Evening star., 1921-10-30

bumps" for the brightest star Of the
Essential Film Company's galaxy:
Nathalie was the daughter OF
gentleman stosk.raissr: .h hlmsei1 nm ed-.ss no
But a loyal tendency to back the
horses he bred. combined with a thor
oughly sportsmanlike but utterly
ruinous system of operation in the
stock market. had eventually brought
white racing colors for the red flag
of the sheriff. He did not long sur
vive the blow. Nathalie at the time
of his death being eighteen:
Nathalie came to New YORK ana
', Quoted by a famous American land
scape painter. In the European war
she enlisted as Y. NJ. c. A. worker.
attached to the first division OF regu-
lars. serving through thick and thin
until the armistice nsris, was signed "nen
An advertisement of the Essential
Film Company in quest Of young
woman of action" attracted her at.
tention. She most certainly seemed
to fill the bill. She was splendid
Champion cims ion and could ride anything
that wore hoofs. A better double for
Hester Dane could not have been
born-which fact was speedily made
clear. But for some strange .I,,s reason on
the Aim; she was simply a fine:
swinging, healthy girl whose air OF
breeding and poise came OF blooa
that had flowed through the veins OF
proud Kentuckians for more than
hundred and fifty years.
Hester Dane was the daughter OF
a Brooklyn motorman. Her golden
hair had a ripple: her lips curled.
and her cheeks dimpled in a wonder
full baby smile: she had the faculty, faculty
all Of the human emotions without
feeling any Of them. OF the screen
she had acquired a veneer, but un.
derneath all she was common; ana
aside from a certain native shrewd-
ness, she had the Intellectual depth
of a pullet. Att,
hreakable, porcelain type. depending
for effect upon artificial embelish..
ment. Nathalie's good looks were OF
the wholesome. outdoor sort: her lips
required no paint. her cheeks no
enamel, her eyes no belladonna. Pre-
cisely and terse!y. one was q lady'
the other was not.
THE sun was beginning to sink be-
hind the hulking shoulders of the
distant Bradshaw mountains; the
hills In the middle ground were turn
ing blood red. The scene was one
Of utter desolation. To the eastward
hung q dark cloud. indicative Of rain
somewhere among the mountains.
Phinney Hanes' dark, thin, sensitive
face was settled intently ahead.
Clouds were the least Of his worries
as ne turned the touring car into an
arroyo and stepped on tho accel-
orator.
You may be the original Wisen-
heimer. Phinney. but you've got to
show me-" Hester Dane settled down
In her dust-coat in a species of grim
composure, when shout sounded
from the other side of the canon. A
man on horseback, a cowboy appar-
emily. was urging his steed across
the little valley at a gallop, his obvi-
Gus intention being to intercept the
party.
about Hester Danes deeper note Of
apprehension. You knew the road.
Sure! So you lose Us. and now
you've run US into a highwayman!
Well. I hope he gets your roll"
Duck" Sheridan, the camera man,
dived to the floor Of the car. The
horseman had ceased attempting to ride
ahead of the car. and was drawing his
revolver.
my God!" Hester Dane snuggled
down among the levers below the
dashboard.
Nathalie Bell sat leaning forward,
motionless. gleam in her gray eyes.
She saw whittier the man was aiming
at the tires. He proved an excel
lent marksman; tho first shot punc-
tured one rear tire; his second per-
forated the other The car skidded,
and for q thrilling instant seemed on
the verge of turning turtle, then