Evening star., 1940-10-20

& Nu uOSh las OASllSu tllSllA Ava tlAS
Casa Blancha, and that the Casa
Blancha was but second-rate night
club by American standards. Nor
did it matter that success had been
found in a strange city across the
blue Caribbean and beyond tangled
jungle and steaming sWamps. One
could live in San Luis, Bolivar, as
we'll as in Manhattan or Hollywood.
Diane stepped into her dressing
room after their number, applause
still ringing in her ears. and gave
the wantad clipping little salute.
She owed everything to those few
printed words. A florists box stood
on a table, and Diane opened it .
eyes sparkling over the roses 1t con-
tanned. She took up the accompany
ing card. It read:
Ramon de Estero"
So Diane Smiles.
And on the reverse side Ramon
had penciled: american Beauties
for an American beauty III be
waiting, Senorita."
So Diane smiled and changed
from the white, billowy gown that
was her dancing costume into
soft green evening dress. She sur
veyed herself in the mirror. She
was blond. She had piquant
beauty. She'd do. She knew she'd
do.
She said, Come in" to the knock
at her door. And Juan opened and
looked in. He was as dark as Diane
was blond; he had their Cuban
fathers Latin swarthiness while she
had their mothers fairness.
Ramon is waiting" Juan said.
Hell be in my dressing room. How
long will you be?'
Five minutes"
Juan grinned. That's a long
time for Ramon when waiting for
Despite Danes Cuban heritage,
Ramon was something new. He was
handsome He came of good family;
the De Estero line was old and
proud, and Ramon's father. Don
Felipe. was great landowner. Diane
liked Ramon.
Diane sat at the dressing table,
touching up her makeup, hurrying
that Ramon would not be kept wait
ing longer than minutes. But she
stopped abruptly to smile at one
more memory of the night of the
Borden ball, when life had begun.
She remembered it like this:
She had returned to her dressing
room after Juan and she had fin
ished their number. She had said,
Come in" to a knock.
Invited to Party.
The man who stepped in was tall
and brown, and his bigness was
made up of little things; the clear
ness of his eyes, the square set of
his shoulders, his easy smile. He
made Diane think of men in uni
form, in flying togs, or in perfect
tweeds and hunting clothes; of tall,
handsome and proper young men
the kind she had never met in road
houses and cheap night clubs.
I'm John Meade" he said. Miss
Borden sent me to ask you to join
the party
That's very kind of her.
John Meade laughed, offering her
his arm. Kind, maybe" he said.
"Or downright foolish. You'll steal
the show. You're pretty, you know.
You'll do"
In the ballroom the orchestra was
playing softly and the lights were
low The guests were dancing.
Diane had a confused picture of
dress uniforms, of ribbons across
shirt blossoms, of beautiful gowns.
John Meade took her onto the dance
floor. This" he said. 'is going to
be a pleasure
And for Diane IT was. But it
didn't last. Another man came cut
ting in.
Later, ready to leave, Diane
couldn't find Juan. He had by then
met Shane Murdock and gone off
with him to discuss the engagement
in South America. John Meade
had offered her lift into town.
A Quick Romance.
Somehow, he believed in taking
the longest way around. They
drove through the dark countryside.
They stopped at an al-night road
side lunchroom. They sat on stools
at the counter and ate hamburgers
and drank coffee out of thick white
cups. And Diane fell in love with
him. But she caught herself in time
and didn't fall all the way.
He had said as tney sat there,
How much for your thoughts?"
Cant you read my mind?" she
asked She was sure her eyes and
voice gave her away.
mo ." He reached for her
hand. But I can tel your fortune"
And he pretended to read her palm.
You're going on an ocean voyage"
he said. You're going to meet q
tall blond man who will inf1ueucA