New Britain herald., 1927-01-31

pect to be 'movie-struck."
 However, that is exactly wha'
 she is. For years she has beer
 dreaming of going to Hollywood te
 break into pictures, just as her
 dead mother once dreamed of go- ing on the concert stage.
 The only drawback to her ambi- ton is lack of money. for Robbie is eXtravagant and money slips through her fingers like water. Her widowed father will not lend her a penny to go on such wild goose chase" Neither will her maiden Aunt Gertrude nor Andrew Jerrold. who's in love with her and wants her to stay at home and marry him.
 She finally borrows five hundred dollars from Mrs. Parkins, a we'll to-do widow who is her fathers prospective second wife, and goes to | Hollywood with full purse and a high heart.
 She finds room in Mrs. Man gan's rooming house, where there | and sometimes cook thet meals in Mrs. Mangan's beautifully clean kitchen. One of the girls is Stella | Delroy. whose real name is Riggs. Stella has been trying to get into pictures for six years, and has never passed out of the eXtra-girl stage, She shows Robbie how to become known at the casting offices, and finally takes her to the casting di- rector at the great Magnifica Studios. There Robbie sees an assist ant director named Angus Mas Cloud, who notices her particularly. That afternoon Magnifica telephones her to come to the studio, bringing an evening dress, the next morn l ing, and Stella tells Robbie it was MacCloud who sent for her. At the | studio, Robbie falls headlong down flight of steps, almost into the arms of Roy Schultz, a famous di- rector. Schultz gives her a tiny part as ballet dancer, much to the disgust of Monica Mont, smother | "extra." Monica accuses Robbie of | falling purposely to attract Schultz's attention. When she goes on the | set. Robbie sees MacCloud, who's | been watching for her, and comes toward her.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY CHAPTER XIII
 Robbie pretended not to see Mac Cloud as he came toward her across the rolled-up rugs and wires that cluttered the floor. She was overcome by a strange and puzzling shyness. and she never looked away from the gor- geous supper scene with it's red velvet carpet, it's lace-covered ta- ble, and it's flame-tipped candles.
 But with the tail of her eye. she watched MacCloud come to her.
 With that sixth sense that every woman has, she knew that he was going to speak to her and she wondered whether she wanted him to or not. She couldn't make up her mind.
 "Monica said he was snob and Stella said he was stuck on him. self" she thought, but if he is why does he come over here and speak to me" I'm just an extra girl the same as they are."
 He was beside her now, standing so close to her that the rough wool of his sweater sleeve brushed her bare shoulder. She didn't move away.
 "Mr. Schultz says you've a part in this next scene" he said abrupt ly. Has he told you what to do?"
 Robbie shook her head.
 His next question had nothing to do with the picture.
 How long have you been in Hol- lywood ?" was what he asked. and Robbie glanced sharply at him.
 His eyes were on her face on the soft-ivory turn of her cheek and on her mouth. Just the way he looked at her stirred Robbie more than Andy Jerrold's kisses ever had.
 Under his look she became con- scious suddenly of her nearness to him, of the smooth warmth of her skin, and the scantiness of her It. tie ballet dancers dress.
 "Only few days" she answered, wishing he would go away from her-and yet wishing that he would stay.
 And then in a second. she for got all about him and about her self, too. For someone suddenly yelled, Hit 'em once!" and the supper-room scene was instantly flooded with binding silvery light.
 "All right. Ready, Joan" Roy Schultzs voice came, low and dis tinct. He was sitting in a folding chair behind the cameras now.
 They began to click. Joan Joyce | stood up at the end Of the lace-cov- cred table with a wine glass in her 1 hand. The glycerine tears glis- tened on her cheeks like dewdrops in the white binding light.
 Somewhere in the dimness the folding organ began 10 play home sick haunting melody called Tn a Little Spanish Town" At it's plain tive sound Joan Joyce began 10 sob, and all at once she brought | the little glass crashing down up- on the tble.
 "Oh, I'm sick of all this, l want to go home" she walled in a voice that was not nearly so beautiful IS her face. She sank down into her chair and covered her face with her hands.
 STRIKE" boomed the same pig voice that had yelled Hit 'em once," and the big lights near the 'eiing went off once more
 Roy Schultz turned his head. Mac" he called. and then Robbie ealizcd that MacCloud had been tanding beside her all this time.
 See you later" he said to her n an undertone, as if they were id and intimate friends instead of liter strangers He gave her arm little tap with the megaphone he