Evening star., 1942-02-07

the directors call to her house. She
was sitting in Smithy's chair when
Livia and Bruce arrived, and stared
without speaking at their happy
faces.
,Livia and Bruce went outside to
discuss the situation.
"Tell me what to do," Livia i'm
plored. I'm afraid"
me, too," grinned Bruce.
why don't we let Smithy handle
1t in his own inimitable fashion,"
Livia suggested.
"I'n call him out" Bruce opened
the door and watched while Smithy
applied wide red curve to Alice's
thin lips. you're wanted outside"
he said casually to Smithy.
I'm busy" said the makeup
man, who leaned lower over the star.
please open your mouth q little"
he supplicated.
tits the boss" Bruce said cas-
ually. Smith Strengthened up.
Excuse me, please" he said to
Alice, and followed Bruce to where
Livia was waiting in the next
makeup booth.
He looked for Mr.. Dunno.
"Where-?" he began.
Hes not here" Bruce grinned.
Then I must 90 back" Bruce
barred his way to the door.
You'll be fred" Bruce said pleas
antly.
What? Howl"
For attending to Miss Delaware
when you should be working on this
young lady,
But she's out of the picture"
I'm back now, Smithy," Livia
said.
But Miss Delaware"
"A little makeup won't hurt her."
Bruce said. Get rid OF her"
Charles Fordyce spent two hours
convincing Alice that terrible mis-
take had been made, that she had
been hired for the second feminine
role and not for "Honoria Lewis"
Then she tore her clothes, disre-
garding the grips, cameraman, elec-
tricians and members Of the cast
and had q superattack of Mysteries.
my husband will ruin the whole
bunch OF you," she said, then picked
herself up unaided from the floor
and rushed from the set.
''I guess weu all have lunch now"
said Fordyce, mopping his forehead
and signing deeply. Young lady"
he said to Livia, If you let me
down now my Mysteries will be worse
than Alice's."
Thanks, Charles" she said softly.
Back at II everyone" shouted the
assistant director.
Earl Dixon did not die. But for
weeks his life hung by the merest
thread. When he was little better
Livia visited him. She stayed only
a few minutes and very little was
said. But just before she left Dixon
said: z-
"How's the picture?"
"Only another week to CO." she
told him.
II hear you are doing fine" he
said.
who told you7" she asked
eagerly.
Never mind" he said with a
faint smile and then painfully, mo
one must know about U.S." His
face flushed and Livia was alarmed.
He looked weak.
Wen see about that later" she
said softly. Don't worry now"
The barrage Of publicity preceding
the premiere Of 'Honoria Lewis"
was the greatest ever known in
Hollywood. Newspaper columnists
and editors from all over the coun-
try were coming by plane and train.
A select audience Of stars had been
hand-picked for the event.
Livia's face was reproduced on
12-by-25 foot billboards all over
town. She gave out so many in
terviews that her throat and mind
were exhausted with the topic Of
herself. She would have included
Earl Dixon's name in her story, but
Bruce cautioned her to wait. II
and when she was q success she
could be and say anything she
liked and the public would take it.
Besides" said Bruce shrewdly,
"the publicity at this time would
excite him and perhaps retard his
recovery"
AS In a dream Livia counted of
the last days to the premiere. Now
1t had arrived. And the world
would Judge her a failure or sue
cess.
Copyright, 1912, by 6heilah draham.)