The producers news., 1926-07-16


"Will you wait for a moment after
breakfast? I want to talk to you,"
/ asked Curtiss one morning as he
hurried, as usual, through his cereal
and fruit.
'Im sorry, but 1 should be at the
office as soon as possible, today.
Couldn't we wait until some other
time?" was his reply.
"No, we can not!" l flashed back,
"you will talk to me, now, right away,
or not at ALL"
I could feel my temples throb with
the fury and rebellion that was long
pent up and l left the room without
another word. I sat, for what SEEM
ed like hours, in stony silence on the
little side porch and finally Curtiss
followed me, hat in hand, as if he
were anxious to be through and gone.
He humored me and settled him
self in the swing.
"Well, what's all the shooting
about?" he asked making a desper-
ate attempt to treat the subject light
ly at all costs.
"It's just this, Curtiss," I began,
''I'm tired of being treated as if |
were a dOll-a doll stuffed with saw
dust, at that-without eyes, ears or
brains in my head. Pm sick unto
death of all this grand stand playing
of yours and something's got to be
done at once. At once, I tell you!
It's necessary that we get back to a
normal basis of a man and woman
living together happily and caring for
each other as husband and wife or.
/ paused, hoping for some word on
his part that would make it easier to
proceed.
"Well ?" was all that he said.
Cor" l continued "I'm going away.
Pm not wanted here and I've stood
your Indifference just as long as 1
possibly can. The sham and pretense
of us remaining together under the
same roof when you have ceased to
care for me is nothing more or less
than a living lie. I've made up my
mind and I'm going to leave" Cur
tiss turned the situation over in his
mind and then, sudden hope dawned
in his face:
81 suppose you'll go home?" he
asked
"Never!" 1 cried, "you needn't
think you can treat me the way you
have lately and that all I'll do is to
calmly go home until you make UP
your mind that you want me back
again. No, indeed, I'll not be tucked
safely away in my fathers arms to
be disciplined as if I were a naughty
child-or-or last years coat to
be put away in moth-balls until need
ed once more. No, tell you, thou
sand times no, Pm going to New
York;"
He moved uneasily in his chair. He
opened his mouth to say something
then changing his mind, waited a mo-
ment and began again:
"a girl, and especially a pretty
one, has a mighty hard time in New
York alone" he said. 1t was the
first compliment he had paid me II
months.
81 won't be alone. I'm going tC
stay with Ellie MITCHELL" / announc.
ed.
Then he became restless and dis
turbed.
''YOu haven't asked my opinion
about your plans and you seem to be
determined upon this course, but my
uQNlCC W YOU WOnlu OC W obeNf CIV -
from Ellie Mitchell. She might bC
all right, Sallie, but she's not youl
sort"
"She's a million times finer thar
" my pride interfered and
forced myself to silence the name
which my lips had framed-"som
people I know"
"That's not the point, Sallie, Tn
opposed to your going off to New
York on this wild goose chase.
visit home to your father might d.
you some good but this other is
disastrous scheme. Ellie Mitchell, a
you know, runs with the gayest Sc
in any place she goes, and the gay
est set in New York is-well-pret
ty gayl l don't suppose, since yo1
are Sc set in your mind, that any
thing I could say would influence yol