montoyas, she knew she woul =
never be quite the same. You
can't meet Death face to face and
come away feeling blase and saucy.
Ellen knew, somehow, that her
career as a dancing girl had come
to an end.
well, shall we make plans this
morning." Bill Baron rumbled at
her after breakfast. His voice al
ways seemed to boom from some
great depth. 'Do you feel sufi-
GENTLY rested now?"
She did not match his bright
mood. She did not even smile. 81
suppose So" she answered.
He stared down at her.
"You will want me to arrange
transportation on to California,
presume. Probably we can hire
an automobile. We are in Sonora,
you know, about so miles south of
the Arizona line. I will go as far
as Tucson with you, then head
back for San Antonio"
The girl did not answer. She
was gazing abstractly out a win
dow. He waited a full minute in
silence.
Anything wrong?" he asked,
gently.
She turned to smile at him then,
slowly. mo. It's all right, Mr..
Baron. Thank you very much.
You are very kind, kinder than
any man has ever been to me be-
fore. I'll never forget it. But
was just thinking. I"
She paused again, and he
waited.
& am not sure that / want to
leave, 1 mean" She looked up at
him. Bill thought she looked aw-
fully little then; little and wistful.
He caught the full innocence of
the violet eyes that had thrilled
American movie fans for nearly
three years. His face was sober
now.
II don't blame you," he drawled.
II think l understand. Did YOU
know Senior Montoya prayed for
us that night? He and the people
gave thanks, about-about us be-
ing saved. 1 couldn't-it-"
The lump came back in Bills
throat. He felt like a teen-age
boy, fioundering; and he looked
somewhat like one. Ellen studied
his face then looked away.
But you are Ellen Dale" he re-
m n d e d. There's Hollywood
and"
mo! No, 1 am not" she said
surprisingly. my real name, Mr.
Baron, happens to be Daggs, not
Dale. The publicity department
changed it to Dale and I liked il
then. feel more like Ellen Daggs
down here"
He considered that. with genuine