Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-10

a fragile Ophelia, brushing her lips
across. the coral and peach. blow and
cream of it-lips that lost nothing in
comparison.
Her secretary. plump and pale as
nesree was slender and glowing
shutf1ed the leaves of a notebook,
enunciating: instrumentation
"Yes-yest" said Desiree impatient.
~, Il know all that, Smithy, l dom
want 10 hear what I've done. I want
TO know what I've got TO do-this aft
ernoon-hetween now and e. before /
dress. Have | any time to myself?
Id like to catch little sleep"
I'm sorry" said Smithy, without
looking it. but there's a Mrs. Gilly
coming"
"A Mrs. WHAT" said Desiree.
Smithy repeated, Mrs. Gilly-from
AriZona--you remember"
II do not said Desiree snappishly.
She wrote YOU after the first per-
sonal appearance with Lost Souls
You had me tell her YOU were a busy
woman. but she wrote again. begging
you to see her. You liked her letter
You'd signed the new contract that
morning. You said-just for luck
let her come. ] wrote her, giving her
an appointment for 4:30 this after
noon. She replied"
"Oh, that's enough"' said Desiree.
"I'll have to see her, I suppose" She
took red rose-and kissed it. A ges.
ture of charming, of self.conscious
coquetry. How do look. Smithy?"
Beautiful" said Smithy briefly, a
spark in her speCtacled eyes. She
sdored the buckles on Desiree's Slip
pers. the topmost black hair on
Desirees head
You always look beautiful" she
said
Well" said Desiree. satisfied.
She didn't deny it.
Have you finished with the ma.
pers?" asked Smithy.
M 'h'm,' said Desiree. Take 'em
away.
Il think the letter from" Smithy
named famous French actress, new
ly arrived in that city of flowers and
tunnels-'is pretty we'll featured-in
the advertising"
THE letter in question had to do
with Desirees art-favorably.
Not bad said Desiree, languid as
q warter-lily. But she couldn't hold
the pose The sad eyes widened.
"Smithy-T wouldn't take all the
money in the world for that letter."
of course. you wouldn't" said
Smithy.
Having her say-that I am an ar
fist
Desiree crushed the rose she had
kissed, and dropped it on the floor.
There is something in me"
OF course, there is" said faithful
Smithy.
IF l can get it oute'
You've got it out, already"
Il have not I've only just begun.
can do better than anything I've
ever done. l know it-herer'
Abruptly she laid her palm upon her
breast.
An you want" said Smithy, lis the
right story"
IF 1 could only get another one
like Lost Souls'.'
You within time"
Time! That's what I'm afraid of,
/ don't want it in time. 1 want it
now. while I've got youth to work
with. Twenty-seven's young, Smithy."
Absolutely said Smithy.
You old peach"' said Desiree reck.
lessiy. Its not so young. and you
know it. Well, say youth, in a way
and Misunderstanding
of course, you're beautiful" said
Smithy instantly.
Desiree smiled-the half-knowing.
halftender smile which, i'm Lost
Souls" had screened so well. 1--WE
got something she said again.
Smithy insisted stanchly, Nobody
on the screen today can touch YOU
I'm headed for the top"' said
Desiree.
Across smithy's loyal objection that
the top was just at hand, the tele-
phone rang.
Dcsiree looked at the trinket on her
wrist: IF that's your Mrs. What's
Her-Name, let's get ii over with.
Why'd l ever say I'd see her?"
Smithy was speaking into the tele-
phone. Very well-send her up
How do look?" said Desiree.
Beautiful said Smithy.
She collected her papers and note
books. IF you don't mind, I'll go
now. I've got some errands that /
want to do on the way to my room"
''Trot along, Smithy. I'll have the
Gilly-person out of here in 10 minutes,
believe me-
Smithy. going, admitted the Gilly-
person.
She came into the room and stood
said: How do you do. Won't you sit
down?'
Desiree took another chair, beside a
table on which the Ophelia roses
4 dropped out of their low, black bowl.
She looked at the Gilly person and
thought to herself:
What a hat
Rank ingratitude. before the look in
: the others eyes, the culver of that
sensitive mouth.
: II realize" said the Gilly-person, a
queer. soft rush of words interrupted
by intakes of breath which had almost
the effect of stammer, yet which
: Desiree felt. amusedly, were not a
stammer. merely the result of her
own nearness-for some reason impor-
tant. even crucial, to this pallid, I'M
worldly little creature-'I realize
/ It's tremendous favor-your letting
me see you--like this. l realize
you're terribly busy you-you
. couldn't be otherwise with your
s-success. The success of your Won
derful ppicture.'
II X y X
SHE was small and slight and blond
and as the gold which might, in
! childish phase, have glorifed her
soft, straight hair had burned itself
out. leaving only ashen smoothness
SO the color beneath her skin haC
burned itself low. Ashen she was
straightforward and slight and ashen
! Tiny lines about her rather tired
looking gray eyes; deeper lines about
/ her mouth. Two taut lines beneath
her chin. straining tend6ns, with M
selfindulgent flesh to disguise them
She wore a gray coat and dress ant
little gray hat. Leaning forward il
her chair. she looked at Desiree.
How beautiful you are!' she said
AS simply as that. She couldn't have
made a more felicitous beginning.