Photoplay Magazine Cover — page 51: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

oo OR “Nothing counted but you—" he held out his arms. And with a little cry she went to him, swaying a little, so that he had to catch her T was just because she liked Stafford so instinctively and so much that his attentions bothered Virginia Blaine and rather frightened her. She had always listened with dis- dainful contempt to the people who talked of the dangers to which her work in the hotel, at the telephone switchboard, exposed her. Dangers! The word amused her. Of course, men annoyed her, sometimes, But you weren’t in danger from that sort of thing, Virginia felt, unless you were tempted, and she wasn't, Clara, at the telegraph counter, was different. For all her youth and inexperience Virginia could see that—just as she could see the envy in Clara’s eyes when Stafford was bending _ over the switchboard beside her. Oh, Clara complained about how fresh men were! But—she went out to dinner with them. She liked a good time; the sort of thing such men offered her did tempt her, But Virginia had never liked any of the men who gave her invitations—until Stafford came along. So it had been easy for her to say no; she had made no sacrifice. She would have liked to know Stafford: to be able to talk with him. She wasn’t in love with him, or in any danger of being in love with him, she thought. When it came to love Virginia was pretty well walled in and guarded. It wasn’t that she hadn't had, didn’t still have, dreams, hopes, ideals. But she thought of her sister, Fanny, and Jimmy Gilley, waiting till Jimmy got his raise from twenty-five dollars a week to thirty. Virginia wasn’t mercenary, but she knew that the sort of life Jimmy and Fanny would have to lead would Bought and Paid For By GEORGE BROADHURST Fictionization by William Almon Wolff choke love, romance, beauty, in marriage for her. And, on the other hand, the sort of men who asked her to dinner, or to go out to dance, the prosperous men of the hotel lobby, didn’t think of mar- riage when they tried to flirt with girls like her. Yet it hadn’t always been easy to say no to Stafford. She must, though. What had they in common? Why, in one of the magazines, right now, there was an_ article about him and his tremen- dous success—his great man- ufacturing business, that he had built up under every sort of handicap. There were pic- tures of his home, of his art collections, of his yacht! And then he was beside her, smil- ing. ‘Miss Blaine!” She did like his voice. couldn't help the smile it evoked from her. “I’ve thought of something.” “Ves?” she said. . : “You don’t have to dine with me alone, you know,” he said “Bring some one along. Can't you?” : “J” She hesitated. He had taken her by surprise. “Why —I suppose—I might bring my sister—” He laughed like a boy, and she sighed. He was so nice—so simple. Wasn't she silly? Clara said so—even Fanny did. As for Jimmy—! “Do!” he said. hesitated still; nodded, at last. “Good!” he cried. He laughed again She “Tomorrow night? At my place?” She She was curiously excited. He was like a little boy! ‘“And—some one to talk to sister?” She had to laugh herself then. ¥ ELL—she’s engaged—’”’ Mv “Splendid! Bring her fiancée—of course! That’s settled, then!” She was smiling when she reached home. As she opened the door she could hear Fanny and Jimmy Gilley talking. Fat, good-natured, old Jimmy! You couldn't take him seriously, but he was rather sweet. Not good enough for Fanny, of course. She supposed Jimmy was a pretty good shipping clerk. And he was always talking about how he was kept down; about his big ideas, and what he’d do if he could just bring himself to the attention of the big fellows! Dinner was nearly ready. Fanny gotcohome _eartier_fro Comiuchookssco