OCR Text |
Show THE STORY FROM THE BEGINNING The luck th.it had brought tho Boston Lawrences to California Just at the beginning of the gold rush seems to have deserted the present generation. gen-eration. From a 4.000-acre ranch, their holdings have shrunk to a small farm and the old family home In Clippersville. Phil, twenty-five. Is In the Iron works. Sam and seventeen-year-old Ariel are In school. Gail In the public library and Edith In the book department of Clippersville's largest store. Young Van Murchison, scion of a wealthy family, returns from Vale. Dick Stebbtns, Fhil's best friend, has the run of the Lawrence house. Ariel Is sneaking out of the house at night for joy rides. Gail, who would marry Van, feels she is making no progress In his alTections. Phil suggests inviting in-viting Lily Cass, his sweetheart to supper. Gail and Kd;th feel she is not "respectable," and are In a quandary. Gall goes with Van to a house party at Los Gatos with the Chipps. his uncle and aunt. She is received coldly. As the house party Is about to leave a roadhouse. at midnight. Gail sees a drunken man helping Ariel into a roadster. Next day Ariel admits she was there, and displays no remorse. Gall Is gloomy as she considers the family's outlook. |