Show al 7 on MAl MAIDEN erf t t CT VT B By y SAMUEL HOPKINS ADAMS ADAMSO I IT AUTHOR T HAPPENED OF ONE NIGHT O 0 SAMUEL HOPKINS ADAMS SERVICE VICE I SYNOPSIS Kelsey liars H r young architect conva conva- from rom a breakdown meets meet Martin Mar star tin Un Holmes struggling author In a stormon storm en on a lake near ner Moldavia N N. N y Y Caught in a downpour they seek leek shelter at Holmes Holmes' estate which by Us Its air lr of decay Rives gives P n 1 owners owner's financial embarrassment Kelsey Kelsey Kel sey suggests renting a room and set settles lies down there Finding Holmes t g newspaper picture of a Park avenue debutante deb Kelsey learns learn that a story tory by Holmes hat has been rejected In a 1500 00 contest run by Purity Pictures A. A Leon resident president r for a novel navel suitable suit sult able 1 for or p i In which the winner win ner her of ot a Mystery Beauty contest will star atar K buys buy the manuscript from Holmes and rents his house One of the conditions of the deal Is that Kelsey adopt Holmes Holmes' pen name Templeton Sayles After Arter Holmes departs depart on a trip a telegram arrives for Sayles Sayler which Kelsey Kelsey Kel sey aey leaves unopened Clunk Glunk odd man manservant manservant servant ervant places the debutantes debutante's picture on the mantel The Park Avenue Van Straitens at et breakfast with their niece Marlon are horrified to find her picture In the paper as one of ten remaining contestants for the Purity Pictures award and learn that Liggett Morse admirer ad has entered Marlon's Marlon picture on a bet She Is threatened with being taken abroad broad until the scandal dies down and decides adventurously to gO do through with the contest conlest In the offices of A A. Leon heir to the Persuasive Tills Pills fortune Marlon Marion finds rinds nine other beauties She Sh makes friends with Gloria Glamour Clamour flip professional beauty contestant At lunch together they meet Moby Dickstein press agent and factotum Is overwhelmed with Marlon's beauty and class to which he Is extremely susceptible sus eus and calls caUs her Darrling Moby Is referred to 10 Holmes for tor Information on Sayles Gloria takes the call Hare Is In In his Mi rewriting by two t callers one of or whom he recognizes as the pic plc brainy In the paper r. After Alter they leave Ilave he takes the picture from the mantel and uncovers the telegram now four tour days dan old apologizing for a mistake mistake mis take and ard ar d demanding Sayles' Sayles Immediate Immedi ate prese presence In New York for tor a conference confer ence once with When Moby and the arrive arlve on location Kelsey learns earns for tor the first time that the Sayles novel was the winner IV Continued IV-Continued Continued I 7 7 Im waiting for that cocktail pointed out Moby Mumbling something about getting get ting the makings the host hosl fled the room It was at least a respite Moby said to his companions You girls make an excuse to look around the house or something Im I'm goin to the mat with our young friend here The cocktails were consumed inan In Inan Inan an atmosphere of social frigidity Upon the withdrawal of the girls Moby Dickstein turned his gentlest and most persuasive smile upon Kelsey Youre In a Jam buddy Anybody Anybody Any Any- body with a lower half halt of a glass eye could see aee that What's it aU all about Wheres Where's the body burled buried Tell Uncle Moby You aint Templeton Templeton Tem Sayles any more than Im I'm Glunk Clunk Are you I wish Id I'd heard the name groaned its tor Well come on Spill It Ill I'll give you a hand What's the answer Welcoming a chance to get his troubles off on his overtaxed chest the bedeviled Kelsey gave a faithful if slightly over emotionalized account ac ae count of the plight in which he found himself owing to the unforeseen sue cess of Love Beyond Sin The press agent whistled ly iy Now Ill I'll tell you some more said he and supplied a succinct anc and brilliant summary of ot the Templeton Sayles saga as written by Holmes So 50 that's the kind of bird Im I'm supposed to be Is it said Kelsey between his teeth what youre you're cast for And Ant plenty Kelsey rose with decision Inscribed Inscribed In In- scribed upon his features Ill have to ask you to excuse me said he courteously Moby Dickstein performed some powered high-powered cerebration If the fifteen grand doesn't go to you who does it go to lo The guy that wrote the story dont don't it Yes Martin Holmes Well does he need the money or dont don't he This Joint looks like he be might He lie does And he be can have It Listen bo boo I know A. A Leon dacker docker Hes He's got to have a Templeton Temple Temple- ton Sayles and youre you're the only one in sight If U you dont don't play ball the game is up Your never neve see a red cent of that money I give you my word Now Are you goin gain to see him gypped Or are you goin to stand by Be a sport I could be a sport But Dut I cant can't be Templeton Sayles and I wont won't Not according to the specifications specification set out by that idiot of a Holmes Stay with it a little while pleaded plead plead- ed the other A Leons Leon's due herIn here her herein herein In a couple of days You back m me up and well we'll put It over on him himlie's Hes He's one of these guys guy that'll believe believe be be- lieve leeve anything he wants to believe And between us well we'll give him plen plen- ty He scrutinized the younger younge man What are we going to tell teU those thos two girls asked Kelsey Tell em What's the use They'll play ball They got to Cant Can you see they've got a stake in th the e game Where'll their jobs be it ii you auck suck out oun But what'll they think of me Moby gave him a sharp look What do you care what they think ink of you Nothing at all disclaimed Keley Ke Kel Kelsey Kel ley sey hastily Forget It It then Now Im I'm goin to o tell you three things about A. A Leon First hes he's easy If you ou lay it on thick Second as a motion picture man hes he's a hundred per er cent phony Third he hes he's a nut anyway So with him you can be bes beas beas as s phony and goofy as you like and you'll still be a poor sec sec- secand and nd Is the girl phony too queried Kelsey absently Who The baby with the neat eyes yes No She's synthetic That Park Avenue debutante stuff I Imade Imade Imade made that up to fit In with A. A Leons Leon's dea lea of her He Re grunted cynically All the test test hunters hunters nowadays are either ither Park Avenue debs or exiled Russian princesses And the more they bey look like it the more ItIs it itis its Is s that their uncle Is the Janitor Your Adelina Ashcan slant might Y Y N t. t i. i h f n. n as ast y r t I IR Ir Iw r R w Instead of Love Beyond Sin Sm Sin I shall haD title it U Virgin Effort to not be so far wrong at that Though you never can tellI tell I never nver wrote that on the picure pic- pic ture ure said Kelsey eagerly Control the pressure blood bud dy And dont don't get in wrong about that hat gal She's sealed to A. A Leon Keep off oft the grass grass Its nothing to me disclaimed Kelsey You mean she's engaged to him If It she aint she might be provided provided pro pro- vided she plays her cards right So now you know it all Are you goin to be a pal and stand by or a heeland heel heeland heeland and quit Kelsey drew a long and dubious breath I 1 might give it a try Kenol Keno yelled Moby Dickstein CHAPTER VA V A A. A Leon was in confer ence With two secretaries and several assistants he had taken a floor at Slaters Slater's Inn near Moldavia and had issued the royal command to Moby Dickstein and the girls to attend him there He was looking forward eagerly to the meeting with Templeton Sayles The anticipation was not mutual All those persuasive arts of which h Moby Dickstein was master had been called into play to beguile th the e supposed author of Love Beyond d Sin to the feast of reason His was a mood of dark suspicion H He e did not was coming next but felt pretty sure that it would woul d turn out to be for his bis own worst In in His mental preview of ALeon A A. Leon was tinged with distaste The lively spirits of th the e two girls added to his forebodings What outrage upon his defenseless alias might they not be planning Nor was he reassured by Moby Dickstein's mood of which would have been appropriate to a boxer on the eve of a championship battle Now remember was his astute tacticians tactician's final instruction to his companions Whatever he says yes him Two of the three instantly decided to do nothing of the sort Upon meeting the head of Purity Pictures Inc Kelsey's first reaction reaction tion was one of relief This smooth and gleaming person at least looked sane which was more than the visitor vis vii had expected Good morning Mr Templeton Sayles was his greeting extended with a manner of mingled graciousness gracious gracious- ness and excitement Good morning returned Kelsey In an even voice Yours is the genius of creativeness creative creative- ness said Mr addressing address ing tog his author rather in the mannor manner man ner nor of a public meeting after afler surreptitiously surreptitiously sur consulting a note slipped to him by a secretary mine of adaptation and tion Having delivered his mind o othis of ot this burden he continued more briskly My first suggestion Is a slight change in the title of your you r splendid story Instead of Love Beyond Beyond Be Be- yond Sin I 1 shall title it Virgin Effort ELlort What think of that A. A Leon fixed his luminous lumi noun nou look in expectancy upon the author Did you say a slight alight change murmured that gentleman The Implication of dissent momentarily momentarily momen momen- tartly short-circuited short Mr er Cr What does the title mean persisted per slated Kelsey obstinately ignoring the First Assistants Assistant frantic panto panto- pantomime pantomime mime What does yours Inquired Marne I dont don't know confessed Kelsey Then lissen to somebody that does Moby Dickstein adjured him severely You were saying Dwana Bwana Dwa na Ill tell you what my title means Mr Sayles It means something epic and epochal In the advance a of screen art I have already arranged for this to be an Class All tion But my latest l idea ea Is 11 my greatest It usually Is he added with reflective complacency That right Bwana Dwana It certainly certain ly 17 is Is Again Mr referred t this to his notes Presenting the virginity of ot genius and the genius of virginIty virgin Ity sty he announced Now you ge get t the trend of my idea Virgin Effort Virgin production First flower of genius Virgin manuscript from virgin vir gin author Huh said the startled Kelsey Everything fresh and virginal continued the inspired master mind And a sweet young day bun tay a astar as 81 s star Is that a out layouts I ask you u Mr Templeton Sayles Theres There only one word for It it averred the fake Templeton Sayle with a kindling eye Moby Dickstein Dickstein Dick stein glanced at him with apprehension sion Marne with expectancy that than queried the gnat gratl fled fied magnate pronounced pronounce d the author solemnly said Gloria her ill placed ill place d I laugh ruined by the impact of M Moby's Moby Mo Mo- o bys by's elbow The very word I had In mind before you spoke declared A. A Le Le- on Super Super Super-cre cre Note book C C. C The secreta secrete secretaries ries rles made simultaneous entries That exactly what it Is Super Overwhelming Can Cant t you see it White lights over Broad Broadway way Purity Pictures Inc Presents Pre cents A. A Leon Super Masterpiece Virgin Effort Efort Ef Ef- ort fort Will that knock em Im not so sure about that that observed ob- ob served Kelsey I know little about Hollywood and care less leu but It its iff my I opinIon pinion you'd never get that pre pre- I clous ious title of yours past the cen- cen ceni i sons ors Sore because your own title got canned buddy asked Gloria This ones one's a thousand times beter better bet bet- ter er asserted Moby Superb said one secretary Marvelous confirmed the oth er What's W your slant ling darr-ling Oh I think Its It's sweet said Marne lame demurely A hundred dollars it ft doesn't get past past said the spoilsport Why Why-why-why-why-why I Wh Wh Wh-wh- wh the matter of it raged iu Its Inventor Youre ker ker razy Virgin Vir gin in Effort Id I'd like to see ee any censor censor cen cen- sor take a crack at that Is there anything to this fool tool censor idea do you think We We el ell Bwana Dwana It Its It's a grand title tile a magnificent title litle If It you dont don't mind my swiping the word from you yot rou its it's a super title I dont don't believe youve you've ever thought out a better one But well But well Bwana Dwana- he shook a foreboding head lead you know what censors are They got no respect for genius I Iwu wis wu only trying to point out Bwana Dwana that there might be a question question- Stop pointing then And dont don't interrupt me lIe He glared Moby subsided Why should the censors censors' kick he pursued It aint the virgin virgin vir vir- gin stuff stun that makes trouble with the church folks Its It's the other thing One hundred dollars even tt jt t doesn't get by offered Kelsey with an unpleasant grinI grinI grin I wouldn't have your disposition for a million This from Marne We cant can't all be darr darr lings Said A A. A Leon in n bitterness of spin spir spirit it This is the kind of come back k a feller gets for trying to lift the th e silver screen to a higher plane Easy Bwana easy soothed soothe d Moby This isn't doin doln any good We got to give your genius a chance chanc e to operate You take lake a half hail an ho hoto hour to yourself for solitude and crea creative creative creative tive thought Ill I'll get my dictionary ry when youre you're up against it I propose propose e a recess This conference will be resume resumed d I at three thirty pronounced the tho magnate He lie retired his brow already corrugated corrugated cor- cor with thought The secretaries secretaries secre secre- withdrew Moby Dickstein started after them Youre not scramming Moby protested Gloria Sure Why not I want a smoke Leaving two unprotected girls alone with Mr Templeton Sayles quavered Marne Moby grinned The windows window's open When I see you beginning to ooze out of it Ill I'll call the the consta ble He dodged a notebook which was the first projectile object to Kelsey's Kelsey hand and went out whis The two girls moved their chairs ostentatiously nearer the tho door Weve been reading your our autobiography autobiography auto auto- biography Mr Sayles said the tho beauty Yes Thanks to his revealing talk with Moby Dickstein Kelsey was not to be taken wholly pared I think its it's sweet said IBid Marne Marae with a shy and poisonous smile You think too many things are sweet growled the suspicious young manSo manSo manSo man So modest from Gloria What a life I from Marne Its It all true of course Just like Casanova What gets get me is 11 how you managed to be Inso in inso inso so many places at the same lame time TO BE UE CONTINUED |