Evening star., 1934-05-26
Restless Women
By JANE DIXON

street door. Valerie, in that house
with Stephen Hale!
Sandra did not stop to argue the
wisdom of what she was about to do
She leaped from the taxi. ordered the
driver to wait, ran down the street, up
the steps.
I'm to see Mr.. Hale" she told the
man who answered her ring.
mfr. Hale is out. This is bache-
lor apartment"
Il know She smiled straight into
the mans eyes. a friendly. intimate
smile. I'm from the theater. have
message for Mr.. Hale from the di-
rectors-and these papers" She indi-
Gated some letters and the script Of
the skit she was carrying. Hes ex-
pecting me-"
The man stepped aside. you'll
find him at the top of the stairs, rear,
There's card on his door, A mo-
ment later Sandra raped sharply on
the door. Without waiting for a re-
ply, she pushed it open.
The place vas a snarl of papers,
books. magazines, manuscripts Steve's S
back was toward the door. He was
clearing the tangle of one chair and
piling 1t on another. Valerie was
standing by the window, her slant
eyes avid At the sight of Sandra
the color drained from her cheeks. Her
chin came up defiantly. She helped
herself to a cigarette from a tray on
a bookshelf.
Hi, Sandy" she said. "Steve's
women seem to have gotten themselves
into a traffic jam today"
Sandy" Steve dropped the papers
he was holding, came toward her He
really should take up acting. Sandra
thought. One would suppose he was
glad to have her here.
I'm sorry" she said. She felt sud-
denly old and weary and wise beyond
endurance. Il didn't know. Now
that I'm here Steve, would you mind
leaving me alone for a moment with
Val?"
Stay where you are, Steve" Valerie
ordered. Nothing Sandy has to say
could possibly interest me-"
You'll hear it just the same"
Steel points in Sandras eyes glittered
a menace. eff you'd like an audience,
Steve may remain"
Valerie shrugged her shoulders. Sly
Val, fearful, hiding behind her mask
OF loveliness. "Of course, If you in
sist on intruding I'm sure Steve will
excuse US moment"
Stephen was watching Sandra.
Never had he seen her so-cold, hard,
metallic. Hate in her eyes for Valerie
contempt for him, soaring.
I'm afraid I can't excuse you
that is, just yet" he said. IT don't
think Sandy understands how you
happen to be here, VAL"
Valerie'S smile was bitter and
twisted. Need she understand"
Il think So" Steve said.
Valerie crossed to him. Her hand
was on his arm, persuasive. "She
should not have come-spying."
II don't believe Sandy had an idea
of spying" Stephen said. and moved
away from the clinging hand. BE
sides, I'd like to think, that is, hope
that whatever I do does concern
Sandy"
steve, how can you-after last
night" Now Valerie's strangled
screams were breaking through, hands
clinging again.
"Valeriel" Steve grasped Val's wrists,
forced her backward into q chair
Il don't know what you're driving at,
but insist on clearing myself with
Sandra. Sandy, Val came here last
night. She seemed to be in great dis
tress about something. She asked me
to help her. She couldn't tell what
1t was then. went with her, took
her places she wanted to go. She
was nervous and unstrung. It was
morning before she'd allow me to take
her home. She got some sort of fool
ish notion she-cared about me. Re-
suit of too much champagne. I asked
her not to come here today. She
promised. You see, she came. It's
happened several times-her asking
me to help her and then finding she
couldn't tell me what it was that
needed helping"
Valerie struggled to release her
wrists. Sandra stood still. The cock
eyed world was whriligig plane and
Sandra was a top spinning, trying to
keep from skidding of the edges.
Release her, Steve. There's moth
ing you can do. There's nothing any
one can do Val's just plain rotten. u
Stephen freed Valerie's wrists. She
sat there limp, venom in her eyes.
"Oh. yes. I'm rotten" she laughed
harshly. "Its affamily trait" Then
she struggled to hsr feet. I'll be