The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-01-06
Murder At BRIDGE
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lived in Atlanta" Miss Earle con-
tinued, with great relish
We'll. sir, right in the middle Of
the holidays, here came her father
and mother-they were both alive
then-and asked for Floral They
wired the girl in Atlanta. and Flora
wasn't there, and the Hacketts were
nearly crazy.
But as luck wuold have it, Mr.
Hackett ran into a friend Of theirs
on Broadway, and this friend began
TO tease Mr.. Hackett about his
daughters being a chorus grill"
"A chorus girl" Dundee echoed,
taking care not TO show his disap-
pointment.
"Of course they nabbed her right
out Of the show, but that wasn't the
worst of it," Miss Earle went on
dramatically and mysteriously.
They tried to hush it up, of course,
but the word went through the
school like Tildfire that Flora
wasn't only in the chorus, but that
she was living with an actor she'd
been writing fan letters to long be-
fore the Easter play went on"
Did you hear his name?" Dun
dee asked.
mo" Miss Earle acknowledged
regretfully. But I'll bet anything
1t was the truth! Why, Flora
Hackett was so man-crazy she
fiirted scandalously with every male
teacher in the school. The golf
pro we had then got so scared of
her he quit his job!"
Il suppose" Dundee prompted
craftily, "she wasn't any worse than
some Of the other Hamilton girls"
"We-ell," Miss Earle admitted re-
luctantly, nothing ever came out
on any of the others, but it looked
mighty funny to me when Janet
Raymonds mother came and took
her out of school right in the mid
die Of a term and hauled her off to
Europe for q whole year!
And Janet, looking as healthy as
any other girl in the school, ex-
cept that she was crying half the
time, and smuggling special deliv-
cry letters in and out by one of the
maids"
Did you tell Mia these stories
and point out the pictures of the
girls?" Dundee had to risk asking.
Miss Earle froze instantly. NAT
urally, she was interested in the
school, and once when she said it
always made her mad the way
chorus girls we're run down, told
her that i'll my opinion society girls
were worse than actresses, and
we'll Of course, I gave her some ex-
amples, a lot of them worse than
anything I've told you about Flora
Hacket and Janet Raymond. .
hope" she added viciously, 'that
Mia dropped a hint or two il Flora
or Janet had the nerve to high-hat
her when she was in Hamilton!"
Perhaps she did" Dundee agreed
softly. "By the way, how did Nita
happen to get the job here Of di-
recting the Easter plays?"
That's what the reporters wanted
to know" Miss Earle smiled But
Miss Pendleton wouldn't tell them,
for fear Serena wouldn't like it, and
maybe be drawn into the scandal,
when everybody knows she's as
straight as a string"
did Serena Hart get her the
job?" Dundee was amazed.
Yes. i. Wait, I'll show you
the letter of recommendation she
wrote for Nita to Miss Pendleton,"
Miss Earle offered eagerly. Re
member, now, you're not to tell on
mel"
She went to tall walnut filing
cabinet, and quickly returned with
note, which she thrust into Dun
dees willing hands. He read:
Dear Miss Pendleton: The
bearer, Juanita Leigh, is rather
badly in need of a job, and have
suggested that she apply to you
for a chance to direct the Easter
| play. l have known Miss Leigh
personally for ten years, and nave
! the highest regard, both for her
character and for her ability.
Since you usually stage musical
comedies, think Miss Leigh, who
has been speciality dancer as
we'll as an actress in musical
comedy for about twelve years,
would be admirably suited for the
work. Knowing my love for
Forsyte as you do, I do not have
to assure you that I would suggest
nothing which would be detrimen-
tai to the schools best interests.
Fondly yours,
Serena Hart.
"She was wrong there, but ]
know it wasn't Nita's fault Miss
Earle, who had been looking over
his shoulder, commented upon the
last sentence of the letter.
''Is Miss Hart appearing in play
now?" Dundee asked.
mo, but she's rehearsing in one
-'Temptation'-which will open at
the Warburton theater next Mon
day night" the secretary answered
"a II Il 10 TIO