A teenager's efforts to protect a performance group become entangled with first love, jealousy, family authority, and a final opportunity to perform.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
A Show Needs A Home
Alice becomes involved with the scouts' fundraising performance and helps them rehearse at her family's home. She is eventually allowed to join the act.
Key Events
Alice's Scout Connection — Alice becomes involved with a group preparing a scout fundraising show. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
A Camp Fundraising Plan — The scouts plan a show to raise money for camp. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Scout rehearsal area
Home Rehearsal Permission — Alice helps the scouts by arranging permission to rehearse at home. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
Alice Joins the Act — Alice is eventually permitted to become part of the performance. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
The Haunted House Scheme
A reporter is given the house to finish an article, threatening the scouts' rehearsal space. Alice stages a ghost hoax, but the deception is discovered.
Key Events
The House Is Reassigned — The house is offered to a reporter seeking quiet to finish an article. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
Threat To Rehearsals — Alice fears that the new occupant will drive her friends from the house. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
The Haunted House Hoax — Alice pretends that the house is haunted by evil ghosts. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
The Hoax Is Exposed — The reporter sees through Alice's ghost story and confronts her. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
Alice Confesses — Alice explains the truth about protecting the rehearsal group. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
Care And Jealousy
After learning that the reporter is ill, Alice cares for him and develops a crush. Jealousy leads to Alice being replaced by Mary Lee in the act.
Key Events
Alice Confesses — Alice explains the truth about protecting the rehearsal group. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
Unexpected Sympathy — The reporter sympathizes with Alice and decides to leave the house. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
Illness Changes Alice's Mind — Alice discovers that the reporter is ill and changes her decision. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
Alice Gives Care — Alice takes care of the sick reporter and develops a crush. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
Jealous Replacement — Alice is replaced in the act by Mary Lee as jealousy intensifies. Characters: Alice Fullerton, Mary LeeLocation: Scout rehearsal area
The Party And The Heartbreak
Alice buys a cigarette lighter, borrows a dress, and prepares for the party. Her feelings become public, while the alleged marriage to Grace Bristow destroys her hopes.
Key Events
Party Announcement — An upcoming party motivates Alice to prepare an expensive gift. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
The Gift Purchase — Alice sells some belongings and buys a cigarette lighter. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Local shop
Borrowed Party Dress — Alice secretly borrows her mother's dress to appear older. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
The Dress Dispute — Alice is ordered to remove the dress and refuses to speak to anyone. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
Love Is Revealed — Ken tells Alice's parents that Alice is in love with the reporter. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
The Marriage Lie — Alice is told that the reporter is married to Grace Bristow. Characters: Alice Fullerton, Grace BristowLocation: Fullerton family home
A New Place In The Show
Alice gives up her crush after hearing the marriage story. When Mary Lee becomes ill, Alice receives the chance to perform in her place.
Key Events
The Marriage Lie — Alice is told that the reporter is married to Grace Bristow. Characters: Alice Fullerton, Grace BristowLocation: Fullerton family home
Alice Gives Up — Believing the marriage story, Alice abandons her romantic pursuit. Characters: Alice FullertonLocation: Fullerton family home
Mary Lee Falls Ill — Mary Lee becomes ill before the show can proceed as planned. Characters: Alice Fullerton, Mary LeeLocation: Scout performance venue
Alice Takes The Role — Alice is allowed to take Mary Lee's part in the fundraising show. Characters: Alice Fullerton, Mary LeeLocation: Scout performance venue
Story Breakdown
Scout Show Beginnings — Alice joins the scouts' fundraising effort and helps establish a rehearsal space.
Camp Fundraising — The scouts plan a show to raise money for camp.
Home Rehearsals — Alice helps the group use the family home for rehearsals.
Alice Joins Performance — Alice's practical support grows into active participation in the show.
Permission To Act — Alice is eventually allowed to take part in the performance.
Protective Commitment — Alice becomes determined to preserve the group's rehearsal opportunity.
Haunted House Deception — A conflict over the family home leads Alice to invent a supernatural deception.
Rehearsal Threat — A reporter's stay at the house threatens the group's arrangements.
Ghost Hoax Exposed — The reporter recognizes the deception and confronts Alice.
Illness And Infatuation — Alice's hostility changes into compassion after discovering the reporter's illness.
Caregiving Response — Alice decides to care for the ill reporter.
Growing Crush — Her caregiving develops into romantic feelings.
Jealous Party Preparations — Jealousy and romantic hopes shape Alice's preparation for the party.
Mary Lee Replacement — Mary Lee replaces Alice in the act during the jealousy conflict.
Cigarette Lighter — Alice sells possessions to buy an expensive gift.
Romantic Disillusionment — Alice's feelings become public before a false marriage story forces her to give them up.
Borrowed Dress — Alice borrows a dress to appear older at the party.
Grace Bristow Story — Alice is falsely told that the reporter is married to Grace Bristow.
Final Performance Opportunity — The emotional setback is followed by Alice's return to the show.
Mary Lee Falls Ill — Mary Lee becomes unable to continue in the planned performance.
Alice Takes Over — Alice receives Mary Lee's part in the fundraising act.
Dashing reporter Vincent Bullit has just returned from covering the Spanish Civil War. His boss, newspaper magnate Fullerton, has more plans to send him off to China. However, first Fullerton invites Bullit to the peace and quiet of his own home to write a series of European affair articles. When Fullerton's adolescent daughter Alice develops a crush on Bullit, her suitor, boyscout Ken Warren, doesn't seem to stand a chance. Mr. and Mrs. Fullerton, Ken Warren, and even Vincent Bullit himself do their best to sway young Alice's feelings away from the older man. It's a difficult task though, as she is at 'that certain age.'
