The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-01-04
CHAPTER XIV

Reggie Grimes column flourished on innuendo.
 People are beginning to ask ques- tions," Linda read now, about the mysterious and spirituelle little sing CT who has suddenly begun to pack 'em in at well-knoWn night club of our fair city. Who, since the issue has been raised, is Silvia? Where did she come from into the here? Your commentator is old enough to remember the nights when Linda Audubon was standing the Stage-door Jofnnies on their ears before the scandal of her trag- ic end. The resemblance-in voice, appearance, and a uniquely effort less gift for putting it across'-is so remarkable as to suggest something more than mere coincidence. .. Oh, well, we merely mention it for what it is worth"
 '"The one thing" Tony said, that spells Reggie Grimes meals, is a mystery. But you don't have to tell him or any of 'em anything you don't want to-not me either he added.
 "She was my mother" Linda said steadily. T have often been told that am very much like her.
 "Then this is O-kay by me-" Tony tapped the paper. But how about you?"
 Why should I mind?" Linda de- manded proudly. T never under stood-what happened to her-until I was grown up. Then l was never ashamed, only-sorry. . This just doesn't matter
 But she knew now that she would never write to old Miranda for that key.
 Almost over night the legend of Silvia Star had taken possession Of the city. Everywhere people were humming or whistling the quaint, wistful air Tony used for her en- trance cue. OrcheStraS jazzed It: radio entertainers crooned it.
 One afternoon, day or so after her talk with Tony, Linda went down town under the wing of Mrs. Campagno to shop.
 They went for lunch to fash ianable tea-room in the shopping district of the city. Hardly had they entered when, in the midst of a number, the orchestra broke of, while the leader murmured with his men. Then, as Linda walked to her table, the leader turned, and bow ing ostentatiously to her, raised his baton; and the plaintively sweet strains of Who Is Silvia?" foated through the room.
 People turned to stare. Then they applauded and whispered among themselves.
 Linda would have retreated in confusion; but, Mrs. Campagno steered her competently to table.
 "You gotta get used to this sort of thing" Mrs. Campagno almost purred with complacence. When the orchestras all over town begin to cue you, that means you're a top liner"
 "Oh," said Linda.
 This was something she had not taken into consideration. All she had wanted was to earn living and to forget in work-even for a few brief hours each day-that hideous suffering that tore her when she al- lowed herself to remember.
 She had a quick mental vision of old Miranda's reaction if she had been here to see this-of the fas- tidious tenSing of her nostrilS, the aloof, disdainful amusement in her steady eyes. The Trent wo- men, Linda had gathered, did not run to being "top-linerS"
 whether or not Tony, himself, had arranged the little demonstration as Linda sometimes Suspected-lt immediately became a popular ges- ture. Soon Linda could not step into a public place that someone did not play or sing Who Is Sllvla?'
 But Linda went obediently about the routine Tony and his sister planned for her. She practlced her simple little songs with the orches- ira: she tried on the simple frocks that Tony had designed for her; she showed herself occasionally at the most discreet of the fashionable amusement places, always aloof rn- der Mrs. Campagnos proud chap eronage-for being seen seemed to be part of her job.
 And if, when she was tired, she sometimes felt waves of homesick-