Evening star., 1942-01-14

to him and kissed her. She struggled
for few seconds, then relaxed. He
released her. Nov you can CO."
She laughed. But I don't want
| TO-"
He kissed her hair. her eyes and
the pink lobe of her ear. As she
was about to speak he kissed her
lips again.
For q while she could not speak.
Il was only going to ask you
the name Of that director" she said.
-Four months passed, four months
of incredibly hard. work. As an
extra for Johnny Enfield Livia made
an average of $50 a week. It was
the first money she had earned
and she was proud and exultant
when the cashier at the studio
handed her her first check.
At the beginning Mrs. Clarkson
seemed to wait for something hor-
rible to happen, but as the days
passed into weeks and into months
and the expected catastrophe did not
materialize the apprehension in her
eyes diminished.
Livia discovered that if she were
to keep her place in the extra ranks
she must spend most of her earn
ings on clothes. But she learned
| from the other extras where to
buy them cheaply. They were q
strangely assorted icrowd-the men
and women with whom she toiled-
sprinkling of once-famous stars.
now down on their luck ad glad
to make the $3.50 or $l1.50 they
earned day, a pne-time famous
producer. society girls bored With
the monotonous round Of the debu-
tante.
But the majority Of the extras
were men and women who might
have been stenographers or clerks
If they had lived In any other city.
1t was a business flor them, an un-
glamorous business that yielded
them just enoughson which to live
II they lived parsimoniously.
They were not very ambitious.
The limit Of their horizon was 4
line to speak, which would Jump
their pay check to SIS. In between
scenes they sat around on the set
playing bridge, gossiping or sleep
ing. Their general inertia appalled,
Livia, and she tried to hold aloof
from them lest she should be drawn
into their acceptance OF mediocrity.
They were making q picture about
the French Revolution. Every day
for a week Livia had worn the heavy
dresses of the aristocrats Of the
period. 1t was In the afternoon.
And Livia was standing wearily out
side the sound stage. in the cool
breeze Of the dying December day.
Stares Worry Livia.
All day long she had been aware
of the calculating scrutiny OF an
unprepossessing extra. One side OF
his face was SCARED. His tired.
brooding eyes were puckered: dark
circles showed through the smears
Of makeup. Livia noticed his hands
shook when he lit . cigarette.
Who Is hep" she asked one of the
extra men.
You mean who was he? You'd
never think to look At him that Earl
Dixon was once one Of the biggest
directors in the business"
What happened?"
The extra made . motion with his
arm to indicate drinking.
And I believe there was some
scandal"
We'll. I wish he wouldn't stare
at me all the time" said Livia, pet
ulantly.
She was hot and tired, but she'd
have to go inside to avoid him. The
one-time director forestalled her.
You're the girl who won the
Charm competition" he asked,
huskily.
Yes" She started to move away.
But his voice detained her.
And you and your mama lived in
big house on q hill?" There was q
sneer on his face.
Whats that to your" Livia
wished Bruce were here. He'd know
how to deal with this revolving per-
SON.
Il used to live there myself; that's
what it is to me-" His liquor laden
breath made Livia suddenly feel Ill.
Maybe. If I were direct
ing this scene" he said, cynically,
you'd fling your arms around my
neck" Livia edged away. And
you'd say. Why, Daddy, I recognized
you right away!'"
Continued Tomorrow
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