Evening star., 1940-03-03
OF HEARTS
- 6nd
SOlV3
WILLIAM
NEWbAlER
III


down the hall, much less in homes
all over the city.
Before she had time to think of
anything more the red light again
flashed on. Perplexed and trifle
worried, Elaine turned to the ac-
companist.
Elaine Seeks Reinsurance.
"They want you to do it again."
the girl explained kindly. She
laughed at Elaine's woebegone
countenance. Good grief don't
worry about that, they're liable to
have you sing it so times!"
Elaine again stepped up to the
microphone and again she sang,
and again the red light flashed on.
But after she had sung a third
time they apparently had decided
they had heard enough. She glanced
curiously at the accompanist. She
probably had listened to thousands
OF voices; she would be likely to
know If she had succeeded or not.
The girl slowly shook her head,
sensing Elaine's unasked question.
I don't know" she said frankly.
Your voice is very good, but some-
times even a good voice sounds
amateurish at the other end of the
microphone.
The information startled Elaine,
but before she could ask the girl
the reason for this the door burst
open and Betty dashed into the
room. face wreathed with smiles.
You were terrifc!" she pro-
claimed, dancing wildly about the
room. "You were-were :" for
once Betty was at loss for a word,
but Clara and Mr.. Weinberg, who
had followed her into the room,
said all that Elaine wanted to hear.
You've got good voice." Mr..
Weinberg said. smiling. Lots OF
personality and romance in it. Just
what we wanted"
Contract Is Offered.
We'll draw up a contract to-
morrow" Mr. Blanchard said, coming
over toward her, eyes twinkling.
Who knows, this may be the humble
beginning of great star"
Humble my eye" Clara declared,
ever loyal to the store. 1T isn't
every girl who has the honor of
representing the greatest store in
the world"
She was dreaming. Yes, that was
1t. Surely she couldn't be the same
girl who had awakened so tired so
depressed that same morning. She
couldn't be the same girl who had
cried her heart out the night before.
All this was too good to be true.
Happiness never followed depression
and grief so swiftly. She must
pinch herself to make sure she
wasn't dreaming She did pinch
herself, but gingerly, and the little
hurt was all the proof she needed.
She wasn't dreaming! All this was
true. Wonderfully, gloriously, &C.
statically true!
We've got to celebrate" Betty ex-
claimed with an impish grin. Right,
Clara?"
Clara nodded her head. "Of course.
You don't think we could let such a
historic occasion pass without some
sort of fuss, do you?"
Mr.. Blanchard smiled good-natur-
edly as he put on his hat. while
you girls make up your mind about
that, Mr.. Weinberg and I will return
to the store. Some one has to earn
the money to pay for all these
things"
Elaine wrung his hand gratefully
before he left, looking straight into
his twinkling eyes. But before she
could even begin to express her
thanks he cut her short with brisk
gesture and walked swiftly from the
room. She wondered why it was
that people always refused to ac-
cept her thanks and then, turning
to Betty and Clara, remembered
their talk about a celebration. Re-
calling the tragic ending of their
last one, she felt alarm steal through
her.
Betty Is Chastened.
Yes, once before the three of them
had gone out on celebration; they
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room, three happy, adventursome
young girls eager for fun and frolic,
and found instead disaster and dis
grace. Elaine wondered about the
strangeness of all that. It seemed
almost fantastic that this seemingly
harmless escapade should have lead
to all this. Instead of a tropical
honeymoon, here she. was in New
York, single, on the way to fame
and fortune, when all that she had
asked of life was contentment and
love.
'If you're thinking that I'm sug-
gesting another drinking party,
you're wrong" Betty told her, seri-
GUS for once in her gay life. "Ive
had quite enough of those, thank
you. I'm still paying for our last
party. Now, what should We do7"
She placed hsr tarsdnger On hsr