Show J iiii- iiii I I p J f fc r th 9 1 COPYRIGHT BY R Martin DODD MEAD I I r J CHAPTER X Continued X-Continued Continued Ii 4 24 24 The only really objectionable thing About you my dear d ar Is your rotten rotte r I- s sense sense-ol propriety You need ne liC d to be F shocked out out ou tI tIc believe belleve tn m me HI do d my cousinly 11 ly y best t f r that In-that t. if regard reg td I But I cant can't capt marry marry- you St St. i f Croix CrolL And It Isn't only because of ot Its It's Its It's Its hardly hardly that at all aU Its It's because you and I 1 could never neer be 4 mates Wh n you rou me better you'll realize that you ou and I are T 1 everything f th lt the other fh r cant can't an stand It If I had bad to live Uve with your standards St. St Croix Id I'd feel as cramped as though Jt I were In Jail And you'd have ha fits If you fOU hid had hd to tol reckon ko koV with V t r a n lance free like Uke me who Y who finds finds all aU sorts s and conditions condi condi- of people so Interesting and likable lika ble e that t at your Jo o r taking class classes class s' s so solemnly sol sol- your Tour respect rp for a bauble like a n title and all aU that Just seems to tome me i f awfully funny I j Ily l dont don't nt really Im me me Sylvia 1 be he pleaded pl With M Meely ly I was not my real and better s self l 1 I yas of 9 course cours a a n cad cadi- J B But that But t that was as not my true ue self S Sylvia h he Insisted It If you'll give give- me a chance to prove myself myself myself my my- self self self- St Cr Croix x shall I It Itell tell ll you how Impossible Im ltD I possible It would be to me to marry you Just gust as as' as Impossible as as' as it ft i would b be for you yon lo to o marry that poor Meely I I 1 St sf CroIx recoiled recoiled for for he knew when she said that that he was beaten It was was the first first time first time time In all nIl his his' life Ufe f c that Unit he had been humiliated And by a girl I J r CHAPTER XI Mr Crelghton i Il senior after the first J shock and embarrassment of ot discovering discover discover- i ing trig the Identity of hi his wife's relative 7 f 1 I Lady Sylvia St. St C Croix oix with the teacher teach teach- r er Miss S whom he had bribed to abandon his s son wh when li It was l his ls dearest wish that she Bhe he should marry him regarded the episode with wIt J Jast vast ast amus amusement me t M Mrs Ms s Creighton and Sylvia Ul liked ed each other otheron on on sIgI sight t Marvin n ar accepted ted the confirmation con con- fi a ot of ot his his' suspicions with out ut- ut Erd l bt Inward delirium but St. St CroIx almost as soon as os he lie had delivered re the girl p over er to to h his s mother 1 had escaped rd from hIs q n Devastating e situation by fleeing to Florida to-Florida Florida o on the i pretext of f looking Into I i- i Crests were mere P. P ls As these Interests were not so press- press t t- In Ing Ing-as Ing as necessitate ne io tate his leaving leavIng- home e IIi at- at at at crucial time action could i b Inte b bl hJ his family ni ly In n. n only nJ one wa way way way-Sylia Sylvia must hav have given gl him to understand quite unequivocally unequivocal unequivocal- pl ly Iy that h he h. the younger oung r son was ot an nn acceptable substitute for tor hisS his d J S bi hven en ven t the h he bad er- er erad ad i- i long iong sn sIne since e. e fiat flatly y r refused fused to so much ns ns cOlis consider der the question of marrying h her r 7 7 v. v Mr r Creighton c c ld now w only only h hope pe that the apprehensions he had suffered lest Jest Marvin had fallen a prey prey to the charms of t the e t teacher acher of ot William Penn school school- were Ind d wiell vell ell founded The very m morning after after her her a arrival she she dk d Co Crelghton Crelghton to let t her ber have a fUh him alone Shut up UI with him In his lits study j the re revelation a tion lion she there mere made to him of her ambition ambition am am- and determInation to exploit herself at d ame Hollywood came to him as asa a. a a blow The only way you ou cou could stop me nie Cousin CreIghton Crelghton she answered his arguments against her plan with sympathy sympathy sym sym- pathy path In her tone for tor his manifest dejection dejection de de- de- de would be to take toke back back- your our money money what's what's left of lt It It She pushed toward him on the table tabe between them a pile of ot bills bills bills-a a pensive e wistfulness In the lovely e eyes es she raised to his I cant can't go of ot cour course coure e. e without your our money And If it you ou cant can't go what then 1 I Will you he lie asked hopefully then marry one of my sons i If U I said yes to that she replied In alarm drawing back bade the lulls hills take back k v a your money I No If it I I T ci ca cant can't t s g go with n-Ith your money money niney Ill I'll earn if the money And It If you wont won't give mi me f. f a Job at mining I warn you Ill I'll turn evangelist Ive I've h heard ard theres there's money f In that Id I'd male make plies piles for Id I'd be a l j f-j new American sensation sensation sensation-an an f r- titled tilted English h woman and One ran ranting tin Et- Et over your broad land as a Soul Saver r r I J could do It too tool j Yes and would oud by bv G G-d G d tie he lex cx r claimed Kee Ke Keep the money In heas hea's hear hea ts t's s 's name annie I It If f t Thank you Then that's settled i If you tall fall a at t Hollywood wood he be J gloomily Inquired Dont wish It on me please me-please please I If f I fall fail Ill I'll come back und nd marry any of or s' s your our sons that want me me Only I draw flie he line ut St. St Croix 1 l' couldn't she l j boo her heH marry St. St CroIx Crox 1 Why asked Creighton Crelghton f testily P t wounded In his paternal pride v r.- 4 I First because Im I'm not In love loe with i- i hIm Then I think n a girl owes It to fr 4 her fier children to pick out JU J I Ifor a 0 good father for tor them them and and St. St Cr CrOIx lx strikes me as too elf to make malce a success tul husband end and father His Ills own In In- t I would always be first with him St Croix CroL I Is a very fine young man I his father warmly defended him Sensible and well balanced No wild vagaries vagaries- HUTC But I 1 like r rebeTs bels i S so much better better t im t 1 y g g men men menI I 1 Oh t then l n you OU me merin n said saM Crelghton ton again picking up hope that you will vill marry marry Marvin If It Hollywood disappoints dis appoints you ou Not unless he asks me to If he doesn't ask asIt you to to exclaimed Mr Creighton lies hes ih s a aYes aYes a- a Yes Isn't he he her r I I think so too But BOut though Id I'd nefer marry a n man that hadn't proposed sed t to me me If It I never got marr that question need not engage engage en en- gags gage gage us S Cousin CreIghton Crelghton bec because Im I'm not going to fail fall at Hon Holly wood I If S S S S1 f 1 It was a few days dayL later- later that Marvin MarvIa Mar Mar- vin vIa Creigh ton one evening ening after dinner din din- ner nel standing In in- front of the library fire r looked down reflectively ely over o h hl his f t r r 1 1 I 7 Wis W Is 15 This a a- a Proposal folded arms upon his radiant young cousin who reclined lazily and with a 0 madd maddening grace on the big couch that stood before the fireplace Its ris Incredible utterly Incredible utterly Incredible I he he voiced d Yes Y Isn't It It ft Si s- everything I But what In In In- rUc pa-rUc particular lar were you ou referring to That you you sitting ou sitting there In In front of me ou me you are you are are the girl I 1 said I wouldn't marry mirry Why dicing didn't some someone someone one suggest that I Cross ross cross to England and nd look you over oer first 1 Probably b bly because the they wore svere till all too tOI sensible t to think you'd pay any attention attention at nt- to such a good suggestion And If you had you'd oud probably have found me flo flown n from home borne to elude yo you You se see see- you were wre re offered to m me me he explained explain d 1 i like lk a mark down at I Too cheap an nn article It seemed to me ne to take lake as a 0 wife wire wire- seeing I 1 did ha have e a few dreams of ot fair women that were not so purchasable purchasable pur pur- And now If Jr Im I'm Im I'm correctly cori Informed as to the fury of or a n woman scorned there cant can't he be the least hope for me can me-can can there S Sylvia ha 1 Is this a 8 proposal Marvin 1 Well Im I'm not sure It Is Im I'm not SI so conceited as to think m my worth to tu you Oll could measure UI up to the worth of or a 8 career for which you are hl highly talented tal tul tal- tal I So I dont don't think I am propos ing I dont don't believe J 1 I Intend to to to-Jr If I have any Influence with m myself Lets be engaged Marvin ln until Isee I 1 Isee see how flOW I make e out at ut HolI Hollywood wood If it itI I succeed then no wedding hell bells for tor Meely and you'll youl have ha-e to Jilt me inc again ngan I 1 Ip p If It only he lie fetched a deep breath breath- you OU hadn't that fatal talent For were we're mates S Sylvia Ila Its It's written In ha n the heavens I I believe you ou know that you OU and I are arc mates In the real realand realand realand and lasting asUng sense sense for for Its It's you ou I 1 love loe sweet child not Just your our epidermis lovely ove as ns It Is Is- Is My what what're I MI can cnn think of you yon aa SA It ld and anil wrinkled ont and I want and lovo you yoa Just Juat tle i. She Sho warble DeU y J ir I a athose nl 1 those endearing But lint that thata such Buch ola ol T stuff cant stuff cant can't you ou tell ni me rue something a a little more up lip to date Our sort of ot love lo Sylvia Is s so rare or so It seems to me that Its It's an nn awful r pity dont don't do t you think to let it go by us even for tor the sake of ot a brilliant brilliant bril bril- career Go by you you mean meon she sweetly sweetly sweet sweet- ly 11 h Inquired for tor I didn't say I was In Inlove Inlove Inlove love with any ony one In particular I I said didn't I that we were mates Im I'm your our mao mate too too If It you only knew it It-as It as mu h b as ns youre you're ml mine e I 1 When n did you begin to feel that way she asked with a bright Interest Interest Inter Inter- Interest est her eyes shining up Into his bis with rather a feverish excitement From the first day I met you In your school I I couldn't keep off oct you I You had me me-In me In the hollow of ot your YO hand 1 I Oh gee I didn't know It I And 1 I Marvin ln I J Ive I've got t to hol hold u 19 to my- my my myself myself self like anything anything- or you'd have me In Inthe I Ithe the hollow of ot your dear hand hand and and I dont don't want to be In any ones one's hands hands- not even cven In your strong and tender ones for for I-for for I want to act Ive e seen you with those school schoolchildren children I I think your ybur bigger career Sylvia lies In your our having a 0 brood of your own own own-I I dont don't shock IOU jou child chUd do I J Well yes when you suggest a It whole bro l d I think that's too many I I wish sighed Sylvia I 1 could have babies and a c career reer too If It I Insisted d on u th that t would you Jilt ru the me But dear child I cant can't live In Cali Can fornia Not even In New York My Iy work worle will always be here And what kind of of n a n i marriage age would that that be be- be you In California u and d I 1 II In Pennsylvania Pennsyl vania vanla You wouldn't give gh up up your work for marriage why should I What Is Ig I going to become of ot marriage when women's professions become as Important Important Important Im Im- Im- Im and as Inevitable to them as asa asa aso a o mans man's Is to him I wonder I J IDo Do you really think Sylvia that being a 0 screen actress Is as ns big a athIng athing athing thing as rearing children It would depend I should say upon apon the sort of ot children you rear Id I'd consider consIder con con- sider It an awful waste of ot life to bring up most of ot the people one knows I But you and I J Sylvia said Marvin Marvin Mar Mar- vin via solemnly might get some satisfaction satis satis' satisfaction faction from bringing up a 0 family orwell orwell of or- or well honest fearless tearless truth seekers prophets of ot a n new gospel gospel- Oh come Marvin l lets let's give them thema a chance to be themselves I what I want them to be I ISo ISo iSo So few of ot us are ore ever er ourselves es I Were We're forced Into a mold that's quite unlike our real selves I Lets Let's rear n a family that shall be a nucleus to start something something- But Its It's so so- dangerous these days to to start anything anything- Let ULet them start the long looked will good to men men era Its It's about d due e If it f humanity Is to survive sur dont don't you think Well what do you say Shall we ve 1 This Tiuis Is the queerest proposal I ever eer had bad i f Well Wen I cant can't seem to do anything even en propose to a n girl according to patt patti pattern rn I But you see Marvin dear lovo lasts s such rh a short time My Iy career on the screen would last rather longer Ours wont won't be the kind that doesn't last I It will will be the kind that grows It will willOh will- will Oh youre you're young I You sound sixteen six sixteen teen I Im I'm not so sure But It docs does n not t really matter does It It whether whether It lasts or not Its It's the tile supreme e thin thing now I You admit that he lie eagerly de de- de- de Oh yes es Marvin I 1 Youve You've gone and dimmed the the glory of oi the screen for me so that I dont don't feel half halt so enamored enam ored of It as I did lid lid- I 1 tell you ou S Sylvia I lIe He flung Hung himself himself him him- self on the couch at her side You go o on out to your jour old I wood my dear lear and amI try It out For If It you didn't give ghe It a trial you'd oud never he be satis- satis fled fied never he sure you had not made madea maden a n mistake tt I 1 might m even een throw It up tip to you that flint you'd emd the world of or a Ii great groat star star star- what I want to avert So you go Jn on out there and then when you decide to be he mine Ill I'll have you fast I II II I 1 wont won't go o a n step stop unless you oU promise prom ise fi to tel conic come to se me over oer some week end Its its three thousand miles across this continent you ou know or or probably you U dont don't know I You probably think California Is s a suburb of Philadelphia I You need to travel out to Hollywood to pick up some United States geography geog geog- raphy on the way woy I Now Marvin ln she protested protest protest- I ed a as he lie slipped a 0 hard stron strong arm ni-ni about her and threw drew her close If f you I really nake make love lo to me Im I'm lost I ITHE ITIlE TUB TIlE END E-DJ I |