Evening star., 1936-04-05
INSTALLMENT /.

into her specially dance
- about being a good, true,
fine woman worthy of St. Bride's?"
Pauline van der Venter asked sud-
denly. Tanara Todhunter only
laughed a little shocked laugh, but
Helena Frost answered carelessly:
"She talks that way to all the gradu-
ates, doesn't she? I imagine she al
ways does. Yes she gave me quite
little monologue.'
"Oh, now, no fair! I like Mother
Laurence" Tamara said suddenly and
shyly. "She was awfully sweet to me
all the time was at st. Brides"
IT can't stand the woman!" Helena
said in her negligent, superior way.
She stifled a yawn, looked out of the
train window at the forests and
meadows of Oregon flying by, and
opened her handbag to refresh her
young beauty with powder and rouge.
"I always hated her" she said, the
words stopping another yawn. How
long were you at He'll Hole, Tamara?"
Five years. My mother brought me
there when my father died, and I've
been there ever since"
Vacations and all?" Helena asked,
in a tone that said that there was
something distinctly wrong about
spending vacations at ST. Brides.
well, all except one. My Aunt Ia
mara was at Lake Louise that year,
and I went there to be with her"
The only Tamara I know is some
actress named Tamara Townsend"
Helena said.
That's Tam's aunt; didn't you know
that?" Pauline asked.
No! Is that so?" The splendid
Helena was interested for a moment.
Didn't She" she hesitated-
didn't she die?" she asked, in lower
tone.
Last year. yes. She was killed in a
motor accident in Florida"
What was her big play. noW?"
1.-The True Lie She made come
back-or at least all the critics said
she did-as the aunt. 1t played a
whole year in New York, and Aunt
Tee-we called her Aunt Tee-had
gone down to Florida in January for a
rest, and was killed"
Your mothers an actress, too,
Pauline encouraged Tamara, seeing
that Helena was inclined to patronize
them both for the moment. Helena
had been the most important girl in
ST. Brides, and Pauline was going to
live in the same city with her, and had
been warned by her mother not to lose
Helena's friendship.
well" Tanara said hesitatingly,
Mother was. But don't believe she's
been acting lately. She-she keeps
house for my brother and sister;
they're both on the stage"
your brother and sister are?"
Helena demanded, surprised.
Lance and Coral, yes. They may
not" Tamara added, in strict honesty,
"they may not be acting now, but
they're both actors"
Like the Barrymore family" Helena
said, in admiration.
Not exactly. At least we're not at
the top" Tamara explained honestly,
with a fine wrinkle between the dark
clear wings of her eyebrows. But the
whole family's been in the profession,
always, guess. My aunt and my
father-my father was Billy Tod
hunter"
when I was in New York, oh, five
years ago. saw that play about the
Barrymores," Helena, following her
own line of thought, interrupted. Il
adored it. l mean, meals at all hours,
and the most delightful brother COM
ing in with parrots and swamis, and
the darling old house. Where does
your mother live, Tamara?"
Il don't know San Francisco at all.
I've never seen their apartment" Ia
mara said. But know the number
222 Turk street."
Helena laughed.
"Oh, no, you don't know the num-
ber, my dear!" she said lightly. That
isn't the number! It's more likely to
be Washington or Pacific avenue"
well, don't know" Tamara agreed.
willing to withdraw whatever Helena
found so Objectionable. Il think that's
the address. Anyway, it's an apart
ment hotel-the Valhalla."
mo, darling: nobody lives way down
on Turk street. except perhaps people
who aren't anybody" Helena said.
you've got that wrong Are you 60
ing on the stage, too, Tamara?" she
asked.
Il think my mother rather expects
me to. But Mother Laurence said she
earnestly advised me not to, and that
she was praying for me not to, and
that it was a terrible life for a girl"
Tamara explained, in her soft ready
voice that had so many notes of ap-
peal and indecision in it.
Helena gave short, impatient
laugh.
Isn't that exactly like dear old
maid Reverend Mother" she said.
whats it to her what We do, as long
as We graduate? She was giving me
great line yesterday. I am to be a
debutante, and to have prominent
social position, and the world looks to
convent girls to set an example Of
purity and f1neness and all that! I al
most said 'Yeah?' I've never been so
bored in my life"
Did she tell you your besetting
weakness, Helena?" Pauline, eagerly
taking the other girls lead, asked with
6 laugh that matched Helena's for
scorn.
"Oh. of course. I'm proud. And a
little pride is all right, If it makes you
value your self-respect and preserve it.
And a lot more like that. I adore It'll"
Helena said. "And now she doesn't
want you to go on the stage, when
your whole family's been actresses for
generations-I love it," Helena said.
"It wasn't quite that, Helena" Ia
mara offered. "But she's always been
p good friend to me; she was only
Sister Mary Laurence when went to
,St. Brides, and she used to teach his
tory. So I sort of feel that know her.
And she said that she thought it was
a mistake for girl to go on the stage
unless she had marked talent"