The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-26

 darkest hour Gloria wRs his guide star. He realized, with cleared vision. her devotion to him and his love for her. He proposed.
 AT THE STUDIO
 When l got downstairs l found two letters-one from Aunt Virginia. to whom l had wired my address az soon as l had settled down with Ria, and one from Eddie Montforth.
 To my great surprise, found that my old sequestered life in Virginia had grown so remote to me that Ed die MontforNI and even Aunt Vir- ginia. seemed characters in a dream.
 l slipped both letters into my Rock- ct as Ria came to the door of the limousine.
 Where is Herb7" I asked.
 He thought 1t best not to be seen with me. Oh, how 1 hate this decep- tion. He says that we must be mar ried secretly. What do you think about 1t, VirgieT
 My dear, I don't know so very much about it. My father and mother, you know. were married secretly at least they ran away to be married and then told my grandfather.
 "Oh, I don't mean an elopement. Yirgie. l mean an absolutely secret marriage to be kept secret, if we can keep it so, until all this horrible affair of Kitty Dalton Is over with"
 But l don't understand how you can keep 1t secret
 That is one of the things that money can do. Herb is going to get the license and arrange things this morning."
 "Will you keep on at the studio? ?'
 'Oh, 1 don't know. l am going to find out. Herb says I must keep on if it is necessary"
 That last sentence-"Herb says I must keep on if 1t is necessary not seem like Gloria. Although l had never heard the tone from any woman's lips intuitiyely l recognized it. Already Ria belonged-aIready she was part of her man.
 And although l was ashamed of 1t, involuntarily 1 found myself signing, for wondered how l should get along without Gloria.
 But tomorrow will be another day" ] thought, taking leaf out of Ria's book.
 At this moment the chauffeur pulled up in front of the studio. In- voluntarily Ria and I raised oui heads and, looking at each other foi | the courage which neither of us fell within ourselves, we walked to face l whatever might come to us. Neither of us spoke the thoughi that was within our hearts as ws | hurriedly made up, and l did not re alize that we both were listening fol | the tone of Tommy Warmers voice when he should call Gloria to the set For from it we intuitively expected l to read our fate. Dismissal-or the | chance for a career.
 Gloria, are you ready? You hac i better hurry. little girl. We're wait. i ing for you" The little boXlike room ! was surcharged with our mutual sigi i of renef.
 Come on, Virgie." said Gloria, ano her voice held the old note of beliei in the world, that l had first found in it and which had been absent from i it for the last 24 hours.
 l Instinctiyely we clasped each oth- 1 CTS hands and walked out together | Although we neither of us turned our heads to right nor left. could | feel the looks of all the people or the set boring into me.
 Hear 'em buzz" said Ria in al undertone. Every girl in armos phere who is jealous of my being given this little part is dishing thu l dirt about me.
 As strange as 1t may seem, l lovet the studio slang phrase for scanda as 1t issued from Ria's lips. It tolt me that she had gotten her secont wind and was ready to stand by he guns against the onslaught of th' entire gossipy movie crowd. whicl l constituted her world.
 | As much as l hated it, I walked with firm stetps toward the extr; | people who were grouped at one sid | of the set.
 r There was hush as I came, an, I knew they had been talking abou | us.
 It was then that I realized for tn, first time that much of the scanda of the big stars originates In tn I.petty minds of little people who, jeal ous of the success of those abov them, will ever play only small part whether on the screen or in life itself liThey are the jealous bystandars wh, never can escape the role that the, | themselves have chosen. Througi | laziness or mediocrity. they canno rise to do those big things whicl they envy in those above them. An, lacking everything which would ten, | to broaden them to where they coul. | fill big part either in life or upoi the screen, they are continually try | HE to pull uOWn lO lHtlT ltRei LnOS who through hard work and talen | leave them far behind. 1 I was very grateful when JacI | Thompson caught my eye.
 Say, Virgie. I hope someone vii ask us in to see the rushes tonight | Of course, they won't invite me, bu | if Tommy Warner asks you, let m in on it, won't you?"
 I looked at him in surprise,' for | did not know what "rushes" meant 4"Evidently Miss Winston is new t | the screen,' interposed coosly in | solent voice at my elbow. Pushes mean the first print of the cameri negative, which Is hurriedly finishe, and shown in the projection room tn day after they have been taken, fo the benefit of the director, the star | and few others most interested The scenes taken yesterday will b shown tonight, but hardly thinl that any of the atmospherei will b
 Don't fool yourself, Laura" sai voice in exactly the same tone o insolence which the girl had used t. me. q am asking Miss Winston nov to see those rushes, and if have an, l'fluence with the powers that be sh l won't be in atmosphere long" | turned to see Tommy Warner a with a curt nod he hurried away wit the words: Bring that young cha who entered with you in to SC