Show Fiction J J JL I E C EA A A I L LOUS O 0 U 1 1 S fn G L J A A I L Brown Vcra I SYNOPSIS Desperate heartbroken Faith Howrd noward Howard How now I ard rd stand In for the famous Mavis Andre of General Films throws ws herself herself her her- self elf In front of ot an automobile Lieutenant Lieu Lieu- tenant Gordon Saunders the man who rescued her from a wild party down In ua Agua and befriend befriend- ed d the little beauty contest winner has tas run off oft and married the famous Judith GUard Girard after a spectacular rescue res res- cue ue of the movie actress when h her r airplane airplane air air- plane cracked up Faith lived all summer at at Gordons Gordon's cottage below I Santa Monica and fell tell madly In love with him Faith has only one friend I In n Hollywood Victor Henderson on dl dl- rector ector the man who does all of ot Mavis Andres Andre's pictures but Faith cannot reach each him hint on the night Gordon writes her ler the farewell brewell note And when faith sees the story tory of the el elopement in n the papers ab she attempts to take her own life Now continue the star story WAKING UP Faith wondered about the who kept moaning She wished vaguely that the girl would stop so she could sl sleep ep It was vas on the sixth day after she had lad stepped in front of that speeding automobile on Sunset boulevard in an attempt to end her lif life that the moaning moaning moan- moan ing ng stopped and she could sleep When she he awoke she tried to turn her head to o look for that girl who had been cl crying But the effort was too much Faith heard somebody say gay conscious It was all very queer She slipped off oft again into that half world in which she he had lived for so many days and nights lights Sometimes she was with GorIon Gordon Gordon Gor- Gor don Ion flying in a sunset sky Sometimes Some Some- I times imes she was as at Sand Sandyland land and the roaring oaring of the ocean seemed to beat beaton on her consciousness until she could bear it no longer and she begged for somebody to stop it il Again she was pleading heading with Gordon to come ome back backo to o her But most often she was back in n Niles Mi Mich h with her father hoping hop hop- ing ng and planning great things things things-in in Hol Hol- lywood The nurse sitting watchfully beside her ier felt often that she ought not to listen isten to this complete revealing of ot a airl's a gIrls gIrl's irl's heart It was almost indecent lik like ike eavesdropping in a confessional even though she w was s accustomed to sickroom confidences But the nurse could not leave so she listened per per- force Then on one evening as the sun set into nto the Pacific Faith opened her eyes again She looked about aboul There was no other girl in the room Just herself It was a long time before she realized that the girl who had cried so was herself hersel The sun un cast a queer zi zigzag zag pattern through the Venetian blinds I The watchful nurse leaned over and andave gave ave her a teaspoonful Faith could hear icar the crisp rattle of her white starched un uniform orm as she stood up Expertly trained fingers slid to Faiths Faith's slim wrist I 1 thought I was dead The nurse laughed Youre very much alive young Oung woman Tears slid down clown Faiths Faith's white cheeks She was so tired That suffering which had driven her ier to such desperation flowed over her like a fever unreasoning desolating ing But I dont don't want to live Nature Is Js a marvelous thing When suffering Is too great for tor any of her children she has her own antidote Faith drifted off oft to sleep She slept quietly l until til morning When she awoke again the Venetian Venetian Venetian Vene Vene- tian blinds bUnds still interested her They were framed with handsome silken draperies of green creen The furniture of the lovely room was green and there were splashes of yellow on the dressing dressing dressing dress dress- ing table yellow table yellow roses she realized Yes it was a beautiful room Faiths Faith's head hurt terribly and her left arm felt as though it were in a vise She tried to move It ft but the pain made her faint That pain oain seemed to clear her mind sharply For a long time she lay there trying to get things straightened out in her mind she spoke again her voice was weak but quite natural Where am I 17 Youre in a nice bed Go to sleep Youve You've had bad a blow on the head That explained the pain in her head Faith tr tried ed to struggle up in bed bcd The nurse held heid her down Lie quiet Be a good girl and Ill I'll comb your hair It did not seem strange to Faith that the nurse took from the dressing table one of her own silver brushes which Gordon had given her What about her father How long had she been here nere I The nurse nure refused to let her talk and fed he her hot bouillon from a pretty china dish But Faith persisted Where am I IZ In Miss Andres Andre's house u Mavis Andre Faiths Faith s voice showed ved genuine surprise Yes How did I come here We brought you OU here w when en you were hurt Now s go gb to sleep Lat Later LaWr r the doctor came in In accompanied accompanied by a strange man going to be fine line the doctor said She thought she was going to toI fool fool us us' but not Dr Paddock The doctor laughed cheerfully Shell SheU be running about about in no time Ume at all swimming ing and playing tennis Faith looked up at the doctor r rc- rc I dont don't vant to get I spank pretty patients who talk like ike th that tl The doctor patted her well arm fe feel l different in a few days Nurse I think Miss Miss' Howard can talk to o Miss Westworth in a day or two la Faith Ith lay there rebellious hating the the world I She had wanted to die They had prevented herl hen She turned her ber er face away when the nurse tried to o talk t. t to her She lay so quietly that the nurse was frightened and would not nat leave lea her alone for even a mo mo- mo- mo ment Two days later the nurse told her that Miss Wentworth and Mr Ball Balfour our were coming to see her must t to listen to You try them the nurse admonished Faith did not answer She did not care Miss Wentworth proved pro to be a middle aged efficient person who had that annoying cheerfulness s some som people peo peo- pl employ when they are in a sick sick- room She and the man called Balfour Balfour Balour Bal Bal- four our sat down dow beside Faiths Faith's bed How are arc you le feeling Un Faith made a faint answer The nurse has told you what hat happened happened hap hap- No You know where you arc are Miss Wentworth Wentworth's voice seemed sharp Faith said the nurse had told her Why did you step in front of or Miss Andres Andre's car So that was' was it I Z didn't know know- Faith was so tired ired tears slipped down her cheeks again Maybe wed we'd better not bother her today nurse Balfour saidI saidI said I I think wed we'd bet better er make things clear to her Miss Wentworth Wentworth's voice was still a little severe We understand You had a letter with you youA youA you you- A faint taInt flush showed on Faiths Faith's cheeks Gordons Gordon's letter The They knew about her her shame her suffering Everybody would know There is no ne ned d to cry about it child Miss Wentworth's voice was kinder now She nodded toward Balfour BlI Bal i four You say you didn't know it was Miss I Andres Andre's car I 1 just took the first one which came along Mavis seems to have been right He laughed a little You see this is isa isa isa a serious business Miss Howard I Iam Iam Iam am from Miss Andres Andre's insurance corn com com I pany Of course we dont don't want to tomake tomake tomake make any trouble for you you you- Trouble For on from Miss Andre Oh it wasn't that Im sure it He got out his fountain pen If It you will vill just sign here here we we just want to keep leep everything legal Faith could hardly hold the pen Her signature was wobbly Now I think that's all We just want to protect Miss Andre The nurse tried to quiet her Faith became hysterical weeping desperately desper desper- I wont won't stay here They think I want money of Miss Andre Youre too sick to move Lie quiet The nurse had a bad had session She finally persuaded Faith to swallow a bromide Then the girl slept The Thc next night the door of her room suddenly opened Standing there in a glittering white frock was Mavis Andre Andre Andre An An- her wh white te blonde hair swirled back from her face and held by two small glittering stars Faith watched in m silent admiration Mavis came in quietly nodded to the nurse and sat on the foot of the bed bcd Find me a She smoked quietly for or a little ittle watching Faiths Faith's deep circled eyes speculatively Well a fine mess youve you've made of everything Her great blue eyes laughed down at Faith as she blew out some smoke Im sorry Get this kid Everything Is O. O K Youre You're stay staying in here until you OU are arc all aU fixed up The worlds world's I most beautiful beautiful beau beau- tiCul blonde was silent a again aln for a lit little tIe You sec see Faith Im I'm under obligations obliga to you too I cant can't have any more scandal And it wasn't very nice smashing Into YOU as we did I was doIn doing 60 I 1 think Mavis shuddered I couldn't sleep for or days I thought you were going to die I didn't know It it was you Faith closed her c eyes es for a minute I L understand what's happened happen d. d I know you'd oud like to know how things arc going Well the newlyweds are home and Li Lieutenant Saunders has been trying to see sec you Faiths Faith's blue eyes were wide and dark now looking up at al this cor gorgeous creature sitting silting on her bed Im Tm going to tell you vou everything I had Miss f Miss Miss' Wentworth get et your our thIn things s from rom your room The car was dragged into the pound and since it was in Lieutenant S Saunders Saunders' name it was sent gent over to him I didn't want him making a fuss so I had Henderson Hender Hender- son tell him you had gone away away for or a I rest Yes Tos Henderson would know Hed He'd understand How disappointed appointed he must b be in herl herl v Faith could not ke p back the tears So you see were we're even You cant can't die on my hands now now think of the scandal scandal scandal-an an unreported fatal accident You wouldn't want me in ja jail l Mavis' Mavis eyes w were e suddenly soft Faith understood all aU the things thIng she was was not say saying in Is there much talk At the studio Very little You didn't know many people I imagine out at the post there was some talk but pushes everybody off the front page Front page Y Yes Faith could imag imag- ine Inc the homecoming Her thoughts showed in her e eyes es Keep a stiff upper lip I didn't want to notify your people I was afraid there'd be trouble II Mavis got up her glittering gown slipping off the bed bcd trailing after her You cant can't throw me mc down she added Besides you'll find life is pretty good after alls all's said and done Things even up You take the knocks and and you'll get the good along with it il I know This was a 11 new Mavis not the careless careless care care- less flaming personality Faith knew a and d the film magazines wrote about Suddenly Faith felt fell sorry for this en cn envied vied person Mavis leaned over and patted F Faiths Faith's injured armI armI arm I tore up that letter letter- And she was gone gon in a cloud of perfume and glitt glitter r. r To be con continued tomorrow tomorrow |