Evening star., 1932-09-18

Slim. braiding brides or whiting sticks as he
sat on the rail opposite the casting window,
put in most Of his time
c HE rode out very often, too but she usually
- came right back to look elsewhere. though
she got IN . day now and again. But Rocky
knew that extra checks so far apart could
hardly keep up with the rent. much less With
food and clothes and other necessary expenses.
What luck she might have had around the
other studios he didn't know, because he didn't
take her to them. However. his practiced eye
told him that she was finding the grade pretty
steep.
The povder-gray suit. he saw. had begun
to lose its newness from constant wear, and
the feather in her hat beginning to curl
up at the edges bit Worst of ALL the ex-
preston on her face was subtly changing from
eagerness to anxiety.
She kept on splashing through the rain just
about all Winter. Rocky marveled how she
managed TO make that same powder-gray suit
look 80 neat, though he could see that it was
getting . bit threadbare now. The bluejay
feather had disappeared altogether; he sup
posed 1t had Just curled up and quit In the
rain. Sometimes, he suspected, she might be
downright hungry
Then, one morning she got on the bus only
to hesitate at the fare box flush up as she
fumbled in her purse and finally blurt out that
she must have left her change at home
"Sure-just give it to me the next time"
Rocky told her, but he knew what It meant
Just as surely as though she had told him in
so many words. She was fiat broke; hadn't
even Is cents left to pay her fare.
Here's hoping you make it. grille" he said
in a low voice as she got of at the studio.
She thanked him with a look, turned and
walked over to the casting window.
He drove to the corner and turned around.
As he came to the top of the Pass on the trip
in he looked at Hollywood spread down below
him, colorful IS a magic carpet unrolled in the
sun. Yet Rocky gazed at it sadly and bfeathed
a tired sigh.
"Heartbreak TOWN." he muttered to himself.
MY God-and howl"
Rocky thought of these things often-he was
thinking of them late one evening months
later, while on his way in with the empty bus.
Nearing the boulevard he saw girl walking in
the middle of the block; at first he thought she
might be q passenger, but then he knew she
was walking too slowly for that. man fol-
lowed her q few PAGES behind; catching up, he
fell into step beside her and spoke to her.
The girl hesitated, stopped. Rocky, driving
slowly, drew abreast The girl, with quick,
startled look at the bus, moved though to
walk on, but the man caught her arm. And
then, as the light from street lamp fell full
upon her face. Rocky recognized who she was.
He jammed on the brakes, threw open the
door, and leaped out. His fist crashed into the
mans face, and his arm slid protectively
around tn girl and led her to the bus
"A little ride will do you good" Rocky told
her in . strained sort Of a voice. land it's quiet
at the end of the line"
| IE showed in the gears and stared straight
! ] ahead until they got there She sat slump
ed over in her seat, looking fixedly out Of the
window. Neither of them even attempted to
speak until Rocky had turned the bus around.
IT guess it amt any Of my business" he
began as he sat looking down into his lap. "but