The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-06-11
BEGIN HERE TO-DAY

While waiting for Irene Beryl croons
 melodies at piano. A director ac-
 cidentally hears and is charmed
 by her voice. He gives her test and
 offers contract which elates her
 but her victory is biter-swcet for
 Irene fails and the family blame
 Beryl. Irene again promises to
 elope with Tommy but his aunt dies
 and the marriage is postponed.
 Bery1's debut is success. She
 tries to forget her hopeless love
 for Tommy by going to gay parties
 with Prentiss Gaylord, wealthy son
 of her employer. Irene attempts to
 win Prentiss from her sister.
 Next morning Beryl becomes i'll and faints.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER XXI
 Beryl had not locked the bath
 rom door, an oversight that saved a deal of trouble. Irene was able to get in without waiting for someone to break down the door.
 She took one look at Beryl lying on the f1oor--a stain of red on her forehead where it had struck against the bathtub as she fell and ran screaming to her mothers room.
 Mrs Everett was scarcely less panic-Stricken than Irene when she saw Beryl but between them they got the injured girl to her bed and then let MT Everett take charge He ordered Irene to bathe the wound while he called a doctor. Then he had to give his attention to his wife who was sure she was going to faint
 Beryl soon regained conscious what confusion she had thrown the family. Therefore she said nothing about the pain in her head and waited quietly for the doctor.
 When he came she confided to him that it was the pain in her throat that worried her. No, she
 hadn't tainted. She had slipped. A little dizzy, perhaps. Yes, she might have been feverish before she went to bed.
 When the doctor left she realized that he hadn't given her any in- formation at all. She was to re- main in bed all day and he would come back on the morrow.
 She obeyed these instructions until afternoon and then went to sit on the porch. The pain in her
 head was gone. She felt as we'll as usual except for a slight weakness and that queer feeling in her throat. touch of which remained.
 T guess you just got played out at the party and were too weak to go foolin' around taking a bath at night" her mother diagnosed as she helped Beryl downstairs.
 "I'm all right" Beryl said. "DOn't bother"
 Rut her mother woulud take no
 chances, so she said, and insisted upon helping her all the way to the porch. There Beryl remained
 quietly in chair because she didn't want to disobey the doctors orders altogether.
 This was better than staying in bed, she argued with herself. Not half so tiring. If she were really to do as she liked she'd go down to the beach and sit on the stands in the sun and toast herself. Then the doctor would have something to
 scold her for, maybe.
 Ihe stirred uneasily in her chair. Could there be anything wrong with her-with her throat? The doctor had been so definite about coming back. Her throat! She hardly dared think what it would mean to her to have anything injure her throat-anything serious.
 We'll, their doctor was an old fogey. She'd have a consultation if he said there was anything wrong. Beryl kept her concern to herself and got a bit of amusement out of Irene's enjoyment of the situation. Irene had assigned to herself the duty of answering the telephone calls. News of Beryl's fall had travelled quickly from neighbor to neighbor. Irene enjoyed the lime light. Her conversations were in- variably sweet but short and Beryl sensed that she was waiting for one call in particular.
 It came at last. Prentiss apolo- gized for keeping them up, so late the night before. He and Irene talked for several minutes before he remembered that it was Beryl he should be calling. Then Irene explained to him that Beryl was "indisposed" and could not come to the telephone. He asked if he might come out from town and,
 without consulting Beryl, Irene told him that would be all right. All day Mrs Everett had been shooing visitors away from Beryl who found it strained her vocal cords to talk. Beryl reminded Irene of this when she heard Prentiss was coming.
 You shouldn't have let him." she said. You know can't talk" In Beryls eyes was that mock ing light that, so nettled Irene and there was hint of ridicule in her voice. Irene turned away with a toss of her head and enough dis
 cretfon to keen silent.
 A little later Tommy dropped in
 and wanted Irene to go for a swim with him. She said she had to shampoo her hair.
 All three sat on the porch Tor a while. Beryl was silent and quiv- cred inwardly over the adoration in Tommy's eyes whenever they rested on Irene. Irene chatted lightly of nothing. in high spirits but noticeabl out of tune with Tommy. Tn Tommy's mind there dawned a growing question. Presently Irene left them-to make herself beautiful for Prentiss. Beryl well knew. She wondered if Irene realized that beauty is only the trap and that love to be held must be fed on something more substantial. Irene was fooling her.
 self. too, for she was the type who
 would make herself charming when
 she had a conquest in mind. some day she swould let herself go and very likely become frowsy. She was that type. She had appeared un- groomed at tho breakfast table too often for Beryl to doubt 1t. Love to be heidi" The phrase
 caught in Beryls mind. Was she mIstoken? Here was she, loving