The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-09-12

d CllGllCS " AUEStlOli OdAlOA a. All
she told the Pennants was that
she met him in dramatic school.
We've been through his luggage,
Of course. II didn't take long
one suitcase. and it was not full.
Maybe he left trunk in Chicago.
I'd hate to think what we saw
was all he had in the world. Two
clean shirts and the one he ar
rived in. A pair of paiamas.
Shaving kit. A change of socks
and underwear. His only suit was
hanging IN the closet. Colonel
Pennant loaned him the bathing
trunks he was wearing when he
was killed"
"Was there anything in the
pockets of the suit?"
Some small change and less
than five dollars in bills. No
watch. An address book full of
names-some of them sounded IA
miliar to me, but l brought it
along for you to look at Brought
something else, too. that we
found in the suitcase. It may in
terest you. Anyway, its more in
your line than mine"
He picked up the folder from
the table where he had placed it,
opened it and took out small
paper-bound address book which
he handed to me without COM
ment.
I opened it and began to read
the scrawled names and adj
dresses. I could feel Adam watch
ing me.
Here's one that I Ancw," l said
presently. Its a firm of literary
agents in New York. Here's an
other-two more. And who's this
man Fremont? The names IA
miliar. Isn't he a producer? The
next one is. anyway. Everyone
knows him. And Jane Urshell, the
actresS-how do you suppose he
got her address,"
Reunion In Moscow
I TURNED the pages, noted that
L the list was long, that it
changed abruptly from New
York to Hollywood. Studios,
names of famous and not so IA
nous directors, firms that were
probably theatrical agencies.
Looks as If Ivan had been can
wasting the field pretty thorough
ly. Looking for work, I suppose"
Possibly. But that isn't all.
There's this thing here"
He took II out Of the folder
and looked az it rather helpleSsly,
then gave it to me. A manuscript,
dog-eared and grimy. bound be-
tween heavy cardboard covers
which had been ornamented in
heavy. scrolled LETTERING.
Reunion in MoScoiC," / read.
"Cribbed title. By IUdn- That
wasn't so dumb. Better than an
unpronounceable last name. But
a little precious. Like the letter.
ing. Like Ivan himself" I opened
the stiff cover. glanced at the
worn, typed pages. "a play. by all
that's wonderful He certainly be-
lieved in starting at the top.
Have you read it?"
More or less" Adam admitted,
looking down his nose. ITS
well. I'm no judge OF these
things. and / don't want to in
fiuence yeu. l want your uE-
biased opinion"
My opinion is worthless. I
don't know anything about the
theater. and from all I've heard
few people do. Nobody knows
what will make a successful play.
But / do know that for an ANA
teur to try to write and market
one without help from the inside
IS as hopeless as building a snow
man in hades. Making bricks
/ without straw is picnic in COM
i pariSon."
He seems to have found that
out. Apparently he's even tried
Hollywood"
That's worse. The only hope of
selling anything to Hollywood is
by getting it published frst-and
well published. Even then it's
only a chance. As for unsolicited
manuScriptS-I thought everyone
knew by now that they don't read
them"
| spoke from experience. NY
own, and that Of others / knew.
The dream of every writer is a
movie sale; so far that bene-
ficent lightning had failed to
strike in my vicinity.
No, poor Ivan. He would have
| been better off to take the money
he wasted on postage and play
the horses. That way he would
F., have stood some chance Of win
ming"
l paused at the sound Of toot-
steps approaching along the I'M
carpeted corridor. We looked to-
ward the door which Adam had
left standing open. IN Difference to
/ the proprietieS.
/ The footsteps stopped, and San
dra appeared in the doorway.
oh I beg your pardon" she
said Il didn't mean to inter
rupt-"
mo interruption" l said stif1y.
| l hate people who are always
apologizing, making something
out of nothing. Won't you come
in?"
She started to make excuses,
but Adam sprang up and greeted
her as If she were the one per-
son in the world he wanted 70
seas indeed she probably was
But there was no professional
CLEAN in his eye to betray that
his interest in her was other than
social.
] can imagine Adam trans
lated. like the Yankee at King
AEtFlH'S Court, bodily to the
court at Versailles: but unlike the
Yankee, Adam would fit. He
! .,,:crl.k En.-n &, &nL-. EaE.. lascnraE