| Show f J Je Jealous e 1 G Gal I BI Vera U d a I 0 Z U S S. S VT CL a I iL Brown INSTALMENT NO 38 After the princes prince's departure Eden threw herself Into her work again She was by the publicity attendant at on her friendship with n He Re Renaldo naldo Stories were cabled from the European court Stamm declared the publicity to be worth a million dollars dol do lars to his bis organization and he be was the envy of the in industry Eden Thane they declared was a 21 natural There were always new newl stories about her Henderson s saw w Ellsworth ever every day now although Eden herself saw little of VIe Vic General Films had a new baby st star r a beautiful brunette named Darned Marie Dare Henderson was seen dining with her and was directing direct ing the picture in which she had her first part There were magazine stories about this discoverer of movie stars and any J girl 11 seen dining with him was counted lucky indeed Eden paid little attention atten aUen tion to lo the gossip ossip Then one day she passed them driving in Vies Vic car car She Sh was as amazed at the sharp tightening In her heart Vie Vic too But shame shamel Eden took pains pain to get ct acquainted with this new beautiful child She found her exquisite beyond description tion but utterly dull Im jealous Eden accused her herS tell telf She Sh admitted the girls girl's loveli loveli- ness She felt she ought to do something ng to protect Vie Vic He deserved something something some thin thing better than this pretty stupid doll But Henderson seemed satisfied satis satis- fied fled Then one Saturday when Eden got home there was another letter This time the sum of was demanded Immediately Eden tried to reach Henderson but he was out on Stamm's yacht for lor the weekend And Marie Dare was along of course Eden wept bitter tears and sat down to solve her problem problem alone This second note so casual and demanding de manding convinced Eden that Scott was vas the sender Jt it was a lang chance but she he determined to take it il Scot was living at Malibu Eden put on a blue wool frock combed h he r r hair back pulled a hat over he her fa famous rose nose She borrowed Ellsworth's car r and departed It was 9 o'clock b by the time she Aft Afterward she wondered how she could have bave done such a stupid thing Scotts Scott's cottage was lighted and Eden walked boldly to the front door Scott answered her knock and seemed completely disconcerted when he saw her standing there Which was what she hc wanted Not until she had got ot inside did he realize that he was half halt drunk He mumbled something she did didot not ot understand what and offered heo hel hea Ia a chair a low bow weaving a bit unsteadily on his feet feel I came to tell you ou you'll get ct no money out of me I 1 know who sent those notes and if you dont don't let mcalone me mc alone Im I'm going to go to the federal authorities That will mean prison Dean Her words penetrated his befuddled befuddled died brain He was white and shak shak- in ing He sat sal al down and stared at Eden Im going to get et that child His voice had a hysterical note never get her Ill I'll kill you ou first Eden spoke in a quiet tone without raising her voice But her d desperate sperate eyes frightened the man He knew she was not threatening him Idl idly Scott jumped up Ill have you arrested for lor threatening threat threatening ening me mc- mc His voice ro rose e to a screech But only for a moment He dropped on his knees In front of Edens Eden's chair She stood up but he clasped her about the knees You cant can't do that Eden Just then a noise nois attracted their at at- They turned In In Inthe the door door- day stood a slim blonde girl with a queer smile mlle on her hei lips So So Scott was waso so ro terrified that he stayed there on his knees at al Edens Eden's feet Alice Alice His voice pleaded with h her r. r Eden was vas too t 9 fri frightened to I move I IThe The The girl irl motioned to someone on the porch A man followed her inThis inThis inThis in This is m my brother Suddenly there was vas vas a flash Theman Theman The Theman man man had taken a photograph Dean Scott on his knees to lo Eden Thane By this time time- Eden was as th thoroughly ro alarmed She kept her head realizing however the trap into which she had bad ad walked Even in her confusion shedid she shedid he did not see sec how Scott could be part of this blackmail scheme He had bad hadnot not known she would come The girl made mad a long long speech to Dean He tried to explain to her Eden quietly gathered up her purse and hat The damage was Ioas asdon done No use useIn usen fn In n staying now She left got out ut of that cottage somehow leaving Scott with the angry girL irl What did it matter mat matS ter Eden wept helplessly on the drive home borne Sh She had bad been gone Jone hardly more than an hour and md a half halt As she put Ellsworth's car into the garage she was surprised ed to see her home quiet and peaceful just as she had left leU it Up in her own room she took off f her hat and coat and andl lay y down She felt fell faint and she not think clearl clearly She he had heard of of'S ch things happen happe happening In ing t to stars Badger games ganes But it had never occurred to her heg that such sucha a thing could happen to to her hel The Thel cheapness o of it With Dean Scotts Scott's reputation Would she be forced to bring Thea into this to save herself Never T That at was on one thing she was certain of By Monday morning with no word from Henderson she was frantic She dragged herself of off to the studio for there was an 8 S o'clock call caU for lor the day dare Henderson met her with a smile Marie Maric Dare was on the set Henderson seemed far awa away She felt his voice had a it new quality quam I II I wanted her to watch you work She can learn a lot that way Eden nodded She peered in at her face in the mirror o of her dressing table and was surprised to find that she looked about as usual except that the shadows under her eyes ees were darker Waiting Wailin t At any moment the blow might fall She had no idea how this girl would proceed She wondered if she should telephone Mr Gallagher Galla gher go and nd see him But she was 1 afraid to lo make a move She had already al at ready done enough damage In trying tring to handle things herself I Hender Henderson on insisted on her having lunch with him and Marie Maric Dare Eden could not force the salad down She drank a cup of teaNo teaNo teaNo tea No wonder youve you've kept your lovely lovely love love- lovely ly figure so tong long as you have Marie Dare purred from her 17 summers Eden hated her with lier 1 whole heart She wanted t to slap her face Hender Render Henderson son seemed oblivious to the undercurrent undercurrent undercurrent under under- current and Eden smi smiled ed and smiled until her face lace hurt Edens Eden's eyes glanced toward the girls girl's left leU hand band Marie Dare did not miss that glance and she laughed al aloud alou ud l in her delight To make a a famous star jealous But then she he was so much younger than Miss Mis Th Thane nc About 4 o'clock when Henderson was WIS working on a scene with Eden at a messenger er came from th the 1 front office Before he gave ae the slip to Hender Henderson m. m Eden was sure wh what ht t it con contained ta in ed Hen Hendersons Henderson's er ons on's eyebrows went up He halted the the- shooting Well shoot that scene with Trump and now nov Then he told Eden Stamm wants to see ee you ou in the front office Maybe his his royal highness high hIgh- ness has come back Shall I change my hange mY clothes and I. I makeup N No Well We'll work when hen youre you're through Co Come c back Ho wont won't keep you long Im I'm su sure e. e So in a gorgeous pale pink ink evening enIn frock Crock her face shaded yellowish her eyelashes eyelashes' s' s heavy with ma mascara macara eara Eden went Ito to Stamm's office orfice The Thc secretary secre tary admitted her at once Stamm was not alone One of or the attorneys for th the thc company was there Stamm Sta-mm was pacing up and down the office fuming Wh Why was I cursed with the moving movin picture business Why arc are stars such fools Why Why Eden came in quietly and stood facing him bim Stamm pounded the thc desk He aved He threw at Eden the photograph pho of or h herself and Scott He roared and bellowed Ive I done everything for you you you- youre you're going like Andre AndreI Stamm was vas like a wild man Here you get Iet a million dollars' dollars worth o of international publicity and then get mixed up with a punk has has- been Cheap Cheap G God d How can you OU girls do it itZ Eden did not try to talk to him There was as nothing to sa say managed to quiet Stamm were we're settling with this woman for forLet forLet forLet Let me talk to her Miss Thane She happened to be Scotts Scott's latest wife The studio is handling it It will be deducted from your salary You may sign these papers papers to His voice was crisp and dr dry Eden silent picked up the pen and signed Then hen left Stamm mopped his face Sit down He still paced up and down before her Im reading the thc riot act to you Eden Ive I've been patient But this is s the thc last straw That woman will come comeback comeback comeback back for lor more money probably But we we cant can't afford to have a suit Think of or that picture in the newspapers You'd be through Done Donel She says you threatened to kill Scott Have you gone crazy I 1 didn't know you ou even knew the bird I tell you OU some sometimes sometimes times it seems to me Ill I'll lose my mind What a business Id I'd rather train wild tigers Td rd rather handle a chain gang gangl Id I'd rather have a bunch of rat to keep In line Une than you you people He dropped Into a chair Eden tried to find her voice Im sorry sorry sorry-it orr it it wont won't happen again what the they all say Eden this is the end Y Youve You've uve got to send end that child away I am not Dot going Joing to worry about you any more You arc arca a million dollar property I 1 cant can't have it ruined Thea goes goesl I 1 dont don't care where but she goes out of this town And you ou arc are not to sec ee ec her Send her abroad That Is final Either she goes goes or or you ar are through with General Films Films' Stamm stood tip lip Eden rose Head bowed she walked out of the room Curious glances came her way from the outer office Stamm's angry voice could be bc heard eard Rumer flew fast about the studio Thane and Stamm had had a terrific row Nobody knew what about INSTALMENT 39 THE TIlE LETTER The next morning work on OIl Nothing Nothing Noth ing to Lose went ent on as usual Hender Henderson Henderson Hen Hen- der derson on had been informed late lato the night that Eden Eden was to have the day of off to rest He Ic planned the days day's output shooting around the scenes In which Eden appeared so that the large cast would not have hR to be laid off ore Henderson felt guilty about Eden He had been nEglectIng neglecting neg neglecting her She seemed so worried d and harassed but Henderson had hadnot hadnot hadnot not got over Colin Cohn He felt he could not stand much more of that sort of tiling thing Later in Iii the da day he telephoned telephoned telephoned tele tele- phoned Miss Moffatt but she had nothing to offer ofer and he assumed that Eden would be back next morn morn- ing She did not come Henderson was puzzled and called the front office It was not until the following following follow follow- ing day however that Stamm sent for him He reported in to 10 the tile big boss after the days day's work was done Stamm was still waiting for him pacing up and down his gorgeously appointed office and Vic Vie noted i th t the he had been smoking an endless s chain of cigars strictly cigars strictly against the doctors doctor's orders I Isit Sit down down down- Stamm pushed a humidor toward Henderson Oh that's right Youre You're one of those smokers Stamm stared at nt the end of or his ci cigar ar and waited before he began Then he shot out the question Where is she Henderson sat and looked hooked at the president of the company ne never cr flicking Clicking an eyelash So that was it Eden was gone Shed She'd run away away awa Stamm was pounding emphatically ly on the table Now is no time for petty 10 loyalty Vie Vic Youve You've got to come clean with me Where is she Were We're desperate Nothing to Lose has got to be in inthe inthe the hands of the exhibitors in four weeks No monkey business So 0 o oget get her back here Tomorrow Henderson stood up To begin with I 1 haven't any Idea what you arc are talking about unless mean Eden Is you gone gone What else could I 1 mean You know where she is I dont don't Something in Hendersons Henderson's quiet voice convinced Stamm He flew into a a tirade Just a minute Just a minute If you want vant me to help all right but none of that fireworks What did you ou say to Eden Monday I told her she had to get rid of or that kid And just what did you ou exp expect cl You know Eden Eden Eden- Know her Stamm was wa waving wang ng his hands frantically Know her Ha Ha I suppose youre you're the only one who really knows knovs her her the the good girl of Hollywood Well VeIl get geta a load of this this this- Stamm rushed over to his wall safe and twirled the combination He got out a long package He threw it at Henderson Take Taken a look at that Just take talce n a look Ten grand and rand and her heres here's s the canceled check to that birds bird's S wife Now what have you jou to to prove it iH g got t t U say Henderson sat looking at the papers pa pa- for lor a n long time Ho He was as com corn pers flabbergasted The photograph photograph photograph photo photo- graph amazed him Ho lie did not understand understand un un- un- un what it was vas all nil about When did this happen I Saturday night Stamm groaned aloud And now she's up and run Iun runy I away y V Saturday night He had been on Stamm's yacht She had probably tried to reach him He had failed her He did not know what it all meant but he knew Eden Just what Is it all about anway anyway anyway any any- way way 1 Dont ask me what anything Is all about Ive I've given up trying to find out long ago Dont Don't ask asIc me what any movie actress does docs anything anything anything any any- thing for They're nil crazy Crazy I tell you Its It's nothing but hut trouble Trouble Trouble I didn't know she even cven spoke to this bin bird Stamm dropped his head in his lis hands bands What am I going to tell the newspapers They'll be wl wise c In another another another an an- other 24 21 hours You cant can't keep a athing athing 1 thing like hike that dark darle Parsons Palson asked me mc today about Nothing to Lose I 1 think she suspected something was wrong Stamm flopped down downin in his chair She ran away to meet the prince He lands hands tomorrow in New York from irom the canal Henderson saw what was vas in Stamm's mind More Mora publicity about the prince You know damned well vell she didn't Dont Don't start that Well We'll end nd up by blaming Eden for tor a European war next Stamm wa was pleading now Youve Yo ve got to find her Youve You've got to Henderson Henders n. n Shell She'll listen histen to you Youve You've got to bring her back wherever she he hc is Hendersons Henderson's jaw set Yes hed he'd find her if it was the last thing he ever did Stamm went on talking Ive had New York on the thc wire I t didn't dare trust anybody hut but Frank Reilley Hes He's got some of oC the boys working and Eden took too Thea and her maid and flew through They got into Newark and and then thena then then- a blank Henderson eyed the president with an ironical smile And when hen I find her what shall shallI I sa say to her Tell her she's got to come back Y Yes cs Stamm threw w up his hands Tell her she can have the kid she can have a whole orphan asylum She can adopt the Unit United d States navy |
