Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-20

SUered.
IN E ARGARET had never seen Hor-
HH tense Dana's husband, but she
HE knew he existed. Somewhere IN
the background was a pompous,
but inoffensive little man with a
long bank roll who financed the productions
that Hortense graced with her sparkling vola-
tile presence, and whom the rest of the COM
pany called the stars sugar daddy"
Hortense wore his picture in locket on a
platinum chain, and an enlarged photograph OF
him always rested on her dressing room SHE'LL
so Margaret was familiar with his features; his
bald head, rather protruding light eyes, wisp of
a mustache and round bullying cheeks. Hor-
tense made a great pretense of adoring him,
pausing now and then in her makeup to place
a feathery kiss on the glass covering the card
board, or hugging frame and all with an out
burst Of affection against her bosom, but no
one was deceived not even Margaret, who was
very new in the theater.
For Hortense was nothing if not indscreet.
In the two months since Margaret had become
a member of her company there had been at
least six men who had followed the star from
city to city and upon whom she had lavished
smiles in return for much more substantial
tributes than photographs and lockets on
platinum chains.
N
A'A shocked. then sickened After all, Hor-
tense was the star Of dignified drama, and
Margaret playing her first part had been
vastly hattered at the friendship the older girl
offered her. But when she realized that Hor-
tense had chosen her from among the others
merely to use as blind, she had recoiled In
disgust.
It had been rather wonderful that first week
out when Hortense had suggested that they
room together in Buffalo, and when Margaret
had demurred, saying she could not afford a
hotel so expensive as the one the star chose, to
have Hortense say she would pay the difference,
but not once during their stay in the city had
Hortense shared the blue and gray suite, nor
offered any explanation as to where she was.
However, Margaret had seen her several times
in the restaurant with a dark, diSsipated-look-
ing man who was certainly not her husband.
AS Margaret was no gossip, she did noG
know that the rest of the company was laugh
ing at her gullibilty and wondering how soon
she would become wise to Dana, or II she was
of the same caliber as the star. Her engage
ment meant too much to her, both from an
ambitious standpoint and from necessity, for
her to bubble about the morals of others, SO
as gracefully as she could she extricated her
self and thereafter roomed alone.
Iortense merely lifted carefully plucked eye
brows when Margaret told her she felt as
though she was accepting charity in letting her
pay the difference in hotel rates. and from then
on the star paid scant attention to the little
ingenue.
Now, as she unpacked her suitcase in Sec
ond-rate hotel in Cleveland Margaret found
herself puzzling over Dana's latest fame. He
had been down to the station in Detroit to bid
Hortense good-by, and Margaret had seen his
embarrassment when Hortense had flung her
arms about him and kissed him in the presence
of the company.
He was such a clean-looking boy, with clear
gray eyes and whimsical mouth that indicated
a sense of humor, general air of wholesome
ness that smacked of the outdoors and had
nothing in common with stage-door johnnies.
Where had Hortense picked him up? Did he
know she was married?
Margaret felt certain that he didn't. He
might have fallen in love with her across the
footlignts, for beauty Hortense certainly pos
person who would poach on anothers pre-
serves.
A knock on her door made her pause
abruptly in her unpacking and inquire rather
breathIessly, who Is it?" She knew no one
in Cleveland, so the knock was startling.
Unlock your door," answered a feminine
voice, unquestionably belonging to Hortense.
For a second Margaret hesitated before
Obeying the command, then she crossed to the
door that separated her room from the one adj
joining and shot the bolt. Hortense like
huge poppy in a flame-colored negligee, her
black hair hanging in thick lustrous waves over
her shoulders, stood smiling at her.
MARGARET made no attempt to hide her
AVA surprise at seeing Hortense in such in
ferior quarters, but she stepped aside to per-
NIT the star to enter
Some dump" Hortense drawled She blew
pun Of smoke from the cigarette she held