Pictures (August 1926)

aks t ene : Bennet. In the meantime, there’s nothing to do but get to Hollywood as fast as I can. But being: away from you, Gwen, for I don’t. know how long. . . .” “But, Gwen brokein. ‘You won’t be away from me—because I’m going along with you.” At the astounded look of Stan, she continued breathlessly: “T don’t see why not, Stan— Honestly, I don’t. Why not now? If it’s a question of money, I have loads of it saved from my allowance, and you won’t have to worry about me at alk. Only yourself. And you'll be making more money before long. We could be married tonight, some place. Oh, Stan—let’s—” “Tt’s a knock-out of an idea,’ Stan agreed, after he had seized her, kissed her and reluctantly released her. “T thought of it too. I’ve thought of nothing else all day, in fact. But—” “No ‘buts’,” warned Gwen. ‘There mustn’t be—” “But there are ‘buts’ ,” protested Stan. ‘“And they ean’t be overlooked. Gwen, angel—I can’t let you dash off to California with me, just like that, before I’m even settled there, before I even know how I’m to be placed—or how permanent the whole thing is to be. I’ve got to have a talk with Bennet first. -That’s one thing. The other thing isyour folks. I haven’t met them yet; they don’t know a thing about me. It wouldn’t be fair to them. And there’s no point in wilfully hurting them. Imagine how perfectly rotten they’d feel suddenly to receive a telegram that you’ve eloped and gone to Hollywood with one Stanley Brock, whom they’ve never even‘seen!” : Gwen was standing now, tugging frantically at Stan’s coat lapels, her up-turned face flushed and warm with excitement. “But I wouldn’t have to send them a telegram, Stan,” she cried. “Because they’re here! They came today, and I’ve told them all about you. Mother’s in her room, and Dad’s upstairs in the library, I guess, or maybe dressing for dinner. If you’ll just wait a ; second, r71t hurry them up and then the four of us can have it out here and now!” i Stan looked at Gwen, puzzled. “Have it ‘out’? Tave what out, Gwen?” Gwen opened her mouth to speak, and then remembered that not only did Stan not know of the feuds that had been taking place in the house all day, but that it wasn’t the easiest thing in the world to tell the man you love and intend to marry that your were bitterly opposed to the whole idea. That they had even forbid that he enter the house. This sudden realization was at once embarrassing and painful and it left Gwen quite speechless. “What is it, Gwen?” asked Stan. “Why nothing—nothing at all,” she stammered. is “Nothing at all, Stan. remember something—” “Tt must be a rather awful something, dear,” Stan insisted. “I wish you’d tell me— It must be in connection with me and your folks, because we were just saying—” Gwen had been thinking rapidly all this while, and now she decided that she couldn’t—couldn’t—bring herself to the point of telling Stan about her parents’ unfair opposition to him. Why, they hadn’t even met him. But once they met him, they’d just have to look at him to see for themselves that. . The whole thing loomed up in a new and infinitely more encouraging light. Why, just look at Stan, standing there—so clean and wholesome and splendid. Gwen brightened at once, and said: ‘“Stan—you make yourself comfortable here. And wait for me— Ill be right: back.” out the thing further, she had fled from the room. Only I just happened to She raced up the stairs, and when she reached the top of the flight, she bumped into Clara who was on her way down the steps. . “Oh, Miss Gwendolyn—I was just coming down to see you with a message fromMrs. Northrup,” said Clara. “She says to tell you (Continued on puye 97) Mr. Northrup implied, none too delicately, that his daughter had been swept off her feet by the young man before him because he had applied his screen love-making : tactics to real life folks ~~ Besides, it was all so silly. | And before he could quite figure