| Show S al Wet on 7 MAIDEN t t T By SAMUEL SIT AUTHOR OF HOPKINS ADAMS IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT o 0 SAMUEL HOPKINS HOPLINS ADAMS SYNOPSIS Kelsey sey Hire Iare young architect conva conva- leecing from a breakdown meets Mar Un tin Holmes struggling author In tn a storm stormon on a lake near Moldavia N N. N y Y Caught In a downpour they leek shelter at Holmes Holmes' estate estate which by Its air oi ot decay gives evidence of Its owners owner's financial embarrassment Kelsay Kelsey Kel Kel- say sey suggests renting a room and settles down there Finding Holmes studying a newspaper picture of a Park avenue deb deb- Kelsey learns leams that thai a story atory by Holmes Holme has been rejected In a contest run by Purity Pictures A A. A Leon president for a novel suitable suit able for tor In which the winner win ner of a Mystery Beauty contest will star Kelsey buys the manuscript from Holmes and rents his house One of the conditions of the deal Is II that Kelsey adopt Holmes' Holmes pen name Templeton Sayles After Holmes departs depart on a trip I a telegram arrives for tor Sayles which Kel Kelsey ae sey leaves unopened Clunk odd man manservant manservant servant places pisces the debutantes debutante's picture on the mantel Meanwhile the Park Avenue Ave nue Van Straitens Straiten are at breakfast with their niece Marlon Marion C CHAPTER Continued H 3 It was for one of Aunt Marcias Marcia's pet charities pointed out the ac ac- ac What could I do I was visiting her hero I cannot approve of your Idea of accepting employment said lId the austere Mrs Van Straiten What am I expected to do Stick here In Cuylerville What more suitable place There are advantageous ad marriages to be made here as elsewhere The girl reddened I dont don't want to marry well I 1 dont don't want to marry marry mar ry at alL I suppose youre you're thinking of Liggett Morse Why not Only that hes he's nearly forty and hasn't grown up yet yet You have not lacked for other opportunities pointed out Mr Van Stratton had you cared to avail yourself of them The arrival of the morning paper interrupted these amenities The girl addressed herself to her coffee Mr Van Straiten turning to the editorial page brought opposite to her eyes a sight which fixed them in amazement There was a gasp and a burble In which the coffee figured as sub agent Sorry apologized the culprit dis Uncle Robert may I take the paper for a moment momen Why demanded Mrs Van Straiten Robert give me the pa pa- per pcr She took one look and dropped it like something venomous From the welter of print there had leapt to her scandalized recognition a agay agay agay gay young face only too familiar Marion Marlun Norman Van Straiten What is the meaning of this I If you would let lei me look at the paper perhaps I could tell you more more about it It Mrs Van laid a heavy hand upon the pictorial offense Have you sought out this indecent notoriety by sending your photograph photograph photo photo- graph to the newspaper she demanded de de- I haven't sent any photograph to any newspaper Which one is It It is an enlarged enlarged-a a monstrously enlarged version enlarged version of the snapshot that Keeler Smith took of you at the Riding Club Then I simply cant can't Imagine Imagine- A flash of realization transfigured her she cried With the word she bolted Into the adjoining study A moment after they heard her vehemently calling for the Cuylerville Country Club Resource was never lacking to Mrs Van Upstairs there was an extension line Mounting with speed she stealthily lifted the receiver in time to overhear this colloquy I wish to speak to Mr Liggett Morse Liggy That you I dunno Walt Wait till UtI I get awake and Ill I'll tell you Who is it m Marne rne Who Ohl Marne Well I hello sweetie I Have you seen the morning paper paper pa pa- per This mornings morning's paper Who think youre you're talking to the I night watchman Why Its It's hardly I dawn Its It nearly nine While youre you're I dressing you'd better have one sent up to your room all the pressure blood-pressure about Did Harvard lose Liggy I want you to get Into your clothes as fast as you can and come right over here Sounds like international complications said the unimpressed Mr Morse the rest of the bad news Come and get it But Dut sweetie why not notI not not- I 1 think someone is listening In Mrs Van Straiten gave an involuntary involuntary tary and startled snort Hear her herT Well are you coming or not notT Ill be over In fifteen minutes He lIe bettered his bis promise by a few seconds not having even paused to look at the paper A family conclave con con- concave clave cave received received-it 11 would be too loo much to say that they welcomed welcomed- him Mrs Van in charge Sit Sil down if you please Liggett He Be obeyed not without apprehension sion slon the charge he asked I wish to put a serious question n I to you in to regard to my niece and 1 I shall chap expect the fullest frankness Mr Morse assumed an air of great if deceptive candor me he averred Open as the day Always ready to act the per per- feet gentleman You can cancel the order for the gauge twelve and substitute substitute sub- sub a wedding cake with frost frost- ing My intentions toward your sweet and gentle young niece are strictly honorable Oh shut your silly face said the sweet and gentle young niece What light can you throw upon this Mrs Van extended the newspaper The visitor stared at It with an expression which from a smolder of surprise blazed into a flame of ta tation Whee eel Whee ee eel Hi- Hi ll I Hooray huzzah and Wow I whit he vociferated Kindly stop slop that at once and ex ex- I d A sy 1 t K II 5 F ii N rs M fie f 1 S f 4 S DC S SM i M y r 41 aw i q ti y j jE E S A p 5 4 dB q f g V l s1 7 t ia I Me A star What picture T asked the dazed girl plain Mrs Van man man- manner manner ner was peremptory Its perfectly simple said he Marnes in the money In the money She is in this disgusting paper And we wish to lo know how she got gol there Just a little sporting proposition proposition proposition responded the eternally Juvenile juvenile Ju ju- venile Mr Morse You see Mrs Van Purity Pictures got up this Grand National Photographic Competition Competition- What is Purity Pictures If U you please i Hollywoods latest Didn't you you you- And how came Marions Marion's picture in such a competition I sent it in answered Liggy offering her his most guileless smile And you gave it to him Marlon Marion knowing for what purpose he wished it ill m I never I I let lei him have the picture pic pic- ture lure months ago to lo stop his sobbing on my shoulder I never dreamed that that that- Then as I understand it it Liggett Liggett gett you took the unpardonable liberty lib erty erly of using a private photograph In this outrageous manner Ol Oh O come off Mrs Van Strat- Strat ten len lent protested the accused You dont don't understand I shall not come off retorted the lady with bristling dignity And AndI I do understand Its more than I do do dOl said Marne What Whal do you mean you win Liggy Liggy gy What Whal do you win Fifteen hundred sweet round so far fat You sold my nieces niece's picture for fifteen hundred dollars Of course I didn't sell it A bunch of us at the club got gol gassing about aboul movie stars and professional beauties and andl said we had a gal right here that thai could spot any of em five ve goals andOh and andOh and and- Oh do pipe down Liggy So some chap said how could we prove it and some other gooier dug up a magazine with wilh this Purity rity Pictures Pictures Pic Pic- tures crack in it and I said Id I'd make book on it it Make book Yes maam Take bets you know I got twenty one that Marne wouldn't show and two-hun- two one dred that she wouldn't win On the first bet bel I clean up hundred If she comes through on the final the papers papers' be so full of it that thai Marnell Mamell have to lo m marry rry meto me melo meto to lo save my fair young name name I should be Interested to be Informed informed In in- formed as to the purpose and terms of this extraordinary enterprise This was Mr Van contribution contribution con con- to the debate Sure to you sir Purity Pictures Is looking for a new national beauty to lo play up The Idea Is this You send in a photograph with a key key- number and key Anybody can enter Out of the lot a Jury of beauty experts or odds long-odds pickers or house painters or something choose out ten for the finals And heres here's our flur little swee sweetie sweede e In m the tea ten With her picture displayed for tor Tom Dick and Harry to stare at like some vulgar public creature get an eyeful returned the unabashed experimentalist the harm anyway And look at the swell spot she's In Only nine other contestants between her herand herand herand and glory and Ill I'll bet she can make any of em look like one of cf Jim Thurber's drawings in the New Yorker Liggett Morse do you for an Instant In stant suppose that I will permit my niece brought up as she has been with every safeguard of refinement and care to take part In any such nauseating exhibition as this I think It t would be fun said IBid the safeguarded and refined niece Atta girl After a series of fishy gasps the aunt managed to recover her faculty of speech We will sail for Eu Eu- rope on the first available boat she made announcement Now see ace what youve you've done you big prune I said Marne with a virulent virulent viru lent look at al her suitor Liggy appealed to the higher Jus jus' lice tice Theres gratitude for you youl 1 1 give her a chance that the Queen of England would Jump off her throne to grab And what whal do I get gel for It il The boot Liggett Yes Mrs Van Kindly leave this house at once I What did I say The boot repeated repeated re reo re- re the offender grievously From one and all Oh very well then Ihen Good morning to you And hardly that He lIe marched out like a parade with muffled drums I dont don't want to go to Europe said Marne with decision Nevertheless you will go And you will wIil remain until this scandal this new scandal scandal blows blows over The aunt made an impressive exit leaving leaving leav leave ing the printed cause of the tur tur- tur turmoil moll moil on the table Possessing herself of it Marne withdrew her woes to lo the seclusion of a distant summer house There she spread out the paper upon her knees Grin darn you youl she apostrophized apostrophized apostrophized the picture You arent aren't being being being be be- ing dragged across the ocean like a atin atin atin tin dog on a string She considered considered considered consid consid- ered the face You really arent aren't so bad looking In fact youre you're quite pretty And what does it get you Trouble Curse Liggy As if U summoned by the tion that Invincible spirit crawled through the hedge which guarded the privacies of the pl place ee Hello sweetie Still sun love me meT The answer Is 11 yes No All right the Jie answer Is if no Well We'll pass that for lor another point Are you going to be a sport sporn As how As follows I stand to win ten thousand healthy young smackers on your lovely mug What about it Well what about It In you read that piece Inthe In Inthe Inthe the paper I was wai Just reading it it Come to A. A Leon yet Yes Who Is he heT Heir to Persuasive Pills Hollywoods Hollywood's worst headache the they tell me Hollywood What have pIUs pills got gotto gotto gotto to do with pictures pictured Source of the mil millions lions He bought Into the business business- Purity Pictures and Pictures and has raised nothing but Ned with wilh the Industry ever since Purity Pictures That's where you sent my photograph Pree Pree The ten chosen beauties of which you are one meet next week at the offices in New York to flaunt their competitive competitive competitive com com- I maps before the Judges Youre You're at least a one ten one ten to-ten chance and Ive I've got the fat end of two Iwo to one against you But Dut Liggy protested the girl half hall fascinated I wouldn't have a chance Sa Sa ayl a a ayl You dont don't half haU know yours yourself ell You'll make the rest of em take to rat poison polson when they lamp you Come on on sweetie I You'd I like to try It it wouldn't you he wheedled Id love It IU Then were we're set On what whal I h haven't vent a cent And you heard what Auntie said By next week Ill I'll be on the broad Atlantic's Atlantic's At At- lantic's heaving bosom Thanks to you she concluded acidly Sea Sea to the broad Atlantic Ill I'll finance the jaunt Now calm yourself Im I'm not making passes pasSel This is a business proposition between between be be- tween the pair of us Out of the fifteen fit teen hundred Ive I've already tready won I I. I Ire Ire- reInvest reInvest re- re Invest a hundred or whatever you you want want pass pass it over to you for expenses ex ax- to to win ten grand Why Just look at it as a percentage prop prop- It all sounds batty to me Wait Walt till 1111 you hear the rest If h hyou you win out youre you're set for life They make you star of the new picture pic plc ture is putting out It Its It's all part of the same lame deal Me Met A star starT What picture asked the dazed girl It hasn't been announced yet But Dut It'll be a scorcher Purity pictures pictures pic pic- tures always are And sa-ayl sa Will Wil you burn a hole bole In the silver sliver screen Tell me the rest Liggy said Marne folding her hands prettily I II Just love fairy stories CHAPTER III On the morning of July 9 A A. A Leon sat in his New York office of fice flee arrayed as he fondly supposed that the big men of the motion picture pic plc ture industry habitually dressed in business hours hour Nine competitive beauties summoned summoned sum sum- to the test lest sat In the outer office waiting wailing the great mans man's pleasure They had already waited fifty minutes over their appointment appointment appoint appoint- ment A door opened and the galaxy galaxy gal gal- axy of prospective stars was temporarily temporarily tem tem- por roused from torpor by the entry of a tenth TO BE DE CONTINUED |
