“DOORS OF DESTINY"

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7298, 27 October 1933, Page 9

“DOORS OF DESTINY"

Instalment 1.

CHAPTER I. Hope Sterling passed through the swing doors leading to the stage of the Crown Theatre, and approached the tiny office presided over by the uniformed doorkeeper. "Can I see Mr Frayne?" she asked. The bearded spectacled face of the doorkeeper was raised from the paper he was reading for a moment. "No, you can’t; he’s on the stage,” was the curt reply. "But I have an appointment." The paper was laid aside and the man stood up. "Why didn't you say that before? What name. Miss?" “Hope Sterling.” “Just wait a minute and I’ll find Mr Frayne.” With a leisurely air he disappeared through a green baizc-covered door leading to the stage. Presently he returned. "Mr Frayne will sec you in a few minuets," he said more graciously, and offered Hope a seat on a rickety bentwood chair and a portion of an Illustrated paper to look at. Hope accepted the chair, but declined the paper. Her thoughts were occupation enough for her this morning. Only the day before she had been offered the part of “Angela" In "Doors of Destiny," a new play to be produced at the Crown Theatre, and the event marked an important milestone in her young life. Her beautiful, pale face, framed in Its wonderful red-gold hair, was suffused with a delicate flush of excitement as she reflected what this engagement meant to her. Tier mind went back to the past, to the happy childhood she had spent with her guardian, the Rev. John Sterling. Her father, a naval officer, had been drowned in a shipping disaster when 6he was only four. She could just recollect a kindly, sunburnt man, who used to come home sometimes and dangle her on his knees, and then go away again for what, to her baby mind, seemed tremendous ages. Her mother she could never remember. She supposed she must have died when she was a mere baby. John Sterling seldom spoke of her. though he said she was very beautiful, and had once been on the stage. He had been both father and mother to her, and until she was eighteen she had lived with him in the country parsonage where he was rector. Then the blow had fallen. A cold winter, a bad chill, contracted while visiting a sick parishioner, pneumonia, and a few days later John Sterling's soul had gone to meet the God whose gospel he had preached so 'faithfully. Afterwards the little country lawyer had broken the tidings to her that she was practically penniless. John Sterling had lived for others all his life, and his unselfishness towards all w T ho were in need caused him to leave the'one he loved most alone in the world without the means whereby ;o tight her hardships. It was then thru she remembered an old school friend who had taken up aoting, and wrote to her. She go! through her an Introduction to a touring manager, and so went “on tour” in her first small part. That was three years ago, and It had not been an easy time, though fortune had favoured her, and she gained much valuable experience. Now, at last, she was to have a chance in London, and In a good parti It was wonderful I Her thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of a woman, tall, exquisitely gowned, and beautiful with the rather exotic loveliness of an over-cultivated hot-house flower. The auburn of her hair, a few shades darker than Hope’s red-gold waves, the creamy pallor of her skin, and even the darkness of the thick lashes which veiled her curiously magnetic jade-green eyes, all suggested a charm judiciously heightened by the skilful study of cosmetics, and the hairdresser's art. A little past her first youth, but certainly" not looking her full six-and-thirty years, Hope quickly recognised her as Magda Tempest, the leading lady of the Crown Theatre. Accompanying her was Lord Stoneleigh, the financial backer of the Crown Theatre, a tall, thin man of distinguished appearance and good looks, In spite of a pair of tired, dissipated-looking eyes. Ho,gave a sharp glance at Hope as lie entered, then raised his hat and smiled. "Ah, good morning, Miss Sterling,” he said. Magda Tempest, whose eyes were idly scanning the pages of a letter the doorkeeper had handed to her, looked up quickly. "Magda, this Is Miss Sterling. She is engaged to play the part of ‘Angela’ ” said Stoneleigh, introducing the two women. ■Magda’s eyes answered Hope’s j friendly smile with rather an insolent stare. "How do you do?” she said, in much the same tone she would have adopted in speaking to one of the theatre cleaning staff. Then she calmly turned on her heel and passed through on to the stage. An ugly gleam flashed into Stoneleigh’s eyes. He turned to Hope. "No doubt I shall see you later, after rehearsal, Miss Sterling," he said, as he followed Magda. Hope registered a mental vow to avoid Lord Stoneleigh. Somehow—she coulcl not have explained why—she instinctively disliked him. At that moment Mr Frayne, the manager, came out to her, “Ah, there you are, Miss Sterling," he said. "I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. Will you come with me, and I’ll introduce you to our stage manager, Mr Dixon, who will give you your part to look through.” He led the way, holding the door open for Hope as she passed through on to the dimly-lighted stage. | He piloted her down to the footlights, of which but one-third were lit, to where the stage manager sat at a table, prompt book in front of him. About the stage were grouped the members of the 'company, talking together in casual tones. "This i 3 Miss Sterling, Dixon,” said ■Frayne, and the stage manager rose ■and extended a friendly hand to Hope across the little table. “Have you the part of ‘Angela’ ,for her?" Mr Dixon promptly handed Hope the manuscript of her role, and after a word or two with him and Mr Frayne she retired up stage to read it through. . Half an hour passed, during which

(By Constance Bromley )

Hope absorbed a good Impression of the lines, and looked up to "goto the progress of the rehearsal. Time an again the opening of the firstact had been repeated until some accuracy of the various “positions of the acters had been firmly fixed in tmind by constant repetition. Hope became interested in a brig young girl, who played the part of cockney servant, and whi haufinished her scene, ap proached Hope with an air of fnendli ness. Hope smiled, and the girl dre near, greeting her gaily though speakins in an undertone in older not disturb those rehearsing , "Some play this,” she remarked with a grin. ~ •Tve only read my own part, an swered Hope. “A new play, isn tit . “Very! Budding authors first pro duetlon." ~ “Oh, I hope it will be a success, said Hope anxiously. The work of a new author is usually a very lafve proposition, as she had lear-t from experience. “It ought to be. Bags of money behind it,” confided the other. See that swell over there, In the O.P. corner?” ~ .. . Hope glanced in the dircc.ion Indicated and nodded. . _ . “He’s Lord Stonelelgh—a rich Earl —sweet on our leading lady! Hope frowned. She was always coming up asalnst this sort of thin* on the stage, and It sickened her. “He’s financing the show, the girl continued, “because it’s got a good part in it for her. ‘Angela’ is a good part too —I was present at a reading of the play—but if you make a bigger ‘hit’ than she does, look out for fireworks!” . “Oh!” exclaimed Hope, her spirits somewhat dashed. “Not that she can do very much :f the play catches on, and I think it ought to. She’s good in her line, and it’s the sort of stuff the publio eat. My name's Maidie Bright—bright by name, and bright by nature! Hope smiled. She envied the voluble, volatile temperament she sensed in Maidie. She knew that hefe was the nature that took rebuffs and snubs easily. Her saucy eyes, round face, and retrousse nose exuded She drew' away as the time came for her to take up her cue again, and Hope was left to study Magda Tempest as she “walked” through her part in an effortless manner, evidently reserving herself for more advanced rehearsals. So absorbed was she that the young man who had been gazing at her intently for some minutes, was able to approach quite closely before she became aware of his presence. Presently, however, perhaps disturbed by his tense gaze, she looked up, and their eyes met. He bowed politely, and Hope noted with a deep sense of appreciation his air of courtesy and refinement, and admired the straight nose and the deep-set eyes beneath the high forehead. When he spoke she thrilled to the music of his voice, which, though pitched in a low key, reached her ears clear as a bell. “You are ‘Angela,’ Miss Sterling, I believe?” “Yes,” she murmured. “I hope you will like your part. It Is rather a .sympathetic me. you wi.l find, and should offer you plenty of opportunities." "I like it Immensely,” replied Hope, In soft tone of enthusiasm. "It is quite the best part I have ever had.” “Mr Frayno speaks very well of your work. He seems to think the part is in excellent hands.” Hope blushed deeply. “I have been very fortunate in tour, but, of course, one always looks upon London—the West End —as one’s mecca." "Naturally 1" smiled the young man; "and now that you have reached it I hopo you have come to stay.” Hope smiled up at him, while Brian Charterls could not help ’..oinking how well nature had equipped her for her chosen profession. Just then her cue came, and she rose quickly and took up her lines promptly, In a sweet, musical voice, which had done much to carry her even thus far upon the thorny path of fame. The words she had just heard, and the knowledge that Mr Fpayne had confidence in her. gave her tremendous faith in herself, and she startled the others by the fervour she put into her interpretation. First rehearsals are notoriously “dead,” none of the artists really taking them as anything more than a “walk-through." But Hope “played up” as though her whole future depended on it. She was too engrossed to notice that the young man with whom she had been talking had taken up a position down by the “floats,” and was watching her with the greatest interest. The other members of the company, too, had ceased their whispered conferences, and were gathered closer about the centre of the stage than before, and were seemingly as absorbed as their principals In the young actress’ work. The scene, though not long, was climatic, and what is known in the profession as a “fat” one, and Hope made the most of it. As she made her “exit” she came up against Maidie Bright, who took her by the arm enthusiastically. “That's the stuff to give ’em,” she whispered. A warm glow suffused Hope's cheeks, while she was not insensible, cither, of the half-suppressed buzz of appreciation that came from her fellow artists—all but one. Even as she turned to lodk towards the stage manager to know if he wanted to run through the scene a second time, the icy tones of Magda Tempest struck harshly on her ears. “Well, all I’ve got to say is that if Miss Sterling is going to play her part on those lines, it will simply kill my next scene, and you might just as well cut it out.”

Hope’s cheeks grew crimson as she looked at 'Magda. It was the first time in her experience that even a leading member of a company had passed any such comment on her work, this being entirely the province of the stage manager or producer. A hush fell on the little gathering, and sympathetic glances were cast In Hope’s direction. As she turned an appealing glance towards Mr Frayne she was amazed to see the young man who had engaged her in conversation step up to the stage manager’s table and pick up the prompt-book., (To be Continued.)