Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-11

| visits the studios rhtfe on trip 10
Ne,o York. she meets laurence
French. press agent, 'oho becomes
interested in her aud secures for her
an important part playing opposite
John SetCdrd, a famous screen star.
While on location at Cape Cod,
Secdrd asks her TO marry him. She
refuses him aud returns TO Neto York.
realizing that she loves laurence
| French. Dorothy meets Eikhorn, a
big producer, ,cho engages her for an
important role. She goes 10 dinner
wih Laurence French.
GIVE had two extra chairs put at our
l. table she said sayly. us such
ages since I've seen Larry that4 simply
must have good visit with him. We
were childhood sweethcarts, YOU know.
And this is my only chance-1'm sailing
for England tomorrow, she explained
to me-
Well. there wasn't anything TO DO
but join her. of course. I would have
given anything not t". and Lawrence
did start to make excuses, but neither
of us had sense enough to say that we
were leaving right away. and that was
the only thing that would have saved
US.
SO we sat down at the other table,
with Lawrence next Priscilla. and she
promptly began to monopolize him and
make things uncomfortable for me.
Larry says you're an actress, Miss
Lane" she cried. after she'd been talk
ing with him for n few moments, and
I'd been listening to the man next me
while he raved against prohibition.
Really. are you? How interesting It
must be! Do tell me just what you
do"
! began to do so. Of course. but in
a moment ! saw that she wasn't listen
ing to me at all she was just saying,
''Oh, yes, occasionally. and making
eyes at Larry. SO I stopped talking.
But she didn't seem to notice. and
Lawrence was looking ut her and laugh
ing at some funny little thing she said.
leaned back in my chair, feeling
terribly out Of things. When | first
came from home I'd have known how
to talk to these people. but now I'd been
with just notion picture people for so
long, and so completely absorbed in my
work that | didn't feel at ease with
outsiders at all. / wished that | could
20 home.
And then two men came in and sat
down at the table next ours. and
heard one of them cxclaim: "Wcll, just
look at our little ncighbor.'
l turned around, trying to place the
'''' - Mhh u "u0 very lullllluT. anu
Mr. Eikhorn rose and bowed to me,
with little smile that made me feel
terribly uncomfortable.
] was afraid at first that he would be
angry because | had deceived him and
let him think that | was going home
to rest. but a moment later he sent
Jack Gibbs over to ask me If ! wouldn't
JON them. Lawrence looked at him il
amazcmcnt as Gibbs. after 7 had in
trodnced him, delivered his message.
III come at once" I said, rising
"It's a matter of business | cx-
planned to the others, "and, of course,
| must accept
dorothy - just momcnt-"
Lawrence had risen as ] did bur 7
turned away and followed Gibbs over to
the other table. l felt little angry at
Lawrence, somehow he needn't have
acted so devoted to Priscilla Graves.
This, would be a good lesson for him,
decided
Mr.. Eikhorn was awfully nice. though
ne teaSed me little about not accepting
discrimination.
OF course YOU prefer the young
men, he laughed, as he took n flask
from his pocket and poured some whisky,
INTO the ginger ale he had ordered for
me. "Oh, we'll. | don't mind when
thor" are three young men-if you had
been dining alone with just one | should
be angry-but there is safety in num-
bers."
! did wish he wouldn't be personal
IL couldn't see why he should care
what did outside working hours. And
wished, too. that he hadn't spoiled my
ginger ale, and said so.
'fou don't drink" he exclaimed in
amazement. "Ah. well. it is better so
of course. But I didn't know there
was girl in New York any more who
didn't take whatever came her way in
that line. Now, shall we talk busi-
ncSs?'
lie went on then and told me what
he wanted mo to do. 1t was really
wonderful contract that he was Offering
me. 1t was to lun three years. if |
made good in the first picture I was to
work in for him. In that ! would have
very good role: there would be two
leading ladies, and | was to be one Of
them.
My clothes would be furnished and
most OF my expenses paid, ms we would
90 very little work at the studio in New
York, but would b" out ON location most
OF the time. And the size of my salary
simply took my breath away. | was TO
get five hundred dollars a week
1T seemed simply incredible just
sat there and stared at the table. not
: daring to lift my eyes for fear I'd find
that had just imagined that Mr.. Elk
horn was there, after all.
' 'Wcll, how about 1t? Is it go?"
nc asked, as didn't answer. "Will you
come over in the morning and sgn?'
ia sign tonight If you had the con-
tract here, | answered. and my voice
sounded strange and husky to me, as il
> 1t had belonged to some one else. |
could hardly talk.
That's the way to talk-that's what
wanted to hear he cried. rubbing
his hands together and laughing. "I'd
have brought 1t along If I'd supposed
YOU were to be here, that's certain. But
tomorrow will have to do-tOmorrow in
my Office at--slal We say ha.e .past
eleven. and then We can have luncheon
together afterward, and you can meet
the girl who'll play with YOU"
And who's the man--the star. I
mean" I asked.
"WeIl, we're dickering for him."
EikhOrn answered. II hadn't thought
Of engaging him until early this after
noon, when Gibbs told me how well Won
Fand he worked together But think
I'll get him, If things work out the way
they're going now. If they do you'll be
playing with John Seward again. Pretty
( nice. eh?'
John Seward. The one man in the
motion picture world that ] would have
preferred not to play with.
( And now lets have danCc-shall
we%' EikhOrn went on. Oh, how |
wanted to refuse! didn't feel as if
| could possibly dance with that big,
fat, unpleasant looking man ! tried Ia