The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-05-08
CHAPTER NINE

THE SLIP under Anette's door
was a message that Professor YER
razano had telephoned three times.
With spine-tingling start, the girl
remembered her lesson and had a
quick mental picture Of the stormy
scolding she would get from her
hot-tempered coach. That she had
forgotten the appointment would
infuriate him enough and when she
confessed her marriage - uncon-
trollably she shivered.
She put the yellow slip into her
purse and it was then she thought
OF her license. While she had been
trying to crowd it into cramped
quarters, Larry had taken it from
her and carelessly stuck 1t in the
pocket of his topcoat.
with all the truck you carry in
that bag, you'll never find room for
this license. I'll give it to you when
we get back in town."
But, back in town, after that ride
of bleak silence, things had begun
to happen swiftly. The return trip,
much too lengthy, had put the stars
Of Orchids Can Choke You" be-
hind their usual schedule. They had
grabbed sandwiches in little place
near the theater, after which Larry
had directed Anette to move to his
hotel, kissed her briefly, paid her
taxi fare to the Four Arts club,
then dashed past August down the
alley to the stage entrance. With
the license in his pocket! Anette
had depended on it to show the
Four Arts club matron as a buffer
against an unavoidable lecture of
condemnation.
The girl moved to her dressing
table mirror and stared at her i'm
age still the plain. old-maidish per-
son Larry had made of her. A sort
OF bristling aversion crept through
her when she realized that was the
appearance she would make in the
newspaper pictures.
Her topaz gaze fell to her hands.
to the ring on her left hand. Topaz
also. Not a wedding ring. Simply
one that August had stripped from
her finger to relieve her partners
embarrassment.
Not even wedding ring to show
Mrs. Sanders. That would have
helped some. Leaving the students
club, particularly after dark, with
several pieces Of luggage, was not
the simple matter Of leaving a
rooming house She couldn't lust
say, I'm moving" The matron
would demand a feasible explana-
ton.
I'm beginning to feel like a
criminal re thought to her
self. "Hon Jrd." All the same
she decided - ip out Of the place
quickly and with as little commo-
ton as possible She grabbed the
htted case which she often carried
10 lessons and rehearsals and be-
gan packing. A nightgown and
robe. A toothbrush. The scrapbook
crammed with the pictures and
clippings about Laurence Peyton.
Then, because she hoped he might
take her dancing, by way Of a cele-
oration. she jammed in her only
formal, the trailing white lace dress
she had worn to her high school
graduation the previous spring.
AS she headed down the last
night Of stairs, she heard the ma
irons voice, and suddenly her toes
curled in her shoes. Nevertheless.
she kept right on, though she
smiled nervously as she met Mrs.
Sanders inquisitive glance.
That beady-eyed, stout woman
hxed a gaze upon the makeup case,
then startled Anette by saving
pleasantly. "Oh. I see Professor
Verrazano contacted you after all
I'm so glad. l knew It was impor-
tant, because he telephoned so
many times" Unexpectedly. she
chuckled. How strange you look.
You must be made up for a new
role"
The girl stsmmered. "Yes-yes
l am, Mrs. Sanders. And I'll be very
late tonight As she hurried past
the drawing room. she waved 10 a
few Of the girls, finally reached the