, 1923-04-15

mad no time 10 shop or even TO go
down into the streets and stare in nj
the advertisements. and study the
fashion plates in the Sunday sup
plements.
What car to buy and what new
house to rem had been amusing on
undrums for idle moments OF musing
And now those conundrums were
solved. Her mother sobbed:
What on earth can 1 write the
poor darling?"
Mem replied: 1.-The answer is easy.
I'm going to send him all the money
I've got"
Her mother cried IL against rob
bing ore Of her loves to pay another
1t seemed a cruel shame to take the
first bit OF cake from her daughter
and sell 1t TO buy bread for her hus
band.
You'll need 1t yourself. You may
not have another job coon. You need
new clothes and a rest"
Rest and the clothes can wait"
Her mother kept a miserable ri.
lence for a long while before she
could ay: Your father will never
accept money that you have earned
from the pictures. You know him.
He'd rather die. He'd rather the
whole world would die"
This gavo Mem only a brief pause
She answered simply: Doctor Breth-
erick got me into this business by
making up the pack of lies thai
brought me out here. Now he can
make up a few more and a poor
daddy from desperation"
She sat down at once and wrote the
doctor n letter telling him what he
must know already OF her fathers
helplessness. She inclosed a money
order for two hundred and fifty Col
lara She wrote a chicck first. bu tshe
was afraid to have 7 nut through tho
bank at Calverly lest her father hear
OF Il. She instructed the doctor to
make up another of his scenarios
about n repentant member OF the con
greeation wishing to resore some
stolsn funds-or anything that his
Imagination could invent.
Then shc set the wheels in motion
to secure an immediate engagemtn.
with the next 10 the greatest come
dan on the screen, Ned Ling. a mar
whose private life was as solemn as
his public life was frantic and foolish
whose personal dignity was as sacrec
as his professional dignity wa de
graded: a man OF intellectually: 81
reader of important books a debatel
of art theories-but above all n mar
afraid of nothing so much as he wa.
AFRAID of love.
The Bermond company was declar
ing nother holiday, letting out suct
OF its people as were not under con
tract. farming out such others as It
could find places for in the shrivelet
market.
The public was not nocking to tn,
pictures or to anything else. TIL,
exhibitors were losing money or clos
ing down.
It was a period OF lead calm anC
torpid seas. Wise men were trim
ming sails TO the least breeze an,
jettisoning perilous cargo. The to-
courageous one were sinking. vanish
ing. blowing up. dying of famine.
When Mem spoke to Bermond o
her desire to play n comedy with Ne,
Ling, Bermond leaped al the idea I
would take her off his salary list 10.
weeks and It would help her fame. HI
was not altogether selfish. He arrang
ed n dinner under the pretext OF {
private preview OF Tom Holby's new
picture. 1t was not yet in its hna
shape. but the producers were glnt
to end 1t to Bermond.
Bermond warned Mem to wear hel
best clothes.
There was certain shame in he
heart at battling such a trap. but sh,
felt now that she had a higher pur
pose han her personal ambition. Sh,
was working for her father and hi,
church as well; and religious motiv,
has always been a wondrous sedatlv,
to a conscience.
Bermond saved her the price OF {
gown by lending her a flashing Par
isian miracle from his own wardrobe
1t was astounding TO him as It was t,
Mem to nnd what a change ciothei
made in a soul. The simple thing
she had worn hitherto had once glver
her a simple modesty. In her frs
Genes she had been as bad as Ms,
Bevan, forever pulling her skirt
down. Her muscles remembered wher
her mind forgot. Kendrick had yelle,
to her nee. "In Gods name. Mis-,
Steddon. forget your knees and dom
advertise them by always covering
them"
When she saw herself before he,
mirror now in the Paris gown abe re
oo.led in red horror. a tide Of bloot
swept under her entire skin. He
bosom was barred in a great moon,
sweep. there were no straps It al
across the shoulders. and her bacl
was revealed to tho waist. She hnt
never known how beautiful II wal
until she stood before her mirror ant
looked slantwise across her shouldei
at tho creamy charm of the gentl,
ripping plane.
She rose to the challenge OF oppor
tunity snd clothed herself In audacity
The consciousness OF her beauty CAV,
a Tilt of bravado to her carriage
She was happy in herself and silencet
her old modesties with a pioui
thought that the Lord never CAV,
her sue flesh for concealment. He
mother was pale with terror of tn,
white swan this pretty duckling hnt
grown to, but she let her sal away.
The unsuspecting Ned Ling cam
to the dinner and never dreamed tina
Mem was there to plav the Lorelel