Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1920)

40 Photoplay Magazine "I'm sorry, T. L.," said the business manager firmly, "but tliis time it's final. We're busted. The bank won't renew our loan and it's due to-morrow. We put up that oil stock of yours as security. Well, the company's stock has taken an awful slump and all of your other securities are tied up at the bank on your last loan." Tito ran his fingers desperately through his black hair. "You mean to tol' me those swift running oils, they have quit?" he gasped. Hodgkins nodded his head in dismal assent. "The bank, he won't renew?" "No." "That look pretty bad," Tito admitted gloomily. Then his face brightened with his irrepressible Latin optimism. "But me, I have always my two hands to work and my genius to design the robes. And I have the wonderful assistant,'' he went on, reaching out his hand to Norah. "And soon," he added softly, "the most beautiful wife in world." But when he sought out this prospective perfect wife, he found not consolation but a greater loss. For Phyllis had heard of the financial fiasco in the establishment of Lombardi. Ltd., and her only thought was of how to escape from her entanglement with the firm and still keep her reputation for sweetness. "Tito, I have something to tell you, and I'm afraid you will be angry with me," she murmured plaintively. "Angry with you!" Tito gasped, raising her slim hand to his lips. "Do not get such imaginations. Do I not love you more than any other man loves a woman?" "But perhaps I'll never learn to care for you the way you want me to," wept Phyllis, who now gathered it was time for the fears. "And perhaps — perhaps I love someone else." Tito shrank back as if someone had struck him a physical blow. But when he spoke, it was very quietly and with great feeling. "Don't say it, Phyllis," he begged. "It hurt me too much.'" "You know I never promised to marry you," said the mannequin with the air of a beautiful martyr. "I said I'd try to love you and I will. There isn't really anyone else." "What a httle rotter you are," said a voice from a settee in the darkened corner. "Lying to Tito like that. Why don't you tell him the truth?" Tito and Phyllis both turned as if moved by the same mechanical hand and faced Lida, who had been lying, half asleep, in the chaise-longue. Phyllis, alarmed and angry, began to gather up her furs. "I'm going," she said in a frightened voice which she tried in vain to make dignified. "No, you're not," said Lida, firmly. "You're going to stay right here until I'm through." Then turning on the girl before Tito could intervene, she asked, "Well, are you going to tell him or shall I?" "I don't know what you mean, " answered Phyllis brazenly. "Don't you?" rejoined Lida, ironically. "Well, then, I'll tell you one thing, you are a httle fool to trust Bob Tarrant." At the name, Tito recoiled in disgust. "But Phyllis." he said in a broken voice, "he is not a good man." Phyllis, by this time thoroughly aroused, threw discretion to the winds. "I can take care of myself, thank you," she told them. "Anyway, the whole row is all her fault. If you had kept your mouth shut he would never have known it was Bob. But all this won't do you any good. Bob is mine now and I intend to keep him."' And with a swirl of skirts she was gone, leaving Tito crushed and broken in the darkened room amid the ruins of his dreams. But when the first shock of this new blow was over, he began to find consolation in unrealized devotion from his friends and helpers, although this could never take the place of the great love that was gone. But it was soothing to feel that he had gained such true affection from sources that he had never suspected. Old Mollie, the fat, untidy fitter who nevertheless could evolve a vision from a few yards of tulle and five pins, came to him sobbing and swore that, wages or no wages, she would never desert Lombardi, Ltd. His three prettiest mannequins shyly offered to lend him their joint savings which, however, would not retrieve the fortunes of a toy bank. And Eloise, the most perfect 36 that ever displayed a negligee, for once discarded her chewing gum and affected airs for a simple, sincere expression of regret at his misfortunes. But it was Ricky — careless, inconsiderate, irresponsible Ricky, who gave to Tito the final proof of what real friendship might mean. It was not entirely to his credit since he had