Evening star., 1934-05-12
INSTALLMENT XVI.
- ATURDAY night. Backstage in
y the New Stuyvesant Theater

- ATUhDAY night. backStage III
- the New Stuyvesant Theater
there prevailed the confusion
~ from which a major musical
comedy manages to disentan-
gle itself and proceed as though being
licked of by q clock. The new lace
chorus, which had mildly accelerated
the pulses of matinee patrons OF
Princess Pep" was literally lifting
them of their seats tonight.
Sandra Reynal. ponying into the
wings. was caught in whirl of laces
and stood painting against canvas
tree on a side drop. If only the Owl
had been out in front, in the very
first row. There had been no reply
to her note telling him that tonight
was the night. Corinne and Val, Of
course. would be any place except at
her public spectacle" Val was q
more urgent problem. So far as
Corinne could detect. Val's husband
had not yet taken the trouble to COM
municate with his bride. She had
forced Val to drop a note to his club
informing him she had been stopping
with her mother and had now gone
to Chez Clement. Nothing had come
of 1t.
Sandra. painting for breath. leaned
against the canvas tree. Applause
filtered through the drop with the
persistent nuance of surf on the
beach-crash-lull. crash-lull.
The CLOTHES horses"-elegant young
ladies who trailed exotic draperies and
toted fantastic headdresses through
eXtravagant SceneS-were preening
peacocks making ready to spread
their fantails in the calcium light.
Beat it, pony" a golden haired
creature with Mona Lisa eyes lsped
at Sandra. "Whadda you think you
are. a parade?"
Il beg your pardon" Sandra re-
heved the tree of her weight. For a
minute 1 couldn't seem to breathe"
MY deah! Your art, and all that
huh? Well. take the air some place
else. I'm the Queen of Diamonds in
this pack. and l need plenty Of room
to sparkle"
you have too much room now from
the neck up" Sandra had learned
that to survive in this maelstrom she
must strike back, claw for claw.
Don't you give me any of your
lip, you snooty swank." The Queen
OF Diamonds almost lost her glitterinp
crown. emphasizing her contempt fol
the lowly pony. "Gwan back to Park
avenoo where you belong. Pullin' the
Ritz on me, huh?"
The Ritz Is it, Miss Murphy?" San
dra detected a brouge beneath the
ultra a-sophisticated argot OF the Queen
Git out Of my way" The Queens
claws were close to Sandra's face
"Hoity-toity? Want everything. don't
cha? Gwan back to yer mamma an
the millionaires. We don't wantchs
here. We needin' the money an you
robbin' us
Suddenly Sandra's anger was q
yearning as deep as her need fol
sympathy. She clasped the curved
fingers of the Queen. I'm not rob-
bing you. I need the money-too. :
There was no mistaking the sincerity
OF the gesture, or of the admission
The Queen of Diamonds looked al
her in amazement, then closed hel
hand over Sandra's and forced a smile
through her makeup. "Aw, gee. kid
I guess I'm no good. thought
I heard"
But what the Queen OF Diamond,
thought or heard was never to be
voiced. for at the very moment Of IT.
recording something struck Sandra
from behind. a billion stars did q
dervish dance before her eyes, the
black velvet curtain descended, and
she lost consciousness.
When Sandra opened her eyes it was
to look straight into those Of a man
bending over her. a glass in his hand
Something trickled down her chin.
II know YOU" she said. weakly
You're the tall chap from the beach. n
The man held the glass to her lips
His blue eyes were not merry now
They were dark. and deep.
The same" he said. And you're
the girl who's kind to dumb animals.
Before you disappear again. would
you mind telling me your name?"
Stephen Hale. How do you feel?'
"Steph-en-H-a-1-e Good name
''I asked you how you feel"
How could you feel If you had been
hit on the head by the New Stuyvesant
Theater building?"
Stephen Hale smiled. Sandra held
out her hand. If you'll help. perhaps
/ can rise and shine again. What
did hit me?"