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He stared blankly； startled at the sudden transposition he had been compelled to make； for the gleaming knife of Gashwiler； standing up to carve； had just then hovered above the well…browned roast of beef。 Then he placed the speaker by reason of her eyes。 It was the Spanish girl； his companion of the gilded cabaret； later encountered in the palatial gambling hell that ate like a cancer at the heart of New Yorkprobably at the corner of Broadway and Fifth Avenue。
He arose and shook hands cordially。 He had supposed； when he thought of the girl at all； that she would always be rather Spanish； an exotic creature rather garishly dressed； nervously eager； craving excitement such as may be had in cabarets on Broadway； with a marked inclination for the lighter life of pleasure。 But she wore not so much as a rose in her smoothly combed hair。 She was not only not excited but she was not exciting。 She was plainly dressed in skirt and shirtwaist of no distinction； her foot…gear was of the most ordinary； and well worn； and her face under a hat of no allure was without make…up； a commonplace； somewhat anxious face with lines about the eyes。 But her voice as well as her eyes helped him to recall her。
She spoke with an effort at jauntiness after Merton had greeted her。 〃That's one great slogan； 'Business as Usual！' ain't it？ Well； it's business as usual here； so I just found out from the Countessas usual； rotten。 I ain't had but three days since I seen you last。〃
〃I haven't had even one；〃 he told her。
〃No？ Say； that's tough。 You're registered with the Service Bureau； ain't you？〃
〃Well； I didn't do that； because they might send me any place； and I sort of wanted to work on this particular lot。〃 Instantly he saw himself saving Beulah Baxter； for the next installment； from a fate worse than death； but the one…time Spanish girl did not share this vision。
〃Oh； well； little I care where I work。 I had two days at the Bigart in a hop…joint scene； and one over at the United doin' some board… walk stuff。 I could 'a' had another day there； but the director said I wasn't just the type for a chick bathing…suit。 He was very nice about it。 Of course I know my legs ain't the best part of meI sure ain't one of them like the girl that says she's wasted in skirts。〃 She grinned ruefully。
He felt that some expression of sympathy would be graceful here； yet he divined that it must be very discreetly； almost delicately； worded。 He could easily be too blunt。
〃I guess I'd be pretty skinny in a bathing…suit myself； right now。 I know they won't be giving me any such part pretty soon if I have to cut down on the meals the way I been doing。〃
〃Oh； of course I don't mean I'm actually skinny〃
He felt he had been blunt； after all。
〃Not to say skinny。〃 she went on； 〃butwell； you knowmore like home…folks； I guess。 Anyway； I got no future as a bathing beauty none whatever。 And this walkin' around to the different lots ain't helpin' me any； either。 Of course it ain't as if I couldn't go back to the insurance office。 Mr。 Gropp； he's office manager； he was very nice about it。 He says； 'I wish you all the luck in the world； girlie； and remember your job as filin' clerk will always be here for you。' Wasn't that gentlemanly of him？ Still； I'd rather act than stand on my feet all day filing letters。 I won't go back till I have to。〃
〃Me either；〃 said Merton Gill； struggling against the obsession of Saturday…night dinner at Gashwiler's。
Grimly he resumed his seat when the girl with a friendly 〃So long！〃 had trudged on。 In spite of himself he found something base in his nature picturing his return to the emporium and to the thrice…daily encounter with Metta Judson's cookery。 He let his lower instincts toy with the unworthy vision。 Gashwiler would advance him the money to return； and the job would be there。 Probably Spencer Grant had before this tired of the work and gone into insurance or some other line； and probably Gashwiler would be only too glad to have the wanderer back。 He would get off No。 3 just in time for breakfast。
He brushed the monstrous scene from his eyes； shrugged it from his shoulders。 He would not give up。 They had all struggled and sacrificed； and why should he shrink from the common ordeal？ But he wished the Spanish girl hadn't talked about going back to her job。 He regretted not having stopped her with words of confident cheer that would have stiffened his own resolution。 He could see her far down the street； on her way to the next lot； her narrow shoulders switching from light to shadow as she trudged under the line of eucalyptus trees。 He hoped she wouldn't give up。 No one should ever give upleast of all Merton Gill。
The days wore wearily on。 He began to feel on his own face the tired little smile of the woman in the casting office as she would look up to shake her head； often from the telephone over which she was saying： 〃Nothing to…day； dear。 Sorry！〃 She didn't exactly feel that the motion…picture business had gone on the rocks； but she knew it wasn't picking up as it should。 And ever and again she would have Merton Gill assure her that he hadn't forgotten the home address； the town where lived Gighampton or Gumwash or whoever it was that held the good old job open for him。 He had divined that it was a jest of some sort when she warned him not to forget the address and he would patiently smile at this； but he always put her right about the name of Gashwiler。 Of course it was a name any one might forget； though the woman always seemed to make the most earnest effort to remember it。
Each day； after his brief chat with her in which he learned that there would be nothing to…day； he would sit on the waiting…room bench or out under the eucalyptus tree and consecrate himself anew to the art of the perpendicular screen。 And each day； as the little hoard was diminished by even those slender repasts at the drug store； he ran his film of the Gashwiler dining room in action。
From time to time he would see the Montague girl； alone or with her mother； entering the casting office or perhaps issuing from the guarded gate。 He avoided her when possible。 She persisted in behaving as if they had been properly introduced and had known each other a long time。 She was too familiar； and her levity jarred upon his more serious mood。 So far as he could see； the girl had no screen future； though doubtless she was her own worst enemy。 If someone had only taught her to be serious； her career might have been worth while。 She had seemed not wholly negligible in the salmon…pink dancing frock； though of course the blonde curls had not been true。
Then the days passed until eating merely at a drug…store lunch counter became not the only matter of concern。 There was the item of room rent。 Mrs。 Patterson； the Los Angeles society woman； had； upon the occasion of their first interview； made it all too clear that the money； trifling though it must seem for a well…furnished room with the privilege of electric iron in the kitchen； must be paid each week in advance。 Strictly in advance。 Her eye had held a cold light as she dwelt upon this。
There had been times lately when； upon his tree bench； he would try to dramatize Mrs。 Patterson as a woman with a