Evening star., 1934-04-29
RESTLESS NOMEN
BY JANE DIXON

Fancy Val cutting flowers thi time OF
was expecting some one-the man
their mother proposed Val should take
hook, line and fortune.
1--WE ordered tea," Valerie said.
"You must be famished."
Sorry" GiIbert's eyes were on
Sandra, tumbled and flushed by the
wind. Got to be running along. Have
date with the pater."
But it's early" Val insisted.
Don't tempt me-" Gilbert was back
in the car. This Is business. The
pater and I are going to talk futures"
That was for Sandra. The motor be-
gan to purr.
BE seeing you," Sandra waved
gayly. The car disappeared between
the hedges.
Valerie threw the dahlias into the
path where Sandra was standing and
half stumbled. half ran up the steps.
She had a terrifying way Of emitting
suppressed screams when she was in
a temper. At that moment Mrs. Rey-
nal appeared on the veranda, and
Sandra saw that her mother, too, was
white-hot with anger.
SOulC alIO t1lC llOuoC, PlCooC. ks3AS.
Reynal beckoned to Sandra. Il hope
we have not descended to public spec
tacles. You, too, Valerie. Well settle
this affair now, once and for all" She
led the way into the living room.
"Sandra," the mother began. with
out preliminaries, you are to stop
interfering with your sisters oppor-
tunities. You will cease appropriating
her friends. You will stop it, tell
you, or I will take measures to stop
you"
Opportunities? Friends?" Sandra
was bewildered.
Don't act the innocent" Mrs. Rey-
nails voice rose high and sharp. Il
told you this morning Valerie was on
the eve of a proposal. I explained
what it would mean to her-to me-to
all of us. You promised to help, and
you deliberately inveigled Gilbert Akin
into taking you off on some escapade
or other"
Don't be. absurd" Sandra said as
casually as she could. "Inveigle my
eye! Gil came to ask me for lunch.
Anyhow, what has that to do with
Val and her plans?"
1T has everything to do" Mrs.
Reynal brought her hands down on
the table before her. Gilbert Akin is
in love with your sister and will marry
her If you will stop acting the
hoyden."
"Gil-marry-Val" Sandra stared
at her mother. She suspected that
Corinne's reason had suddenly clouded
that she was being muddled by one
of her interminable schemes.
Valerie stood beside her mother,
her mouth dropping, her eyes narrow
dashes of hate.
"You think you can snitch him away
from me, do you?" Valerie cried.
Sandra, too stunned to reply, stared
alternately at mother, at sister. You
tried it on the beach this morning,
but he came back to me. Then you
found us here-at home-and you
succeeded. You can't have him, tell
you! You can't"
Those strangled screams, tearing at
Valerie's throat, stripped away her
mask of loveliness as lightning strips
a tree, leaving it ugly and SCARED.
Sandra continued to stare. Was the
whole world going mad? 1t must be.
She wanted to fight back, to fight her
way out of the maddening chaos. 1t
was her duty to warn them they were
bound for bedlam-or was It? After
all, what matters? Let the world go
boom. Shed have her fun. Shed go
places along with the smash. Any
place would be better t." a cage
of wildcats snarling over an expected
kill
Garry on" Sandra said. with as
much indifference as she could feign.
This is a swell show. I love melo-
drama, particularly the home-brew
kind. But you got your cast all
mixed up darlings. Gil Akin has no
more idea of marrying Val than my
sealyham pup has of flying"
"It's a lie, mother" Valerie cried.
"She's a beastly little liar!"
"I'm what?" Sandra rose from a
chair, came closer to the table against
which her sister stood She skirted
it slowly-toward Valerie.
"Mother!" Valerie swayed, the lovely
face no longer distorted with hatred,
with malice. Make her understand.
I love him so. He loves mel
know, I'm sure. It's Sandra's reck-
lessness that gets him-when she's
away he's SWEET love him-die-
if-he didn't" Valerie dropped, a
quivering, crumpled heap of chiffon,
by the table.
The mother turned on Sandra
you've done this to your sister.
Pretty thorough-going Reynal, aren't
you? Utterly selfish, inhuman.
happen to know that young Akin is
interested in Valerie. She has held
him at proper distance. understand
ing, if you do not, the improperly of