Show 1928 Dy o RUTH JEY G r I BAS UIS u Ray R to wealthy J l Jer rry iv when he b. crashes ah hi his Cr fats she le I. sharing 1 1 llo the tamp camp Irtle She Sh likes like L i am larteY but Aleiter t I. I as her Nutt bean beauty Y and nd shows bow her ber with Ith IC loll pew new town fown for tor a 8 party I. I tp to buY a her to JerrY yields III hu take take the store to torr n back next day slip lip It fr rr too to from m the tp II that the dress drees is I. he e t- t peeks another job and Is isone Sill calls Dan when rone one and hoe he tells s him she b. b does dati oU pie to try andi but bat is I. i efe la ii trying 11 lI I 1 leaves atter berg and andt tor 8 drive Terry JerrY I camp camp where he t which stuns tuns s rill aad I him ban and If glad when I ui pulu 5 n. n st a the beach t Under bp Wr ku kuher presence e c es l her home borne lIe US Is contrite e ute taU lost er job jobI get she Y geese dea he be promises promises' to t try to get I Ic he takes taku her herA h A GO ON T e 1 TUE STORY STORT a CHAPTER CH PTER I dimly lighted lighted- i was seemed to Jer Jer- lenty Vast lut It bo before had been InI in h never I walked plY auditorium They to to the front row of seats and hear heal voices could ed L Jerry from the bare stage across moss nr pg Dr Z on erion that had always been a a. anaW gating naW world of mystery to her 1 l Mr bawled there was WItS a scurry of ot feet In iner tt tri er A few seconds later the flooded with light and producer turned to Jerry with ilfe 11 hit 1 lit Ill iou you walk through that door there and nd gO so up on the stage e be said taid rr rry glanced at t Alester her hert t her slippers He took her het with Ith her to he hirmand and moved mo lOOt foot ont antl forget target what I told you e whispered d Close your our you dance and pretend e donna stopping the tho S M 17 i forced a 3 smile Alester ac ac- her to the stage and andI I 1 I a tL piano was was moved t lt at Air Ir order I lh i eft her ber after atter dragging a a. I fr from in the wings and placing it I him bit oung came out and seated el elf at elf at the piano JI He did not noti i fJ rry a ad d she thought he have bavel left ti some me interesting oc oc- oc play for f r her tryout he sullenly bored about ting relights were ere turned on and wed that the trembling In her heri herf i f c could uld be seen from the front where where Alester had joined Mr t kt- kt I e e t y a jazz tune Jangl out jangled fout tt the piano and nd Jerry heard leard a ailing calling to her to dance She 1 her r er eyes s and attempted to But But her f feet et had become 1 t to the floor all right Mr Wein- Wein to the piano player en to Alester Go up and get little lime friend Al AI tr crashed ed to a a. stop I I heart turned to ice She had but they'd en en her such a a tJ time time i Alester r was t leader lead- lead er r. r ff t the stage in silence She to look at him was standing He Heft Hea ft ta a hand and took one of ot r rny my my he said what a a. cold it HB s. s But that Is fine fine finer he t true ue artists have stage r pooh no others pooh no image imag- imag InI n. n e I I. I wo would ld not want rant a a. girl in my chorus who was like He pushed Jerry gently Into Me t l Kow you ou will sit here and andi Jo i o. o to the theatre he went Wile hile wo hear some singers rf elt a a. surge of relief come brought tears to her She h sank back in the se seat t with sigh ICh h. h Alester began to talk IY and she nho that t h he too had been misled calling her off oft t fil that a t k he was evincing re- re r had to walt alt a a. few ew minutes ithe lIthe singers lIngers arrived Mr U. t.-U. z turned to J Jerry erTy and told ith unaffected ct d fr frankness that her figure was good very good She Sh guessed that was wh wh he was giving her a second trial Apparently she sh had passed the first test Were going to hear the singers he went on on who got by the auditions audi audi- Jerry asked what an audition was seas Ordinarily she would not have hay done that but she wanted to sa say something something about the theatre theatre the atre Mid and she knew practically nothing concerning It Its the test we give to voices Mr rr explained Those Thos singers Mr selects a at athis his auditions come here and sin sing for me They must be Judged for foi appearance and stage presence a awell as aswelt well welt as for voice he added conver conver- Jerry was glad she hadn't been beet asked to sing Bing doubly so when a little later several young women roomer came onto the stage and hovered nervously around the piano The Th pianist was called and again took tool his place One of the singers singer stepped forth at a signal from s a a. small dark man with gray hair athis al at at athis his temples whom Jerry had not seen step out of ot the wings and took tooka a place e nearer tho the proscenium The pianist struck up a a. lyric air alt and the aspirant for tor stage stagG honors opened her mouth to sing Jerry thought she must surely be frightened frightened fright fright- ened to death but her notes came true and pure Mr nodded his head Jerry could see that the dark haired man was watching him expectantly She held her breath for the girl on the stage stager Too bad too too- bad he muttered sadly A lovely voice but bandy legs legs He lie gave some signal that Jerry did not sec see Mr she An she guessed It must be he motioned he-motioned motioned the singer back to the piano when the tho music stopped abruptly In the middle of her song Then another girl walked downstage down down- downstage stage and Jerry felt Mr arm brush against hers as he jerked himself forward In his seat his eyes on the scene before him he called before the girl could start singing Come here The dark man came to the footlights footlights footlights foot foot- lights and Jerry could hear plainly what passed between him and Mr when the latter went overto over overto overto to talk taUt to him She looked curiously at the girl girlon girlon girlon on the stage Surely she was good looking enough and she was very smartly dressed She cant can't sing sing sing-she's she's a a. piece of ot tinsel I tell you ou Mr was saying saving angrily to Mr The latter turned to look at the girl His brows camo came together In a a. ablack ablack black line I dont don't remember having seen her before he said No of ot course you dont don't Mr lIr answered excitedly Its her old trick She wants to get out of or the chorus so she slipped into tho the office with your singers after atter you'd heard them and here she Is he lie added but she tried the same thing last year with Mr Shields I remember her S e eHe He raised his face to the girl If U you ou had a voice to match your her Id Into nerve he said to go grand opera and sign you up for tor life Ufe Get oft off the stage Come around for regular rehearsal tomorrow If It you want a place In the chorus You go to hell heU the girl retorted and shrugged her way ot off the stage stager Jerrys Jerry's mouth was shaped O-shaped in surprise She pulled away from the producer when he came back to his seat Was that the way he talked to Lo girls girls' who didn't have rich young friends to Introduce them The theatre had lost some of ot Its glamour already Two of ot the tho remaining singers were rudely stopped and motioned away sway Jerrys Jerry's heart bled for them and end for tor the poor creatures hopefully occupying the hard benches in Mr waiting room She was glad when the tryouts for forthe forthe forthe the singers were over It didn't matter quite so much to her h r now whether she failed or succeeded She The had be begun n to perceive that one must have a a. love for the stage greater than hers not to mind It Its seamy side But shed she'd started and shed she'd make good If it she could There was a a. seamy side to to working In lri a department department department depart depart- ment store too the cranky customers custom custom- ers rs for tor Instance When she found herself on th the stage stagG the second time she was able abl to dance not dance not as well as she could but well enough to satisfy Mr that she possessed possessed grace grace grac and a a. sense of rhythm lIe He was willing he told her to en engage engage engage en- en gage her for tor the chorus but h he hoped hope she sho realized that a lot o of hard work was to the Job Jerry said she would be glad to work hard It couldn't be sh she thought with an Inward smile so very hard to practice dance steps Why dancing was fun tun It was as the fear tear of being rudely bawled out that bothered her e e e eShe She and Alester left heft the theatre alone Mr had other business business business bus bus- iness there Lets go to the Ambassador am and dance he said eagerly Im proud of ot you ou Jerry It was tho the first time Alester Alaster had bad taken Jerry to a fashionable hotel Perhaps he was still making amends she thought Well she wasn't ashamed of ot her appearance and she was going to be somebody now He might really be proud of ot other her some day The tearoom with its air all of ot richness richness richness rich rich- ness d delighted her She had to pinch herself once or twice to make sure that she would not wake up presently and find herself back in her furnished room with a day at Fanes Fane's ahead of ot her The women she saw at nearby tables were beautifully gowned andall and andall andall all of ot them wore wore at least one ono Jewel Jerry glanced at her own hands They looked so bare without even evena a single ring Perhaps Alester followed her glance and read her thoughts for he reached Into his 1115 pockets anc and pulled out the emerald ring she had given back to him He put It on the table between them and Jerry wondered what he was going to say CHAPTER You will need this now Alester said flicking fUcking the ring a a. little nearer neave to Jerry Jakes girls Will consider consider consider con con- sider you declasse If it you ou haven t tany any Jewelry Jerry did not pick It up There arent aren't any strings tied t tIt to It Alester went on guessing a aher al at her thoughts How about wishes Jerry asked giving him a a. straight look Alester leaned forward forwards with i ismile a smile Can you imagine what a mat mad world this would be foe it if everyone could make his wishes come true he saidI said I r know It would be no place to for tor shop girls Jerry replied still eyeing eyeIng eye eye- Ing him candidly You mean for tor chorus girls Alester Ales Ales- ter corrected Forget your department department depart departS ment store Jerry and and his his voice void became very serious serious- please please forget yesterday Lets Let's declare a new deal Take the ring I chose It because It belongs to you and Ill I'll try to tt stop wishing anything you wouldn't like He picked up the ring himself and nt held It out to her Jerry let him slip sUp It over her finger then she turned h her r head quickly to see i If it they had been observed No one opt appeared to have noticed Not that it mattered she told herself herselt it ii wasn't an engagement ring she wouldn't want to receive that in Ir public anyway she needn't feel fee guilty she was a show girl now People expected them to accept presents S e Alester seemed to have an uncanny uncanny uncanny un un- un- un canny perception Youre going to be bee a success Jerry he assured her and there will be more costly things than this ring for tor you you If it you want them but I hope you wont won't Im afraid I shouldn't take this Jerry returned doubtfully I 1 dont don't feel teel like Uke a show girl yet Walt Wait until Jakes Jake's stage director gets through with you and you will Alester grinned He Ho punishes them hard Jerry and one thing I feel I must warn you about Hule Mule doesn't like ike having haYing raw material rung in inon inon inon on him You may hear heal him say something pretty hot about pun but dont don't lose your temper He will make you OU If It youve you've any talent at all You can afford to overlook his remarks re remarks remarks re- re marks for the sake of a career And there Isn't a better man In the business business business busi busi- ness than Hule Mule to get started with Jerry promised to remember that taking notice of People are you already Alester told her when they I Ivere vere were on the tho floor dancing But Jerry Jerry Jerry Jer Jer- ry wondered If the attention she was attracting was not mostly due dUG to Alester's social prominence Surely Surely Surey Sure- Sure ly y the public must know who he was was vas especially here It was nice of him to bring her among his own kind cind she thought softening toward him ilm more than she had as yet since the tho ho scene n at t the shore Maybe they guess that Im I'm very happy lappy she said smiling up at him mistily But even as she spoke the words she knew that they were not entirely true If only Dan Harvey Harve would stay out of ot her mind and her heart 0 Alester was charming the rest of or orthe the afternoon Jerry saw flaw a a. new and delightful side to his charac charac- ter He seemed anxious t to please her Her softness toward him grew but shortly before they left lert the tea tearoom tearoom tearo ro room m a tL jarring note struck discord Into the pleasant t tempo of ot her thoughts e e eTwo Two girls girl exquisite from his own world carne came past the table tahle where Jerry and Alester tester sat flat lIe He lose arose at their smile mlle bowed and md took t ok his seat again though Jerry was vas certain the girls had paused with the Intention of speaking to him Ills his attitude had clearly been meant o indicate to them that he did no not I wish to introduce his companion Jerry thou thought ht She tried to tell t herself that he rould fould not bo be blamed for tor that but site she felt that he shouldn't have brought her here If It he considered the people he would meet too good to know her They danced again but eh she was no longer under the spell of the place the enchanting music and md the fact tact that she sho danced with one of ot the worlds world's most eligible young men He lie appeared far less fascinating fascinating fasci fasci- than he had an nn hour ago l If Alester noted the change In inter her ter feeling for tOr him at least IE he did not comment upon unon It The They parted l at it leer her door without a date for tor the future other than Alester's vr promise to be at the theatre for her first rehearsal re re- re- re It was In his mind to give sive Jerry a a. little time to think things over He didn't want to suppose he was going to seek to monopolize he her simply because he had got her a place in the theatre He sensed that tha she would be tie more grateful to him if it he allowed her bel to find an expression expression ex ex- ex- ex for her gratitude In he her own way vay And there was the ring She must not imagine that he want wanted ed anything in return for that No Jerry would have to be handled with diplomacy he ire perceived Jerry could not restrain a show of ot pride when she displayed the ring to Myrtle The latter said i iwas it was too bad it wasn't set in num But I like the Jade Jerry re replied re re- plied It matches my eyes Myrtle guffawed some of Alester Carstairs boloney s she he jeered That bimbos bimbo's going to have you eating out of ot hi his hand yet You should worry Jerry retorted retort retort- ed but wait walt until my show opens open theres there's s 's no boloney about that I 1 wonder what it cost Alester to get you In Myrtle mused audi audi- bly Nothing Jerry said with a flush lush Mr was indebted to him Then you dont don't owe him anything anything any any- thing Myrtle said pointedly And dont don't you let him forget It ft Ill Til feel that I do if it I dont don't make good Jerry replied with a hint of worry In her voice Gee youre you're lucky Mrytle said to get a a. chance like that O Of course you'll make good What's li it like like anyway the theatre in the day time Ume I |