Photoplay (Jul - Dec 1919)

Eyes In which thf ■ of high resolve ing — swingij i I As he spoke, the dancing man turned the key in the door and She crouched in the chair, but he dragged her to her feet from her shoulders. PEACEFUL Vanfield lay semi-dormant in the heat of the mid-day sun, whose rays penetrated even into the dusty office of Asa Ashling. On his desk in front of him were bills, — nothing but bills, and a note from the Vanfield bank that told him his collateral wasn't sufficient for the loan he wanted. Nor was he particularly comforted by the attitude of Kenneth, his son, whose words spoken as he left the office, were ringing in his ears. Just what did he mean, the impudent young upstart? How came he to think that he could show his father methods of efficiency in manufacturing? Wasn't he, Asa Ashling, regarded as V'anfield's wealthiest citizen? What could his college-bred son possibly know about affairs of the world? As he was brooding, the door of the office opened, and a woman, beautiful in her perfect maturity, entered. Everything about her denoted ease and grace, — her clothes, her easy carriage, and, when .she spoke, her softly-modulated voice. Her skin was clear and white and pink and she had wonderful dark eyes that looked out from underneath curled lashes. "Father, you sent for me?" she said, half crooningly. "Is anything wrong?"' "Yes, Gina," he said slowly. "Everything is wrong. Kenneth's been bothering me again, drat him. Bank won't advance the loan that I calculated would keep us going over the dry spell. We'll have to let the motor go and." — his eyes lighted as the thought flashed through his mind, " — and you can fell Goring that you'll marry him. It's all right." "Oh, no. father!" the girl answered. "Goring? Robert Goring? But he's so ugly and fat. and. beside, I don't love him, 52 stepped toward Gina. and ripped the govk'n I never could love him. Why, only this morning I promised Peter.' "That man Judson, the engineer?'' queried Ashling. "Yes," was the answer. "Oh, you're a fool," the old man half sneered, his entire manner changed. "He has nothing but promises to offer you, while Bob Goring's got everything.— everything." "Father, I know what I can do," Gina suggested suddenly. "I'll go to Signor De Salvo and tell him that I've accepted his offer of an operatic career abroad. Yesterday he said that my voice is wonderful, and if I reach the top, there's no limit to the things I can do for you." "What?'' A.shling nearly shrieked. "That man De Salvo? I won't hear of it. You'd have to go to Paris. What would your sister Rita and Kenneth do without you?'' Gina gathered her gloves and parasol. But just then Robert Goring came mincingly into the dusty room, and disgusted her with his effusive greeting. He was past middle age, highly perfumed and manicured, and his toupee made him look perhaps three years younger than he really was. His eyes never left Gina. "I must be going," she said, at length. "You are coming to the house tonight, Mr. Goring?'' Bowing a "good-day," she left the office. As she walked to her home under the row of poplars and elms, the scene of an hour or so before was in her mind. It was ail she could think of. And things were so different now that the Ashling family was to be perforce economical. To give up Peter Judson would break her heart, she thought, for in her brain was the memory of the handsome young engineer who only a few moments hence took her in his arms and told her that he loved her and — kissed her. She commenced to sob, and the old elms, stirred by the wind, nodded wisely, as they sheltered her from the sun. "Oh, Peter, Peter, come back to me," were the choked words. "Why must you leave me to go to South America! Come back to me, for I love you." II IN another part of the world, an old priest, his long robes and flowing, white beard blown by the Indian wind, filled the Lamp of the Centuries in the stone temple that the cult-followers said was older than Mankind. For months he. Adept, had prayed for the soul of the Yogi whom he and God had sent forth into the world to bestow Truth upon his brothers