Show I Telegram Fiction an J J JL E E C A A I L 0 C CI I U I S C G Cl L GI A A I L BlI Brown Th Vera I SYNOPSIS Faith Howard little stand in for Mavis Andre General Film com corn company's company's pany's famous star tries to end her herlie life lie b by throwing herself in front of or oran an automobile The car belonged to Mavis Ma Andre the famous famouS' blonde was driving and she had been drinking Mavis and her director Victor Henderson Henderson Hen Hen- derson take Faith to Mavis' Mavis home not daring to risk the scandal such an accident would make The good goodby y note to Lieutenant Gordon Saunders who has just eloped with Judith Girard Gi Gi- rard another General Film star and rival ival of Mavis' Mavis is explanation enough for or Mavis and Henderson Henderon of what has happened Faiths Faith's romance with Lieutenant Lieu Lieu- tenant Saunders began when he rescued rescued rescued res res- cued her from a wild party in Agua AguaCaliente AguaCaliente Caliente and put her in a seaside cottage cottage cot- cot tage age because the girl had no money and production on Andres Andre's film was stopped topped Mavis visiting the sick room a few days after the accident tells Faith she had destroyed Gordons Gordon's good goodby by letter Now No Continue the Story TilE THE LETTER FRO FROM I HOME IE At General Films Mavis Andre had hada a new v stand in And although there was vas wh whispering about Judith Girards Girard's sudden udden marriage a word ord now and then hen when hen people in the know got together there was nothing much sa said sad d aloud Everybody was too much Tightened frightened of Stamm Carol and Valerie of oC course had hado to o have some explanation made to them hem about Faiths Faith's disappearance from rom the thc lot For the next morning after alter the newspapers spread the runaway marriage marriage marriage mar mar- of Gordon and Judith Girard t tover over the front pages the girls had gone immediately to Faiths Faith's rooming house louse The landlady was pleasant enough and talked to them about the oung young lady who had moved out although al al- though hough her rent was paid up for anther an other ther week A lady had come that morning the he landlady explained and had packed up everything and taken it awa way away in a taxicab The landlady continued con con- that there was quite a sum of oC f money on the dresser and she was worried bout about letting the things go 10 althou although h the woman had signed a receipt receipt re- re for themI them I just dont don't want to get into trouble trou trou- ble le the landlady added Valerie Valeric and Carol had promised the they hey would make inquiries at the studio That night they tried to reach Henderson on the telephone but railed failed so the next morning they hunted hunted hunt- hunt ed d him up on Mavis Andres Andre's set There here was a new stand Henerson was casual charming He Hc explained to the girls that a friend L of ot Faiths Faith's had sent her up to the thc country for a rest He was a perfect actor ictor although his heart was full ot 01 foreboding for lor the girl lying so ill out I in n Mavis Andres Andre's house All that day lenderson Henderson went about like a man in n a I daze He kept hearing above the lines linc that hat Mavis Andre spoke that awful I thud hud when Mavis' Mavis car had struck The Thc ghastly color of the girls girl's face bce as he hc I picked her herup up and putter in Andre 2 I car The blood on his hands as he h held Faith in his arms Had he done right If IC Faith Faith should die now ii il it L would be fatal for Mavis But he had hac I used his best judgment nt He felt 1 it I was vas worth the gamble He owed I it ito L to o the company and Mavis to protect her and in protecting her he was protecting protecting pro- pro Faith If It Faith had been taken to the hospital hos hos- pital nothing pital-nothing nothing could have saved the front rent page headlines And it would not have been many editions before some somebody bod would have begun to speculate speculate speculate spec spec- on why Faith stepped in front fronto o of Mavis Andres Andre's car From r rom there to tried to scandal was but a n step He shake off his depression his sense of impending evil Hed He'd do something for Faith help her get back on her feet teet With these harassing thou thoughts he faced Carol and Valerie They ThY vent went away satisfied and arid he spent a afew afew few cw minutes quieting Mavis' Mavis fears lears For or Mavis knew just how serious was washer washer aS aSher her own predicament She had been warned repeatedly Stamm had is issued is is' issued sued an ultimatum three weeks ago Her fans fano would stand for no more candal andal about her They liked her to b be talked about but about but there must be Dot noth i ing more Her last Jast marriage had been such a fiasco that all her blond loveliness and the influence of or General General Gen Gen- General eral Films had not been able to prevent prevent pre vent the unfavorable publicity she had received There must be nothing more Fear lurked in Mavis Mavis' eyes She knew how fragile is fame rame in Hollywood Hol lywood The nearer the top the more difficult the place to hold That night the rushes were excellent Henderson Headerson Hender Header son watching the results o of the days day's labor in the little studio projection room could see see- that fear shin shining in through in the stars star's wide deep deep- lashed eyes Yes the rushes were He squared his shoulders and smiled grimly He must go to Maws Mavis And Faith must not die Those next few days das were a ni nightmare nightmare night night- ht- ht mare to both Mavis and himself On the set the star smiled talked played the phonograph in her p porta ble dressing room She tried to be ga gay amusing and she received other stars from other lots like a queen who accepts the homage paid her as her natural due But through it nil was that undertone o of fear Fear Sometimes Mavis would touch Hendersons Henderson's broad hand j just for lor a bit of comfort His smile reassured reassured re re- reassured re- re assured her It was the nurse who told Henderson Hender header s son on about Faiths Faith's car Faith had mentioned it in her delirium The director had forgotten about that an an- gle The landlady where Faith lived I had been taken care of but the car cart cartA A private detective found it at the police pound after arter much scouting hI H He also found round that it was in Gordon Saunders' Saunders name Henderson grinned and let the car stay there Time enough to deal with Saunders when he got back from his honeymoon Let Lel him hint worry about the car So the hours moved slowly for director director di di- rector and nd his star Sometimes driving I i ing ng along Henderson could s see e Mavis Mavia on trial for involuntary manslaughter I ter for er down stand t for running a poor i in n and then not riot reporting the fatal accident Those nights he could not s sleep leep and he often oHen drove far into the night Sometimes he laughed bitterly Mavis had never acted better There was a depth a ai fire rire to her work these l last ast few lew days What a business Built on suffering Then The Therone on one night the doctor said Faith would live And rAnd the relief was so great that Henderson felt sick And Mavis wept in his arms like a achild achild I child who has just run through a dark t terrifying room But Faith was going to live Now for picking up the broken pieces Th That Thai t was the night Mavis first stopped in m Faiths Faith's room the same night Judith Girard made her triumphant entry home to to Hollywood with her new nev socialite flying husband However there was still trouble ahead After a week Dr Paddock telephoned Henderson She doesn't want to live That i is why she is not getting any better Ive I've done all aU I can Its It's up to you pe peo pIe Henderson determined to talk to tc Faith He had not been to see her hei since she regained consciousness but L tonight he would go He would see sec what he could do Faith lay layso so still when Henderson 1 entered h her r room that he was afraid features shocked him Her pinched The lovely lovel rounded contours of or her hex f race face ace were gone When he spoke to tc her she opened her eyes slowly But Buthe Buthe I he knew she was glad to see sec him fox for her eyes lighted upI up I didn't mean to disappoint you jou she told him You You still believe in me What are friends for lor except to believe believe be be- l lieve in the people ople they like She smiled at that and he took her well hand and stroked it t gently Youve You've all been so kind Wh Why not I dont don't deserve it Everybody gets their lives tied qed up in knots I certainly have ha The bitterness in la her voice startled him You dont don't want to live What for tor For one thing to keep your our best friend out of jail I dont don't understand He had caught Faiths Faith's interest Henderson explained the seriousness o of the situation for Mavis and Mavis-and and for himself It wo would ld ruin us both What could we say How could we explain Faith pondered the matter for lor a alime time lime Then Henderson took a letter out of ur his pocket This came from the studio for Cor you today today its its it's from home home from from your people Tears came to the girls girl's yes es Read it it Henderson read the letter from rom Aunt Mamie The usual gossip ofa of ofa a sm small Jl town Who Vho got gol married who had a baby Then came a paragraph paragraph paragraph para para- graph Your father is not so well Faith I am worried about him The doctor doe doc tor wants to tr try so some e new light dOC j treatments but we wo cant can't move him to a hospital and the they will cost so much at home I dont don't know what we would have done without the money you ou are arc sending Do you think you OU could manage an extra 10 a week for the new treatments There was a n lot more marc Everybody was asking about her how she was getting along when she was going to be in a n picture Her aunt concluded concluded con con- eluded I I wish you would write more about what you are arc doing I dont don't know ow what to tell them Your career out there is a great source of ot happiness happiness happiness hap hap- to your our father It is all he thinks and talks about I There was a silence when Henderson's Hendersons Honder- Honder sons son's low voice finished the letter Faith stared across the beautiful room with unseeing eyes It vas was a long time before she spoke soke Ive got Jot to go on haven't I 11 Yes That is all there is left lOOking ing after them Yes Hen Henderson eson sat quietly watching her mobile face waiting Sho Should ld I r go home to them or stay in Hollywood Henderson did not answer imme imme- Because he did not know honestly what shat to tell her He Ho knew his advice e was important to her Looking at t her lying there he wanted to send Bend her home homo home to some nice boy back In Niles home to Lo a quiet happy marriage e children children chil chil- dren ren away from the struggle gle the bitterness of oC a fight for fame For when you are at the top what then Henderson wondered red as he thought of ot Mavis One of ot the most unhappy women he knew Or w was s she unhappy unhappy un un- un- un happy Not when she was working It was all too much for him But he had to make an answer And she sho would not be fit to travel for fora a long lono time He Ho cleared his throat When in doubt make no decision if it it is not necessary He smiled down at her Why go into that now It will be some time before you can travel anyhow Stay here and get welL Time enough to worry about your future then His advice had the merit of oC necessity stay here for Cor the time being Well We'll see you OU get your salary so you youcan can canS send money home Send that extra 10 Then later well we'll see what to do do Faith w was too tired to do anything any any- thin thing but accept accent his decision Ill write a letter home to your father Cather lath tonight dictate tonight dictate it and let you sign it Now go to sleep and Cor forget et your troubles He stood up to leave Impulsively he bent down and kissed the girl girlon on her forehead Faith snuggled down in her pillows pillows pil pil- pil- pil lows and her smile was happier She felt safe saCe There were no troublesome worries for a little while The next day when Henderson sent over the letter with It came a huge bunch of oC yellow roses like the ones which had been on her dressIng dressing dressing dress dress- ing table since she had first opened her eyes They remind me mc of you Henderson Henderson Henderson Hen Hen- derson penned Faith signed the letter and the nurse mailed it back to Niles To be continued tomorrow |