Carmella Commands
subject afterwards. She had a flair for learning what she wished to know.
Then into the suburbs. Here, with fewer houses, their talk became more general. The movies, for instance. Did Dixon like them? It seemed that he did, particularly feature films with a lot of fighting in them.
“Don’t you adore love stories?” she asked.
“Not the silly ones,” he said.
“There aren’t any silly love stories—not if they’re real ones.”
Dixon laughed so brutally that she was offended.
“There’s only one actress I can stand in the love stuff,” he finally explained, “and that’s because I get such a laugh out of it, because I used to know her.”
“You know a movie actress?” Carmella was suddenly aquiver.
“Not now! But Peggy Dorr and I used to go to school together in Iowa.”
“Peggy Dorr!”
Carmella’s exclamation was ecstatic.
“Sure! She was a measly-faced kid in the fifth grade. She’s changed some since her name was Stella Krumpenheimer. Or else she buys her face at a darned good drug store.”
“Mr. Dixon, I don’t think that’s nice. Why, Peggy Dorr is my very most favorite actress. Doesn’t she love just wonderful!”
“That’s what gives me the big kick,” said Dixon
[205]
