The Photo-Play Journal (Jul 1919-Feb 1921)

44 Photo-Play Journal gruffly exclaimed : "I suppose he's in love again. Who do you suppose it is this time?" the absence of the boy was merely an incident. To Mrs. Rogers', who had looked upon the intimacy between Marion and her son with some slight misgivings, Cameron's tardiness gave pleasure. She hoped he had found some bewitching sweetheart of a slightly higher rank in the social scale, for although the Rogers family was wealthy and occupied a suitable place in the society of Forest Hills, it lacked the ancient lineage of the West family, to which Cameron belonged. To Marion, calm in her assurance that Cameron would some day come to her, the possibility of a new love affair held no terrors. She would have preferred, of course, that Cameron drop the frivolous young women he met at country clubs and private teas, at the golf links or the tennis courts. But she feared no adversary. Thus when Cameron finally hurried into the dining-room she chided him gently : "Tell dad who it is this time," she bantered. "Well — if you pin me down to it — " the young man hesitated. "Consider yourself pinned." "It's — Diana Spaulding — " lie blurted out. rather self-consciously. "Oh!" ejaculated the old man. ''Tdien it can't be very serious !" Mrs. Rogers was plainly aroused at the deprecating tone of her husband's voice. "The Spauldings are descended from the Mayflower. They're better stock than the Rogers — perhaps better even than my own family." "She may be all right," her husband retorted, "but I'd hate to sit opposite her for 3G5 breakfasts a year !" When dinner was over, Marion hastened after Cameron reminding him that he'd be late if he did not hurry. "Late? For what?" he asked. For the first time he noticed that she was dressed in evening clothes. "Have you forgotten?" she said, noticeably disappointed. 'I'm sorry ufri-.w toniyhl, litlU sister" "I iiU.f just yoiny — to please you" Cameron could not help seeing that Marion was hurt, but he had made an engagement with Diana and — anyhow, Marion was only his step-sister. "Perhaps I can get another man for you for the dance tonight at Glenham's," he suggested. "I was just going — to please you," she replied soberly. "1 don't care about the dance — much." "I'm glad you don't care, Marion, because tonight means a lot to me." he replied. He hurried upstairs to dress. A few minutes later, as Marion was sitting with her father, Cameron called: "Marion, help! Quick!" She hastened to his room. "These gosh-darned studs never will go in their place for me," he explained, showing her his unbuttoned shirt front. She fixed the' studs in place, smoothed down his hair where the cowlicks showed. "I'm sorry about tonight, little sister." he remarked. "And I'll make it up to you." Shrewdly Marion replied : "I'm glad it's Diana. The Spauldings are such a fine old family." When Cameron left, Marion returned to her father, and sat at his knee, waiting for the evening to pass. * * * But love's path was no smoother for Cameron than for Diana. The "bine-blooded" Miss Spaulding, as Mrs. Rogers had characterized her, found no deep pleasure in the society of young Cameron. On the very day of Cameron's visit to her, the day he broke his engagement with Marion, she had met Granville Wingate, the only son of W7ingate, the steel manufacturer, a man known in Newport, Tuxedo, Hot Springs and Palm Beach as an idler, a gambler, and a connoisseur in women. He was immediately attracted by the slender, statuesque Diana Spaulding ana she found more of the characteristics she admired in him than in Cameron. Her interest in Wingate explained her coolness toward Cameron when the youth called on her. The following day, he kept an engagement with Diana at the golf links, onlv to find her alreadv there deep in conversation with Wingate. Later, at tea in the clubhouse, Wingate joined the party. Marion was also present, and rapidly sensed the inner meaning of the situation. She determined to play her own cards, to permit Cameron to see all he pleased of Diana— for she knew that eventually he would tire of the lisrht-minded, frothy blue-blood. That week-end, another golf game was arranged at the