Show EXTRA GIRL By Sf Stella lla G. G S Perry I That gossip served a practical purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose pose though First it reminded one or two casting casting cast- cast ing ng directors of the little girl who had scored as Then it brought Mrs Harden to pay part of her indebtedness She had hado to o come to find out about Vance and even she had not the hardihood to do doso doso doso so with hands entirely empty So Odile paid her rent rent rent-on on time that month after all I wish I could give all of it back to you Odile Every cent said Mamma Mam Mam- ma bouncing her many curls It tills kills my ny baby to be under obligation to o one who is such a false friend to her Thank you ou no not No tea for mel met metHer Her manner said Not in your lousel housel Baby loved you Odile Do you never think of oC that She didn't want to talk about it Oh no Mamma Mamma Mamma Mam Mam- ma d dearest arest dont don't say anything to Odile Id I'd die first firsti Poor Baby is isoo too loo oo inexperienced to know a woman must fight for her happiness in this cruel world A mothers mother's heart tells her to face any danger any humiliation humilia- humilia tion ion for her child No false pride pride- Mrs Harden I IDear IDear I- I Dear Baby even hides from Vance hImself that she knows he be cheats cheats- Isn't true to her her her- Odile had been waiting for lor a pause in n the thc tearful onslaught Row Juana used to whisper One more river to cross when she saw Mrs Harden getting getting get- get ting ing out her silly little lace handkerchiefs handkerchiefs handkerchiefs chiefs But now she felt she had to interrupt it True to her What claim has she then hen Z Mrs Harden opened her eyes wide slowly lowly allowed a look of oC astonishment then hen one of relief then one of oC joy to succeed themselves on her soft soU pink and white face I Odile Have I wronged you There There Therel Dearest girl I might have known mown you didn't understand the state of things between Vance and rid my dar dar- ling ing Their love I might have guessed you wouldn't have allowed people eople to link your our names wouldn't wantonly w wound und my little ones one's tender tender ten ten- der heart if it you'd known Known what Mrs Harden Dont you call caU me Mamma any anymore more dear Odile Known that Vance and Hallie Hallic are practically engaged engaged- when Saidee gets her gets her divorce Didn't you know they were practically engaged engaged en- en Odile when you allowed people peo- peo plc to think think- Oh restore my faith in n our swee sweet sweet friend She lifted lifted lifted lift lift- ed her eyes devoutly devoutly- as to an unseen unseen un- un seen een presence Odile say you didn't know know-didn't mow didn't try to take him from her would not Did you know they are re engaged Odile Odil very pale answered simply I know that they are not engaged Arc you accusing me mc of lying Dont rise y your ur voice here please Its It's t's ts not necessary No Im I'm not ac ac- using cusing you you of anything Just stating the he fact Hallie and Vance are not engaged Yes they are Practically Practically Practically engaged And so if it you expect expect ex ex- to marry him him him- Oh Ohl I dont don't Im I'm sure I dont don't know now what practically engaged means Mrs Harden But I do know that hat Vance does docs not intend to marry again Ever So I am not a rival of Hallie or of any one Theres There's no reason why I should tell you But flut I want you to understand It was Mrs Hardens Harden's turn tum to grow very pale She had intended finding something out But not this She must control her temper And who fold told you hed he'd no Intention intention tion ion of ever marrying He did Vance Murdock told you he would marry never Hallie Not Hallie Any Anyone one Mrs Harden Harden Harden Har Har- den I regret having had to discuss it t at all and I think that's enough said aid pas nest You think you ought to be coupled with him your him your names names knowing knowing that hat I thought you a nice girl I regret the talk Oh si sl je le Ie re- re grette rette But Bul we are to be always friends If people talk mistakenly tell ell me how to stop them You listen to me Odile Vaure Vance is fooling footing one or the other of oC you Mrs Hardens Harden's voice was clicking clicking click- click ing ng and sharp it had lots lols all aU its soft If hes he's only being friends with you and you know khoW it youre you're a fool to waste your your time but hats hat's not my business But if what you vou say is so then hes he's playing with Hallies Hallie's feelings and hell he'll find himself himself him him- self with a promise breach suit on his hands that will make even that second divorce suit smell sweet in contrast And whether you know it or not that was no bouquet You Youcan Youcan Youcan can tell him that if you want to I know enow a a thing or two about that hero And if it I have to Ill I'll tell it Tell TeU him that hat too i if you want to I assure you I do not want to madame Ciel The ugliness of this Well Vell Id I'd advise you to then Then she began to cry slid back into her role Oh Odile Im I'm always snowing showing you my worse side Honestly Hon estly Ive I've a sweet temper for myself Everyone says so But for poor little Baby Baby Baby- and so 0 forth according to formula Wh When n she got home nome to her poor little ittle Baby that temper had mounted You infernal little fool she screamed The chance of your our lITe the the end of all our s scratching and you with all your experience letting it t slip away like that Marry you He told Odile Vaure he ic wouldn't marry anybody Told her so I suppose you dont don't know why he told her so Well give a guess ess then You had more chances than han one to trap rap a proposal But no nol Just doing the he Oh can the high Cs C's Im I'm not deaf Who taught me mc to do the cutie Think I like to go around puling like a baby and missing hall half the fun tun You ou m made jie me take that line So dont don't t crab if I overdo it Second nature now And as for tor trapping trapping trap trap- ping a proposal out of that cagey sheik who's been bitten three e times and already paying two alimonies and andone andone one ne allowance you allowance you ance-you you tell m ins how if you know You ou couldn't have done doneit it in your best days Dont Don't you sup suppose pose I want to land him Im I'm head over uyer heels beets in love with Vance only a question of feathering our nest with me old thing Though Id I'd Iddo Iddo Iddo do a a lot to be silting sitting pr pretty tty Im I'm gone on that sw sweet et d deviL You cant can't keep on kissing the worlds world's best kisser and lust jUst put it ft down t to profit and loss Least I cant can't So dont don't worry Im I'm going coing to marry him Whoever marries marries mar mar mar- ries him this time has him roped f for r good So keep your eye on Baby She chortled made two long winks seriatim with her Innocent infantile tile tHe eyes eyes- y How will vim you you you- What WhaL you dont don't know cant can't hurt hurl you Go get yourself a cup lP of coffee Mam Mamma a. a You look all in Sorry you had such a tussle Im afraid of that Odile Ocille Vaure Hallie girl You needn't be Mamma I know my lesson now Some baby you got Go get your coffee cortee mum Odile said nothing to Vance about Mrs visit It would have been impossible for her to have done doneso so even if it she had taken Mrs Harden Harden Harden Har Har- den seriously She was long accustomed accustomed tomed now to the Harden hysteria But nevertheless the interview made her wretched It was dreadful to have lave p people ople talking about her and Van Vance She had long hated the personal the fan magazines and the newspapers served up about picture actors The sort of thing no one in any other other- walk of life would woula nave tolerated Garvey said To be sure the others seemed to like it But Bul she couldn't have borne it She dreaded to o look at the gossip columns And what would Mrs 1 Murdock do and what would John Johl Garve Garvey think if U they saw such a thing Perhaps it was well that Vance was vas going away soon In the meantime she must speak to lo o him about the whispering Perhaps Perhaps Per Per- haps he did not know of it Yes he did He wrote a note to her Darling I can stand it no longer loncer Every Everyone one thinks you love me But you dont don't You cant can't really love me I or you'd understand Will wm you not be merciful Toll Tell me me mc what to do for lor Im I'm eating my heart hearl out Odile She told him not to come again Which was not at all what hed he'd in in- tended H He came immediately He was really just a spoiled boy intensely in love just now and rather pitiful She was not at home He rode around the neighborhood waiting for her Ill make her a star Yes I will Ill I'll help her Make it up to her Ill I'll be true to her forever Just as ill if il- il I l do know I will This time I will wUl I cant can't stand this any more He lie seldom failed to get what he wanted Hed He'd wait Where was she Why didn't she come home I To Be Continued Tomorrow |