Evening star., 1933-09-03
INSTALLMENT XXI.

~" staring through the WINDOW.
Curtis car with Mary had just
driven away And in few
hours Mary Sawyer would be heiress
to the Little millions.
It was all very exciting-and wonder
full. But Freckle felt unaccountably
sad All night she had laid awake
worrying, listening to Mary turning and
sighing in the bed beside her Once
she had been sure she heard Mary
sobbing
The little white box lay open on the
table, filled with the trinkets Tommy
had given Mary. When they were lit
tie kids-in love. Puppy love. But 1t
must have been sweet. Tommy had
followed Mary all the way to Califor-
mia, and had seemed broken hearted
when Mary turned him down for that
old millionaire"
The door bell rang and Freckle
Jumped and turned pale She hadn't
walked in the window Bad luck. 1t
would be dreadfully lonely living alone
after having had Mary with her. She
was so nervous she did not open the
door. Instead she called:
Who's there?"
A boys voice answered:
Messenger Mrs"
Freckle opened the door little crack
and the boy pushed an envelope
through
You gotta sign for it, Mrs"
He handed her a short pencil and
paper.
Who was sending her message? She
sat down on the couch and opened
the letter hurriedly.
Curt Little! Then her heart nearly
stopped. 1t was certified check for
$4,000 Wonderingly. she held it up
and stared at it. Five thousand dol
lars. Her cheeks suddenly burned with
excitement and her knees began to
shake. Then she saw there was a note
She Opened it feverishly. 1t was in
Curtis handwriting:
Dear Miss Bryan: Inclosed you will
find my check for $4,000 for services
rendered. Production will begin on
'Hi-De-Di" Wednesday, August l. Qn
two more weeks. I have instructed
Mort Silver that you are to play the
part of Katsie McGurk. We shall see
you on our return. OF course, I do not
need to ask you to keep all our business
secret. That is understood-a gentle
mans agreement. I believe you will
make splendid Katsie. Good luck
and my congratulations I shall always
be grateful to you. Sincerely, Curt
Little"
Freckle sat staring at the letter-and
the check. Surely she must be dream
ing. Mary had gone away to be the wife
OF Curt Little-and she had fallen heir
to $4,000 and big feature part in the
movies. And it had all happened in
such few weeks.
1t was marvellous. But Freckle
slumped in her chair. Why couldn t
she feel entirely happy about it? Darn
Tommy! Why must he always come
poking into the picture to spoil her
otherwise perfect joy She hadn't been
honest. And it was the first time in her
life she'd ever lied to a friend-even
when she thought she was right. In
faCt-she was sure she'd been right to
help get Mary married to all those mil
lions
Suddenly Freckle sat up. She pressed
her hand to her side and turned pale
That pain in her side. Surely it wasn't
coming back again. But in a moment
her side was burning furnace of pain.
1t stabbed at her like little knives. An
other appendicitis attack.
year before she'd had to have it
frczen-and had gotten relief. Tears
of pain came to her eyes. Surely she
wasn't going to have to go to the hos
pital. The doctor had warned her that
she'd have to go next time. 1t was an
hour before DR.. Toomey would be in his
Office Shed call him because he'd been
so nice to Tommy
Freckle struggled to the couch The
check futtered to the floor But she
reached over and retrieved it. Even all
that money couldn't bring her comfort
Then the doorbell rang again.
Freckle got up. and holding her hand
to her side walked slowly to the door
She was in such misery she forgot to be
nervous. OF all the people on earth-it
had to be Tommy.
Freckle smiled painfully.
"So-it's you, Fauntleroy."
yeah" Tommy made an equally
gallant effort to grin. Tommy Smith
hash Singer de luxe I thought it
was about time dropped in to tell you
how liked my new job. knew Mary
wouldn't be home yet"
He caught sight of Freckle's white
face.
'Why-whats wrong, Freckle? You
sick?"
Just little pain in my side
And Freckle never did know how
ankle turned and snapped as though
some one had struck her. Tommy
1eaped to catch her
"Freckle! You-poor kid"
She put her arm around his neck and
he half carried her to the couch
'H-how did do that?" she groaned
niserably. "Oh-Tommy"
He sat down on the floor and felt her
ankle gingerly.
Il guess you just turned it. I saw
a fellow do that once. 1t wasn't
broken. Just sprained Funny thing -