Evening star., 1936-05-18
INSTALLMENT xxxVIII.

up; o busy pretty girl watching and
writing in a ledger On her knee, sew
eral cameramen and electricians ges-
turing at other men unseen high, up in
the camera rigging that hung like
| balloons cage above the set, and some
natives painted tobacco brown and
dressed in grass Skirts and chains of
| ve-and ten -cent-store beads.
| Facing the set was tumble of cam
eras and q very carpet of twisted cleo
trio ropes and cords. Odd pieces Of
superfluous furniture had been hauled
| into the very center Of the confusion,
| and some score of chairs had been set
about at odd angles. Most of these
we're occupied by actors, critics, direc-
tors. Behind them in fringe stood
q dozen slim boys in their shirtSleeves,
ready to run errands or help shift
furniture. At one side three dark,
Oriental-looking men played gently,
dismally on two violins and celeste;
| girls had gathered about them and
were enthusiastic in their musical
| comments.
| Shut of this damn yacht, Joel" the
/
perilously as he attempted to push the
principals about into changed atti-
tudes.
Want the whole place to go black,
Clark" the invisible Joe shouted back
angrily. Some OF the young men
laughed, and lean woman, guarding
a very small boy in a correct sailor
attire with "Almiris" lettered meticu-
lously on his cap ribbon. said sardoni-
cally to Tam: Score one for Joe.
We ben in the dark here all morning"
Hot, isn't it, Miss Todhunter?" the
nice girl, who had been checking the
set, observed, coming back to drop
into a chair marked Keep Off-Miss
Murphy" This retake stuff is ter
rible," she went on, shaking her head.
1--WE never seen Bill Clark like this!
He was just about crying. talking to
Mr. Kohl"
WAS Kohl out here?" Tam asked,
raising her painted eyebrows. She
sat down, nodded with half-smile to
one or two of the men who chanced
to glance her way. opened her sew
ing bag. How did the fight go?"
she asked.
"Oh, they haven't touched it. They
may get at it tomorrow"
Haven't touched it! Why, they
we're all here at 9 this morning, and
now it's nearly noon. Clark told me
he wouldn't get round to the scene
between Rosemary and me until late
this morning. What on earth did
they do all this while?"
Tam knitted away quietly, her
beautiful skirts gathered carefully
away from the grimy floor. The music
whined on, and after a while the
yacht stopped its uneasy motion and
the angry low voices could be heard.
men growing about the lights, men
explaining. men furious with impa-
tience and heat. The director wiped
his dripping dark neck, tore away his
wet collar, presented an absolutely
uncivilized aspect as he came back
to his chair.
At 4 o'clock, in blazing descending
light, she left her dressing room and
went out to extract her car from the
lines of parked cars along the street
front of the studio. Two stout, sweat
ing elderly men in Panama suits
asked her If she would like to wait
for the rushes. Tam said no, that she
had promised to see her mother.
Tam drove to pretentious little
cheap hacienda with a patio wall and
black iron lamp. Her mother, most
fortunately, had her poker crowd in
today; she need not stay. All these
stout women wanted to do was to say
Hello, Tam" as they dealt the new
hand before murmuring among them
selves, Your talk, Lou" She kissed
her mother, who observed that the
weather was something awful and
that Tam looked melting.
You can imagine what the studio
was today" Tam said.
Amt you taking The Queens
Husband on the road, Tam?" one of
the women asked, after glancing at
her hand and throwing it down.
-Four weeks, yes. It's my old man.
ager, Wiley. 1t takes me up to San
Francisco around Christmas time;
that's all I care about" Tam said,
reaching for a ripe black prune,
devouring it thoughtfully.
You sure are one good wife"
Willette observed. Hear from the
new Governor"
mo, I'm not even writing him until
he's in. I'd rather see him If can
get up to Sacramento"
Know him, Tam?"
mo, but Georges firm knows him
the Martell outfit. Oh, I don't think
there's any hope" Tam said, signing.
But you have to keep going. They
say he's holier- -than-thou sort Of
man; don't know"
Its year now, amt it7" an
other woman asked, her big diamonds
flashing on fat hand as she twisted
her highball glass.
Nearly two years" Tam got to
her feet. 1--WE have to keep at it,"
she repeated patiently. "Well, girls.
good-by. Cut each others throats!
Whew-w-w, isn't it hot!"
Going home, Tam?"
II have to 60 downtown first. I
want some books" Tam went on her
way; the back of the seat of the car
struck like q fame through the thin
batiste of her dress, she settled her
self YEARLY under the wheel. The
last fierce heat of the day blazed
over jaded and untidy and weary
world.
Tamara found welcome quiet and
shade in the book store, stood turning
over the shabby volumes. Anything
about exploration or travel-anything
new that was good?
The clerk knew the address. After
ward she told the new clerk that that
beautiful girl in white was Tamara
Todhurter, whose husband was going
to be the district attorney in San
Francisco - y'know? - and who had
come into the movies just to make
enough money to get him out
y'know?--and who was going to be in