 This is the story of Sonora Webster, a teenage runaway during the depression. Her life s ambition is to travel to Atlantic City, where "all your dreams come true." After leaving home she acquires a job from Dr. Carver and his girl and horse high diving act. Starting out as a stable hand her goal is to become a real diving girl. Dr. Carver s son, Al, helps her in her quest by helping her tame a wild horse she s named Lightning. Their early morning practices lead to not only Sonora to be put into training as a diving girl, but also for Al s emotions for Sonora begin to surface. Al leaves after an argument with his father, and the diver girl Marie is injured in a practice. Sonora finally becomes a real diving girl. The act is thriving but fairgrounds aren t in the hard times and the show is closed. Al comes back but with the surprise of getting the act book in Atlantic City. Dr. Carver passes away on the way to New Jersey and Al takes over. He asks Sonora to marry him before her first jump in her dream city. She excepts and then has an accident in the dive that leaves her permanently blind. Al will not let her do the show and brings back Marie. Sonora does not want to sit on the sidelines anymore and takes matters into her own hands. Practicing all day to finally make it back up the ladder. She has Marie locked in her trailer while she takes the jump and proves to everyone and herself that she can do it; all the while the audience does not know that she is blind.