Evening star., 1934-05-09

at the sight of her, the
kindly touch on her shoulder, that
he was pleased to see her.
so, you've been out conditioning
ON the bride path" Sandra said,
stepping back and surveying him.
You look well. I'll consider stepping
out with you tonight"
Raoul laughed and sat down be-
hind his desk. Sandra sat on the
desk in front of him.
You know she hesitated, not
quite certain of her approach, I'm
doing quite bit of exercising myself.
I like it."
"Tennis tournaments, eh? You
always were handy with a racquet,
even when you weren't much bigger
than the racquet itself"
Did my share of tennis this Sum-
mer. The new love, though, is dane
ing" There, it was out. Or at least
it was under way.
"Dancing?" The Owl leaned back
and laughed. You mean to tell me
you call the way they shuttle around
on ball room floor these days ex-
erciSe?"
Sandra felt she was losing ground
Oll, no. oNl, i OOll Illtdu llldl hlllO
of dancing. I mean professional
Misunderstanding the roof off the
bungalow and things like that. Dane
ing in big way
professional dancing!" Uncle
Raoul studied Sandra She wilted.
His was not a look of consure, of
disapproval. Rather of vast disap-
pointment.
You're not serious, Sandy?"
She slid off the desk, walked away
from him. She did not want him to
see the struggle that must show in
her face. She stood by the fire, in
tent on the flames.
Il am serious, Owl More serious
than I have been-ever. You know
about Walls marriage. I'm afraid it's
the regular seasonal affair. Shes COM
ing home. I don't know what will
happen when she does, but I have
hunch she'll need mother. That
will leave me at loose ends. It's my
chance, Owl. My chance to do some
thing for myself"
Raoul Reynal rose slowly-paced
the library floor, hands thrust deep
into pockets, head bent so that the
top of it shone silvery in the fire.
light.
You can't do it, Sandy" he said.
cts preposterouS. l admit there are
many fine young women in the
theater, but public life is against
every tradition of the Reynal family.
There is no earthly reason for your
doing it.
There is every reason" Sandra's
voice was firm. First of ALIVE
got to live"
Isn't this house. its provisions
for comfort, for luxury, to your lik-
ing?"
This house is to my loving" she
said. commanding the tears not to
come. It's the dearest, the kindest
place in all the world. But it is not
mine, Owl Can't you understand? I
want to build nest of my own"
Plenty of time for nest building
when the right man comes along,
and you can build together The
thing for you to do now is to Ay
in here and help cheer up the old
nest"
owl, dear. you make me feel such
a blighter. I've got to go on, I've got
to try my wings"
Then try them somewhere else
than on the stage"
What else is there for me to do?
What else can T do?" Sandra flashed.
"All the girls I know have been
brought up to be helpless. The min
ute we show a semblance of useful
ness we're queer, out of pattern.
From then on we're supposed to be
disgruntled-failed to get our man,
any man, to work for us. It's all
wrong"
Uncle Raoul sat down behind his
desk. You can prepare for work,
good substantial work, life of use
fulness, and stay here with me while
you are doing it." he said.
Sandra shook her head mo, Owl.
Id lose my self-respect, my ambition,
with you to coddle me. Now is the
time, if ever I'm to do anything. I
can dance. I have fair voice. My
looks will never cause war among
the gods, but find make up rather
well-enough to get by Elbows
he's the doorman for the Princess
Pep'-thinks I'm the cats
1.-The cats? Princess Pep'?"
1.-THE cats whiskers, darling. Bet
ter get around and become familiar
with your language" Sandra came
now to perch on his desk. She was
confident she would win the battle.
1.-THE Princess Pep is the show to
which I am lending my services at
the moment. In a minor capacity, of
course"
Raoul shook his head, utterly be-
wildered. What of your promise to
me, Sandy? You were to come to me.
you know, if things didn't turn out"
Il know" Sandra swung her feet,
avoiding his eyes. Then impulsively
she jumped from the desk. threw
her arms around Uncle Raoul's neck.
You're releasing me from the prom
Use. Please darling. You want me to
be happy, don't you? I couldn't be,
knowing I was parasite. I've seen
how it works. I know Val. I know
Corinne. I can't be like them. Say
you forgive me-"
Uncle Raoul stroked the coppery
head How like her father she was
"a dreamer to whom dreams were
dear The theater Unsteady, pre-
carious. Razzle- dazzle. No, the
theater was not for Reynal.
"You can't blither about in the
theatrical world" he said firmly.
young people of the theater are not
the sort of friends you should have.
not the sort would want to think
you would choose. They are very
unstable. Their morals are not, as
a rule, up to standard"
Morals are what you make them,
any place you CO." Sandra thought
of her own set-scoffers, iconoclasts,
cheaters at love, at marriage, at every
moral and legal law that interfered
with their own mad pursuit Of
pleasure If the code of the theater
was any worse then push over the
cart and let the apples roll into the
gutter"
Zine philosophy my dear. but i'm
practical. To avoid contagion, keep
away from contagious places" Uncle