Evening star., 1934-05-26
INSTALLMENT xxx.

~ ANDRA went directly to Valerie's
apartment without waiting to
be announced. A maid an
~ swered her ring.
Don't disturb mother-Mrs
Reynal." Sandra said. Take me to
Mrs. Akin. I'm her sister. must see
her at once"
The maid was pert. Sorry, made
noiselle," she said. Mrs. Akin is not
in. She has gone to her country place
Soundview."
when will she return?"
THAT I do not know" mademoi-
selle. She shall call you when she re-
turns?"
Don't bother. I'll come again"
Sandra sat down in the palm court
What was Val doing at Soundview?
If the house was being made ready for
the season, why wasn't Corinne with
Val? Was Val evading Corinne? Was
there new reason for her doing so
now that Rene lie Fargo was to marry
Bubbles Courtlandt, and had let Val
down? Was Steve that reason? She
must find Steve.
From a drug store booth Sandra
rang Steve. A mans voice answered
Mr.. Hale was not in. Was he ex-
pected? The man did not know.
There was nothing more she could
do unless she went to Soundview
Going there would be pointless unless
she suspected Steve. She returned tC
Twelfth street. Tried valiantly to rest
She must not spoil her record for clear
performances at the theater and jeop-
ardize the Queens Tightening grip oi
her part by bungling.
She rang up the Clement dozen
times. Always she was told Val was
out.
Sandra considered rushing to Uncle
Raoul and crying out her fears on his
understanding breast. No, not that
Uncle Raoul, the Owl, had forbidden
her to remain on the stage-had with
drawn her right to find solace. He
too, was lost to her. If her suspicious
were only suspicious and she dared
break the silence by taking them tc
the Owl, she would be doing an in
justice to Steve. The fact that she
could suspect Steve would have last
ing effect upon the Owls estimate OF
the man she loved. Yes-she loved
Steve! She knew that now. She loved
him completely.
Perhaps Steve was angry with her
was hurt because she had not told
him OF her intention to go to Nice
with Valerie. But, of course, she mad
no such intention. Just another OF
Vars lies. His anger would cool. She
could wait.
Sandra found, however, that wait
ing was sorry business. Better to
find Steve. Tell him the truth. Next
day on her way to the matinee she
rang Steve. The same mans voice
informed her curtly. abruptly that Mr..
Hale was out The man, she knew,
was not telling her the truth. Steve
was in. Why was he denying himself
to callers?
Would she dare go to Steve's rooms,
to demand admittance? He was iv-
ing in bachelor apartment. Women
did not call there. She would call
and she would see Steve. Being right
with him was more important than
holding to a stupid convention. Her
performance at the theater that aft
ernoon was the best she had given
She loved Steve. She was going to
him.
After the matinee Sandra dressed
hastily. with a thought for looking hel
best. Steve liked this funny dab Of
gray-green hat that matched her eyes
And the smoky-gray dress with the
round white collar. Driving down.
town-Steve was in West Twenty
third street, in one of those houses
with the wrought iron balconies remi-
niscent of New Orleans-she hummed
a tune. She was going to Steve.
When the taxi turned into Twenty
third street Sandra noticed car just
ahead, a long. sleek town car with
liveried chauffeur Something famil-
lar about that car She leaned for
ward, fearful of what she might see
Drive slowly, please" she ordered
And began scanning the numbers
along the street. She saw Steve's
number-the long sleek car ahead
stopped there. Draw to the curb
quickly" The taxi swung In. Sandra
watched the chauffeur of the town car
dismount and open the door. A
woman stepped out, tall and slender
and blond. She glanced up and down
the street. Sandra leaned down SC
that the taxi would appear to be
empty. When she looked again the
woman was disappearing through the