Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1916)

113 Photoplay Magazine his desk, and with chin sunk on his chest stared into space. Since the morning that had brought him June's laconic note he had been in torment. It Was like a bolt from the blue. At first he could not believe it, and almost stupefied he had written her for confirmation. Her reply had furnished it unequivocably. Then had come an attempt to explain to her as well as adjust himself to these bewildering conditions. Chief, at first, was the blow to his pride, the realization that he, who had never before failed to conquer, had failed now. Added to this was the knowledge that his position in the Graphics had counted for nothing with her. More potent still was the fury of baffled desire. Having tasted the sweets of her surrender, every nerve clamored to renew them. His mind was filled with tormenting pictures of their moment of passion, and the thought that these were over forever, was unbelievable, maddening. Like a paranoiac he craved the thing that brought him Paradise. Helpless, he alternated between rage and despair. He felt that somehow he had been cheated, tricked ; that June's attitude was a lie. He told himself that she loved him, and that could he but get her under the spell of his power again, he could break down her resistance. In that first day of reckoning he refused to accept defeat, and determined to violate the trust she had laid upon him in her note. He tried to meet her alone, to plead with her. But June had anticipated this contingency, and used every artifice at her command to defeat it. She remained constantly among people, and, when not required to work, brought her book or sewing out on the open stage. She came and went from the studio with Elsie or Elaine, or both, and contrived always to spend her evenings with them or with others. Yet, despite this, Holt had been able to accost her twice, as upon this occasion, and with this result. Now sitting by his desk his resolution to break down her defense was stronger than ever, had become almost an obsession. "By God, she's got to see me, she's got to !" he swore, clenching his fist upon his knee. "The little fool doesn't know what she's doing to bait me like this. I'll smash things. I'll kill somebody!" THERE was something ironically retributive in his humiliated and agonized state. He had threatened June with love, but now it had flown back upon him like a carelessly flicked whip lash. And the lash had bitten deep. He was no longer the gay, cynically confident Holt of the island. He could think of nothing but June and of possessing her. Though for the looks' sake he forced a calm outward appearance, yet he was a man distraught, unable to concentrate upon business, and, beneath an outer show of calmness, seething like a volcano on the verge of eruption. But now, though he was desperate, he could still force himself to await favorable circumstances, for he knew that any precipitate or false move must inevitably result in failure. THEN one afternoon as he morbidly watched the studio out of his window, he saw June coming toward the Administration building dressed for the street. He knew that her picture was completed now, and divined that she was going home early, the one circumstance under which she would be alone. Seizing his hat he hurried downstairs and out of the building by a rear door almost at a run. He then encircled the block and came back to Clematis Street so as to intercept her at a convenient distance from the loiterers about the studio entrance. The whole proceeding infuriated him. He felt that he was acting like some schoolboy in the throes of calf love. What the devil was in this girl to make such a fool of him? he raged. Why didn't he give her up, quit thinking about her? Heaven knew there were plenty of other women on earth ! But he groaned with impotence. The thought of renouncing her gave him a sensation of physical faintness such as comes with terrific pain. He knew he would swallow the humiliation— anything — to gain his end. His circuit had been made barely in time, and he met June at the corner as she came along. Seeing him her eyes widened with surprise and displeasure, and her face, which sliowed little of its natural color now. took on a momentary harassed look. Then she walked on. and he was forced to hurry to keep pace with her. "Tune." he said, determinedly, "forgive