Show Dance Lit Little T Telegram e. e m 1 Lady dy dyT 1 Fiction on b 1 I CIl CHAPTER 33 Francine wasn't at home when Jan returned to the studio from seeing Hunter off The studio was empty empt silent and this silence almost overpowering overpowering over over- powering brought on a terrific feel feel- in ins ing of loneliness for Jan Jm There was no one not a soul to talk to Jan felt that this was significant in relation to her life lite in New York Just who was there on whom she could lean in time of need Hunter was gone Rone Ted Ted she she c couldn't decide about Ted but he too was gone for or the present Francine was getting gettin married There remained remained remained-no no one Work yes es that was something But would there be work Would she ever find something to do again It seemed doubtful Jan seated herself on her bed but think coherently she could not Mentally Men Men- tally she was in a fixed condition condition- kept thinking of the same thing over and over She would try to get her thoughts into another channel but always always al al- ways they came back to this What to do She heard the rasp of a key being inserted in the door lock It was Francine Jan didn't want to talk to Francine didn't want to talk to any one Hurriedly she climbed into the I bed and when Francine came came Jan fe feigned sleep When she awoke her thoughts were clear and Jan knew what she was v going to do She was going home She got out of bed bcd dressed ed quickly and got her bel bags out Francine still tiU slept Slow Slowly stopping now and then to think Jan started packing Memories flooded over her Happy memories memories' that were hard to think of that almost made her cry And Ted What about him She hadn't thou thought ht of that be be- fore Here she was packing to go home way out to California ready to leave behind her the man she yes loved loved oved- oved yes es Jan knew now that Ted was and always always al al- ways would be the man she would love Something would have to be done out of fairness to Ted Jan knew that the train she would take left some time in the morning just before belore noon She had decided to leave on the fol fol- following lowing da day She left the small room where she slept in the studio and went out to the studio proper She opened an pfd desk rummaged around until she found pen ink and paper and wrote Dear Ted Ted Ted-I I am leavin leaving for home tomorrow win will be on my way when you get this I 1 dont don't know what has happened to us I wish I did Then It might be more simple I dont don't think that hat way down deep in our hearts either of us has changed I 1 haven't I dont don't think you have Perhaps I am 1 wrong I wish that things might be different but the they are not and there seems to be no remedy for both of us Anyway Ive I've decided to go home There doesn't s seem m to be much chance for lor me to get anything to do here so o Im I'm going I would like to have seen you before I left but that doesn't appear possible and I doubt if it it would do any good Good Good Good-by by Ted and write to me will you As ever JAN Reads Her lIer Letter Over Jan read her letter over several times limes She was dissatisfied with it but cOl couldn't find why She hadn't said what she had wanted to and when she tried to find what it was that she did want to say she made the discovery that she herself didn't know This will have to do she said addressed an envelope and was inserting the letter letier let let- ter ier when Francine entered Lo Jan Up early arent aren't you Jan nodded Francine walked back to the kitchen To reach it she had to pass pats through Jans Jan's little room Jan waited wailed for the exclamation Francine would make upon seeing the bags half half- packed She didn't have long to wait Francine came running back into the studio Jan What is it Why all the packing packing pack pack- ing Im going home Francine Home But Jan Yes Ive I've got just enough mone money formy tormy for tor formy my tick ticket t. t Wh Why Jan I hI dont don't exactly know Francine I wish I did It just came to me sudden sudden- ly All AU af at once I felt terribly lonesome Hunter gone you to be married soon But th that t hasn't an anything to u do with it Francine interrupted Maybe not But somehow it does to me Every Everyone one is going somewhere doing something definite Everyone but me I guess Im I'm just giving up Francine Arid And Ted Francine asked Jan held up her letter This tells Ted a about o it Francine shook her head I dont don't tl think you ought to I 1 think youre you're making mak mak- making ing a 3 big mistake and Im I'm not talking about dancing now You mean I 1 mean Ted Heres Here's a man you love la a man who loves you and youre you're putting put ting tang several thousand miles between you without letting him know about itin it itin in advance I tell you Jan you should should- not It Isn't right Life doesn't offer us these things to have them turned down like that You dont don't know how fortunate you are arc You dont don't or you wouldn't do this Do you expect to find another Ted No I dont don't think so so Then arent aren't you deliberately cutting cutting cutting cut cut- ting off oU your own happiness Jan I think its it's cruel to do what youre you're doing Please Francine lets let's dont don't talk about it I think youre you're right but J l just cant can't find any way out I dont don't know what to do Ive I've reached an impasse im im- passe passe passe-Isn't isn't that the word No Irr leaving When Jan Tomorrow morning Im I'm going up town some time today to get my reservation reser vat ion Jan All Packed Jan was all packed There was nothing nothing nothing noth noth- ing left to do now but wait until morning morning morning morn morn- ing and the departing time of the train that was to carry her home She Ul was alone in the studio Francine was out having dinner with Bob Jan got up ip walked to the tall taU window which looked out on Fourteenth street and stood there By leaning way to the right she could just see the south end of Union square and the large movie homes houes louses across from it iL People were hurrying by intent upon their desti desti- nations Peddlers were hawking their wares that ranged from razor blades blades' to o dancing bears Fourteenth street Is the he peddlers peddler's paradise Standing there silently how silently how long she didn't know know know-Jan's Jan's Jans feeling of ot loneliness lone lone- iness liness was Intensified by busy throngs throng below her She watched them fascinated fasci then with an effort she turned around and surveyed the studio It was big and silent and dark and lone lone- I ly y Jan shuddered Got to get out of here she said Too creepy and as she walked back to her room it seemed to her that she was being watched by bythe bythe the he ghosts hosts of those who had lived in inthe inthe inthe the studio in a better day Jan slipped out of the studio t turned right to Fifth avenue and headed down toward Washington square Buses lumbered lumbered lum by her Expensive cars their chauffeurs sending forth sounds of oC annoyance annoyance an an- with their horns flashed up and down the street From out of this expensive looking apartment building comes a man in lull lUll full evening dress accompanying accompanying ac ac- ac companying a beautiful woman in a allowing flowing evening gown They hail a passing t taxi and are swallowed up In Inthe Inthe Inthe the darkness of Its interior Jan watched the cab move off oft That was New York The New York that had escaped her Smart people leading lead lead- in ing z smart and interesting lives li Two young men both swinging their canes jauntily passed her from be be- hind They were talking excitedly happily A fat bedizened doorman waddled out under the canopy of an apartment house louse leading a small lap dog The dog waddled as did its guardian Jan smiled She stopped stopped In front of the tho Fifth avenue playhouse and read the bill board Some French picture was playing She paused much longer in front Tont of the br brilliantly lighted window window win dow of the book store adjoining the theater Some etchings were being shown with some sketches of ballet dancers by Degas which he had made before painting the finished product product prod prod- Once Jan would have thrilled to this Now she shrugged her shoulders and moved on Circles the Square At the entrance to Washington Y square she stopped to admire the Washington memorial arch She always al at- ways did this and and no matter how many times she saw it H it continued to have a new and fresh beauty for her tier Slowly Jan circled the square over to the west side then across the south side to the building of downtown downtown down down- town New York university She cut into the center of the park and found a vacant bench She sat there feeling a. a as if she were isolated as if on an island awa away from the hurry and noise of New York City Yet all about her came sounds of the city's life Cars honking brakes screeching ing children playing the dull undertone of massed sounds On an impulse she hurried over to the starting point of the Fifth avenue avenue ave ave- nue busses climbed to the top of one and seated herself Ill go uptown m she told herself and take one long and final look at what Im I'm missing out on After a short wait while the bus filled up Jans Jan's journey up Fifth avenue ave ave- avenue nue was begun The bus jerked and lurched its way over the territory Jan had just covered on foot Then on up Fifth avenue from Fourteenth Street to Madison square That particular stretch is the only one on the long avenue that is practically devoid of oj interest Darkened fronts abut the sidewalks The huge show windows usually displaying rugs or bolts of fine Cine silks are arc not lighted for display No there wasn't much for Jan to see see- seeThe The bus lurched its way across Madison square The park benches were filled A sailor stood before a sidewalk board advertisement of oC the glories of joining Uncle Sams Sam's navy and seeing the world Learn a trade shrieked in huge letters at the top of the board Now the bus was getting into that part of Fifth avenue aye ave nue flue where the big stores were Just ahead towering skyward stood the Empire State Stat building Jan kept her eyes on it craning her neck farther and farther back as the bus approached ap approached until opposite it it she could no longer see its tower set back a good many feet from rom the street line Jan got off the bus at second Forty street and walked up the steps of the public library She proceeded through h Bryant park to Sixth avenue Just north stood the now darkened Hippodrome Hippodrome Hippo Hippo- Hippodrome drome once the greatest of all New NewYork's NewYork's NewYork's Yorks York's theaters West she walked on second Forty street reading the traveling traveling trav trav- eling ling electric sigh on the Times build build- ing At Broadway and second Forty street Jan turned right and before her lighted in all its garishness lay Times square the square the district district dis dis- It wasn't crowded now The shows were all under way Everywhere she looked Jan could see the names of stage tage and screen stars standing out in lighted letters anywhere from one to feet high Other brilliant elec elec- ric signs Informed of the elegance if f this tooth paste that this toffee offee that clock It was all thrill thrill- ng Jig all exciting and sad as she was lith the knowledge that it would oon eon be far behind her Jan still at what the street and square tood toed for She walked up the square lre to Forty Forty- I street and turned left Down he street about feet teet was the Sanford San San- ord ford theater where Ted was playing n Threes Company Jan stood in the lobby looking at the various pictures Cf of t the e actors on d display play There was Ted s picture with the me star in a scene from their dance Here on the wall valI was a portrait of ot Ted alone Pictures Pic Pic- tures turcs of the chorus girls taken with witha a view to their pulchritudinous charms were scattered about Good-by Good to all that Good Good-by Ted Good Good-by New York Jan turned and walked out of the theater lobby She retraced her steps to Times square and stood there for fora a short time watching the signs blink bUnk on and off oU I HI do that that she told herself herself her her- self I 1 blink on and off oft Off Of mostly and now I 1 think ive i've blinked bUnked off oft for good An ambulance its bell clanging madly its siren screeching tore through the square Jan followed its progress Very few others did though Old stu stuff to them Jan looked at the clock In the Paramount Paramount Par Par- amount tower It showed 1035 Better Better Bet Det ter be bo getting etting home Get some sleep she said aid but she doubted that she ahe would sleep Too man many thoughts to crowd sleep out Tomorrows Tomorrow's the day I Tomorrow at 1110 and my career reaches its e end d. d Homeward bound t. t r jJ Dad Dad mother Ruth Los Angeles Back home and broke roke Dad will understand under stand So will mother Wonder what what hat 7 Ruth looks like Quite a lady by now now l lI I suppose De Be nice to see ee them Been en a long time now Maybe l Ill I'll get a at I job ob dancing In Los Angeles Maybe I I wont vont Get a jot clerking more likely 7 She retraced her steps to Forty J I second street descended into the hole l i that led to the subway and climbed aboard a n downtown train Incoherent r thoughts continued their dancing I through her head The train was pull pull- ing ng to a a stop Jan looked up Good f t Heavens Chambers street She had v ridden past her stop stop Fourteenth Fourteenth t r street She crossed the tracks on the j overhead passageway and 4 g gan an uptown train and this time got gotoff off when the tram train roared into Four Four- street She walked slowly across town to the he studio She didn't go upstairs im- im mediately A light shone forth from the he front windows Francine was Wa home lome Jan looked up and the old brown stone building returned her look In gloomy silence I Jan saluted the building and mounted its steps Yes Francine was there alone Teds been calling you ou Jan Francine said Jan didn't answer He sounded anxious As I If he bad had something pretty Important to tell a j you Heres Here's his number Jan took the slip of ot paper Thanks Fran a Arent you going to call him 1 i Jan shook her head No I think not she he answered a aTo l j To be continued tomorrow A I |