Ruthe S. Wheeler

“ Winter hung on grimly in the Middle West that year. Late March found the streets piled high with snow and on that particular morning there was a threat of additional snow in the air as Janet Hardy, a blond curl sticking belligerently out from under her scarlet beret, hurried toward school.
It was an important day for members of the senior class of the Clarion High School, for Miss Williams, the dramatics instructor, was going to hand out parts to read for the class play. ”

“ Through the late afternoon Janet and Helen talked incessantly of their hopes and plans while at a distance their fathers dozed along the creek bank.
It was dusk before they started home, walking slowly through the twilight.
“This is the last night at home,” Janet’s father reminded her. “Tomorrow night we go to Rubio and you take the west-bound plane for Hollywood.”
“It hardly seems possible, but it must be so,” said Janet. “Everything is like a dream.”
“It will be until you actually arrive and start work in the studio.” Janet’s father was silent for several minutes. ”

“ Janet heard her own pilot shouting in anger, but the autogiro was slow and the movie planes were around it almost instantly.
In the foremost was Curt Newsom and Janet felt her blood chill as she saw the rifle in Curt’s hard hands.
Under the warning muzzle of the gun, the autogiro settled toward the floor of the valley and in less than three minutes the other planes were down around it while cars raced toward them, clouds of desert dust rising in their wake.
Bertie Jackson was in the first car and when she saw Janet her face blanched. Helen and her father were in the same machine. ”

“ Helen glanced at her watch and Janet, still unused to her own, followed suit. They would be at the Grand Central airport in less than half an hour.
Helen, leaning back, cried, “We’re almost there,” and Janet nodded happily.
It seemed almost on the echo of Helen’s words, although it was actually minutes later, when the plane wheeled and settled gently down on the runway of a huge airport.
Janet, looking eagerly from the window, saw a group of cameramen standing at the gate which led to the field. There must be some celebrity on their own plane or on a ship due in soon. ”

“ Large boxes were at the foot of each bed and from them they drew the gowns which Roddy had created.
[189]
Dressing that night was one of the thrills Janet would never forget. The costume was complete for just the right undergarments had been sent by the designer. The hose were the sheerest gold, with gold slippers to match, while Helen’s accessories were silver.
“How do you feel?” asked Helen.
“Something like a fairy princess and it’s hard to make myself believe that this is all real.”
“Then let’s enjoy every minute of it. We may wake up and find that it is all just a dream.” ”

“ The walk will do both of us good and the soda will be refreshing,” said Janet.
Helen agreed and they walked leisurely, breathing deeply of the flower-scented air; for it was a perfect evening. From far away came the rumble of heavy trucks on a through street, but on their own there was an air of peace and contentment.
“Dad will like this when he finally gets here. He always seems to throw off his cares when he’s back home.” ”

“ Janet chuckled over the lines she was to read in the tryout. The part of Abbie should be great fun, for Abbie did about every nonsensical thing possible and the giddier the part could be made, the better, decided Janet.
Helen’s rôle was more serious, for she was supposed to be in love with one of the boys of the other branch of the family and many were the trials and tribulations of their love affair. It was a delicate rôle, with much sweetness and tenderness, and it should prove ideal for Helen. Janet couldn’t conceive of Cora Dean, who had a certain harshness about her, getting the part. ”

“ The gymnasium was filled with parents and friends of the seniors. The air was close, portending the storm that was to break later. Fortunately the program was simple, the address by the superintendent of schools lasting only fifteen minutes. Then the names were called and one by one they went forward and when they came back their high school days were over.
It had been grand, being in school, decided Janet, and now she felt just a little scared. Life was ahead and life was so vast and uncomprehending and she knew it could be cold and cruel and merciless. ”

“ You know that,” replied her father, “but it’s an opportunity that comes to few girls. Don’t be too disappointed if you fail to remain in the cast of that western picture. You’re going out there for a lark and not with the serious intent of becoming a motion picture actress.”
Janet bit her lips. Of course her dad was right. She couldn’t seriously hope to be a motion picture actress, but for just a moment she had found herself dreaming of real fame and fortune in Hollywood. Why it WAS just a lark, a sort of super vacation that only Helen’s father could make possible for them. ”

“ The chemistry auditorium was well filled when they arrived. Almost every senior girl was there and at least half of the boys.
Janet looked around the large room, gauging the mettle of the girls they would have to compete against. Well up toward the rostrum was Margie Blake, petite and blond and exceedingly vivacious. Margie was popular, confessed Janet, and probably stood a good chance of winning a part in the play for she had innate dramatic ability, while Janet, who had taken a leading rôle in the junior play, had been compelled to study each bit of action carefully. ”

“ We won’t bite even if the cameras do look big.”
Janet and Helen, more than a little perplexed by the sudden turn of events, couldn’t help smiling while the photographers clicked their machines.
Then several reporters, who had remained in the background until the photographers were through, pushed ahead.
“Give us the dope, Mr. Thorne—who they are, where you found them, what you have in mind for them? Do you really think they’re good?”
“Good?” asked Henry Thorne slowly. “Good? They’re two of the finest possibilities that ever struck Hollywood. Boys, you don’t know how enthusiastic I am.” ”

“ When they went on location out in the desert Curt Newsom, lunching with Janet and Helen, gave voice to his fears.
“This outfit is getting jitters,” he said. “I heard this morning that one of the pilots found several of his control wires half way eaten through by acid. That’s bad business.”
Janet, looking up from a dish of ice cream, spoke slowly. “Then that means someone is deliberately trying to cripple the company?”
“It means someone is doing it. That flyer pulled out; refused to take his plane off the ground again and some good shots are already ‘in the can’ with his plane in it. ”

“ Tears welled into Helen’s tired eyes.
“Oh, this is all a mess,” she cried. “We never should have come out here. There are too many intrigues and jealousies among those established.”
“Tell me just what you mean?” insisted Janet.
Helen waved her hands helplessly. “Curt’s found out that the saddle girth was almost cut through. That’s the reason your saddle came loose and you were pitched out.”
“Does he have any idea who did it?”
“If he does, he isn’t saying anything, but I heard him tell Billy Fenstow that this is the last picture he’ll work in with Bertie Jackson.” ”

“ Helen looked at him, her eyes showing her fear.
“Then someone in the company was responsible for Janet’s disappearance!” she gasped.
“Right,” snapped Curt. “The first thing is to find Janet; then we’ll catch up with whoever was responsible.”
“Hadn’t we better tell the others?” asked Helen.
“They’re not used to tracking; I am.” He grinned. “Even if I am a movie cowboy most of the time, I know a few tricks about the range and the desert. Come on!”
They remounted and Curt led the way, scanning the ground closely. Even Helen, as inexperienced as she was, could see the signs now. ”

“ The dramatics instructor looked quizzically at Janet and Helen.
“You make a good team, don’t you?”
[21]
“Well, we don’t exactly fight,” smiled Helen, “but there are times when we don’t agree.”
“Of course. That’s only human. What I mean is that when you get together with a goal in mind, you work hard to attain that goal. When Janet went out for editor of the Weekly Clarion last fall, you were working hard for her to win.” ”

“ Janet, some unknown fear tugging at her heart, hung back and spoke to Mr. Youde.
“Is it perfectly safe to start the trip back?” she asked.
“I guess so. That’s a powerful bus. But you’d better start now before the wind gets bad. This snow is going to drift like fury before morning. I expect we’ll be blockaded for a couple of days.”
Janet rejoined the girls in the room where they had left their coats. A horn sounded outside and they hastened to don their wraps. The floodlights in the yard flashed on and the group, bidding the Youdes cheery goodnights, hastened out to the bus. ”

“ Janet was home in plenty of time to dress in leisure for the skating party. Her mother looked in once to make sure that she had plenty of warm clothes on.
“I’m glad you’re wearing that old tweed outfit. It’s warm and at the same time nice looking.”
“Even though it’s old, mother?”
“Even though it’s old. Tweed always looks nice and that’s an especially pretty shade of brown. It goes so well with your hair. Wear your scarlet beret and don’t forget the boots.” ”

“ Graduation week passed in a mixed whirl of events, with the junior-senior banquet and actual graduation exercises interspersed between the long hours passed at Hill and Dale farm where Janet and Helen underwent an intensive series of lessons on horsemanship. Both girls were agile and anxious to learn, and both soon came to enjoy the riding thoroughly. Their instructor, an older man, found them eager pupils and Helen’s father encouraged them at each lesson, for he went with them on every trip to the farm. ”

“ Then the thin beam from a shielded flashlight struck her face.
Janet knew her only chance was to run for it and she tried to rise, but her feet were entangled in a tough creeper.
“Look out! She may scream!” warned Bertie.
[232]
Janet opened her lips to cry out, but before she could do it, the man with Bertie leaped forward and thrust a heavy hand against Janet’s mouth. Suddenly the world went black, the stars vanished, and she dropped into the sand. ”

“ Miss Williams turned to Janet.
“Here’s your rôle, Janet. It’s the second lead. You play a jittery little blond who hasn’t a brain in her head and probably never will have.”
“Does that rôle fit me?” asked Janet, her eyes twinkling.
“Well, hardly, but I think you’ll have a lot of fun working on such a part. Margie Blake is going to try for it, also.”
“Who will be trying for the part you’ve assigned me?” asked Helen.
[23]
“Cora Dean. I expect that with such competition both of you will be forced to do your best to win the part. ”

“ Then he was gone into the night and Janet could hear him wielding the shovel outside.
It was five or six minutes before Jim returned and he looked utterly exhausted.
“I’ve never seen such a night,” he mumbled. “I’m afraid the bus driver didn’t get very far.”
“Then we’d better start out after him,” said Ed, getting to his feet.
But Jim’s broad shoulders barred the door.
“We’re going to stay right here. You can’t even find the fences now. It would be suicide to start in the dark. The only thing we can do is keep as warm as possible inside the bus. I started throwing snow up around the windows. ”

“ Ed’s father was there. So was Jim’s, Cora’s and Margie’s. Someone had a big bottle of hot coffee and cardboard cups. The steaming hot liquid, bitter without sugar or cream, was passed around.
Janet drank her cup eagerly and the hot beverage warmed her chilled body.
Extra coats and mufflers had been brought by the rescue party.
“Get as warm as you can. It’s going to be a cold ride to the paved road,” advised her father.
They were soon ready and once more the door of the bus was opened. Outside a powerful searchlight glowed and as they neared it Janet saw a large caterpillar tractor. ”

“ The rest of the cast will help you carry along.”
Helen, dark and radiant, came out of the wings.
“You need a little more color on your cheeks. You look as pale as a ghost.”
“I feel pretty much like a ghost,” confessed Janet as they slipped into a dressing room where Helen adeptly applied a touch of rouge, used an eyebrow pencil sparingly, and then finished the makeup with just enough lipstick to accentuate the charm of Janet’s lips.
“Everybody ready?” It was Miss Williams, calling the cast together for a final checkup. ”