Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-11
CONTINUED From Yesterdays STAR
INSTALLMENT Y.

UT was" said Carol. But its
Is grown-in eight years. Why, OF
course You've never seen the
Complete Illusions studio!''
Never heard of it, till this
well, it occupies most of the space
between here and the Hollywood you
used to know
Carol protested Mrs. Norman. :,
"Well. my story's as true as Rps Is!
""Then all Rip can say" returned the
individual so denominated. lis that vol
must have lived Just as fast as you were
reputed to in Hollywood
.And that makes me know you cam'
from the East cried Carol.
"But--what is this-Complete IIlu'
sions? 1t sound familiar, but-unfa,
miiiar."
TITS the motion picture monopoly
that has smashed all the lesser ones
or combined them" said Bralnard
quietly watching the others responses
, IN information. DO you remember
the first stereoscopic pictures that were
r,ade-and the attempts to synchronlze
pictures and records of spoken dialogue
and rsxsic? Those experiments must
have be& in progress when you-went
to sleepy
"Ycs-I remember"
'Wen. Complete Illusions Incor-
rorated owns practically all the pat
cnts and ali the machinery that has
brought about the perfection OF COM
binations,"
dlilv impressed. You make me feel
Ike something prehistoric, stuffed and
mounted in a museum" he said smll-
ing. J..
"Hcw did you happen to choose to
come here?" asked Radley abruptly.
"vou asked me that once before"
Eyes. and you told me that you didn't
choose. You won't mind will you, if
! tell you that is something that puzzles
The man shook his head: then he
looked at Phyllis again. 1T puzzles
me, too he said. This place OF all
places"
gaze. What was that strange look IN
his eyes? What was this creature OF
mystery, who could not account for his
human origin-and who yet fastened
upon her as to an anchor? The studio
scenes of the previous night swan be-
fore her eyes Had he stepped out
from one of those vivid materiaiizations
OF the rast? Why, indeed had he
come here. of all places? Why did he
single her out from the rest? II his
story were true. and Tiff the flesh
and bone of him were indeed But
speculation refused the leap to which
the alternative put i'll
"PhylliS!" said Brainard sharply
She looked up at him with blurred
ewes. He had never spoken SO to her
before; the tone recalled her to the
only consideration that could have
drawn her sharply back to herself.
But Brainard did not await response
from her. He got up from his chair
and crossed the room.
ST want you all to come back into
the studio" he said. Il think have
something by now to SHOW you. some
thing that will throw light on this
mystery
Carol leaped up instantly. ooh,
great, Radley! You're going to show
us those pictures again--or some other
that Rip might have stepped out Of"
The echo Of Phyllis own thought
brought semblance of credibility to
the suggestion again. She had no
choice but to take any possible step
toward solution of such mysteries. She
rose with her mother to follow the
others
Come en-, Mr.. Van Wrinkle" said
John, reaching to assist the other
wise nameleSS enc. And the mans
own ready acceptance of this christen-
ing curiously associated him with the
name for Phyllis. Little effort was
required now to accept such minor
absurdity
But Carol was at her elbow. RAIDS
putting something over on us. Fhyl,"
said the younger girl. Don't be upset.
This thing is framed"
They went into the studio together
It was at the far side of the apart
nlent; they passed though Radley's
living quarters to reach it. AS they
went through the hall. Using was adj
uniting some one at the door. 1t was
MIR. Norman. Radley hailed him to
follow them.
The white room was as it had been
tast night. Its more subdued light
illuminated 1t. AS Phyllis went toward
the chairs it seemed that the events Of
the evening previous had not been in
terrupted. Here was the same group
except for the presence of Van Wrinkle!
AS she took chair beside her mother,
John brought the man and seated him
at her other hand.
''You don't mind, do you?" asked the
Van Wrinkle.
She noticed now that he was wearing
n lounging robe she had given Radley.
AAG ll1ilAilts Nttdl NdS 1OA
common sense TO seize upon. She be-
gan TO think she understood how this
poor creature must be snatching at
details of the familiar. Tiff he were
not a mere co-conspirator with Radley.
Her father spoke to her in passing,
but she scarcely heard him. Radley
was impatient again, and they were
barely seated when he snapped of the
lights.
81 don't know what I've got" he told
them, but I've got something that will
explain itself in any event"
The red light blazed behind the cur
tain. Almost Immediately there dis
solved in, as the motion picture phrase
once had it, what locked like a mir
Tored reflection of the studio itself All
the little group, mother, father, Carol,
John Aunt Relief, Phyllis herself
Radley! Mirrored! Just as they
But where was the man Van Wrinkle?
And then she grasped the fact-it
was last nights group at which she
locked! Not as they sat here together
now. But she had no time to marvel
or to study. For Radley was talking,
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