The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
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liner with Larry. I had dinner with
Lois Lyndon. l ate mine. She drans
hers"
The man inquired in soft tone,
Isn't that a strange l9ow-do-you'
do?"
mo. She drinks all the time.
The teacher said, you know
what l meant. -
Anette paid no attention to him.
She bok off her little brown fell
hat and rubbed her forehead. MY
head aches" she said APOLOGIZE
cally across the table to Vera
zano's producer friends.
Bradford, giving his order to the
waiter, said nothing. Seymour pul
| his hand to his chin, and rubbed
his jawline meditatively. while he
stared at her. He said, in a tone
that amounted to accusation, you
weren't wearing your hair tina.
way in the pictures.
"Pictures?" Her frowning puz-
Element turned into annoyance
professor Verrazano, did you cat
ually show those dreadful wedding
pictures to your friends?"
He finished his most particular
order. "And be sure there is garlic
on both the salad and the steak. .
Then he turned to his pupil. Yes
I did. Purposely.'
The producer Bradford was lcok-
ing at her now,/ ,/"You don't look
like the same girl
Thank heaven" she murmured.
Bradford leaned on his elbows
and brought his face closer to hers
across the table. Why do you say
that?"
She met his eyes and found them
so coldly gray and critical that she
was ompl ct ly disconnected.
Why not?" she asked shortly. I'll
isn't exactly pleasant to have your
hair wadded on your neck and
look plain and ugly at your own
wedding, especially when someone
like August Drake There it
came again. that choked feeling
OF hct anger. She picked up her
glass of iced water and slipped it,
staring downward all the while
Because of that, she missed COM
pletely the intercharged glances
of tho 4broa mon -
Verrazano observed, You're too
warm, aren't you, dear? Better
take off your coat" He reached
toward her shoulders and helped
her remove the luxurious wrap
from her plain schoolgirl ensem-
ble
Making no allowance for her up
set feelings. Bradford pursued the
subject. We've been hearing
about you. From him." With his
cigaret he gestIred toward the
dramatic coach. About your ap-
pearance in the amateur show,
how hard you work, how talented
you are. Then we saw your pic
lures in the papers," A profes-
SIGNAL enthusiasm lit his voice
They had something"
yes" agreed Seymour. Quail
ties we liked. Qualities we were
looking for.'
Bradford said. 'In your face
there was an abundance of emo
tons - self-pity, happiness, jeal-
ousy, fright, timidity, a bit of an
ger. Everything was there in those
not-at-all-flattering photographs.
Seymour took up again. so, aft
er that buildup, you surely can
imagine our disappointment to see
you totally idiotic, giggling and
yelling from theater box"
Anette felt as if she had been
slapped. Her eyes, which had been
fixed attentively on the two pro-
ducers, changed from soft topaz
to the sandy, rock-like tones they
took on when she was unusually
infuriated. She sank back in her
chair and swallowed hard. In her
disappointment and vexation she
found herself blaming everyone.
Verrazano for not having told ner
she was to be studied by his two
friends. August and Larry, for hav-
ing upset her in the first place
Even the man whose act she had
dlsrupted-she blamed everyone in
a blind, groping, helpless, heart
broken anger.
Il didn't know l was on dis
play" she began in crippled tones
Verrazano waited until the wait.
er placed seafocd cocktails on the
table, before asking, why else did
you think you'd be alone in a box
with spotlight on you?'
The gaze she turned upon him
was deWy and beseeching. Il mean
L didn't know l was being dis
played to Mr.. Bradford and Mr..
Seymour.
DISMISS that angle for the mo-
rnent. | want to know how you
happened to be making such a
spectacle Of yourself" Not trust