Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1916)

122 Photoplay Magazine o'clock he said kindly, but in his usual staccato manner : "That'll do for today, June. You're not up to it. Go home and rest, and don't think of your work at all. Forget everything, and tomorrow it'll come to you just as we want it." June, aware that the entire day had been wasted, went home dejected and discouraged, her failure accentuated by Briscoe's consideration. Because she was conscientious and earnest instead of a slacker and waster as so many were, the reaction was correspondingly powerful. She suffered with the intensity of youth, and lacked the solace of indifference, cynicism or conceit. "Oh, I'll never do it, I never will !" she thought passionately, sinking down into the Morris chair in the living-room of the bungalow. "I can't act! I'm an utter failure ! Oh, I wish I had never come here !" A great flood of homesickness rushed over her ; she vearned with an acute physical pain for the friendly scenes and faces of earlier days. There are times in all lives when no love can comfort except that which watched our wavering first steps and bore our childish burdens. We turn when weary and broken to the haven that never failed, to the strength and wisdom that rose superior to every test and demand. So now June, forgetting any other love, longed for her father, the dour, gray factor at the fort, who, since her babyhood, had been mother to her also. It was the month of June, and soon he would be leaving the Hudson's Bay Company which he had served for thirty-five years and starting south to join her, as he had promised the winter before. But she could not look for him yet. It was too early. As she sat weighted down by her depression, the black marble clock with its onyx pillars ticked comfortably on the mantelpiece. It was the only sound in the house. June was alone, and she knew she would be, since Elsie and Elaine were going to town shopping after work, and looked forward to their wildest spree, the fifty-cent dinner at Christopher's. June was thankful. She wanted to be alone, for at such times, trivial as the cause may be, the human soul realizes to the full its utter isolation in the universe, its complete alienation from those physically nearest : a homelcssnesi akin to despair. How long she sat she did not know, but it was considerably later when she was startled by the ringing of the doorbell. At first, overwhelmed by apathy of spirit, she remained motionless, but at the third insistent peal she rose and went to the door. Opening.it, she saw Stephen Holt standing there, and for a moment was taken aback by his unexpected presence. "Just in time," he smiled, "I was going away." Then, noting her lifeless face and manner, "You don't look quite well, June . . . Anything the matter?" "Oh, there's usually something the matter with the world, isn't there?" she replied, pushing open the screen door. "Do come in. I'm sorry I kept you waiting. I didn't hear your car." "No, I walked. Genevieve's having her valves ground." He entered and hooked his cap on the hall-tree with a lucky toss. "I saw you leave the studio about three, so I thought I'd run down. It's been a long time — too long !" He regarded her face again seriously. "Look here, nothing's happened, has it?" "Oh, no. I've just bungled my work until Tom had to send me home, and I'm at the point where I wish I'd never seen a camera. Til never be able to do things the way he wants them. Never!" "Nonsense!" '"THEY were in the big living-room, June ^ in a creaky, uncushioned rocker, he in the Morris chair. "You're doing wonderfiilly in that new work. Of course it's discouraging. What do you expect when it's all so different? But I tell you your work's good." he said earnestly. "But it isn't what Tom wants. And then after all the whole thing may be a failure." She made a little hopeless gesture. He smiled into her troubled face. "That needn't Avorry you. That's the Companv's lookout. Why, see here, don't you know that this mood of yours is the surest sign of a healthy ambition and talent? These tumbles in the dumps mean that next time you'll go higher than ever. It's like crankiness in an invalid, a sure sign of improvement. It's the people that are beyond these ups and downs that are through."