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the table。 Always in dreams you were thwarted at the last moment。
The Montague girl had noted the trembling and ineffective hand。 She turned her back upon him to chat with the waitress over by the food counter。 With no eye upon him； he put both hands about the cup and succeeded in raising it to his lips。 The hands were still shaky； but he managed some sips of the stuff； and then a long draught that seemed to scald him。 He wasn't sure if it scalded or not。 It was pretty hot； and fire ran through him。 He drained the cupstill holding it with both hands。 It was an amazing sensation to have one's hand refuse to obey so simple an order。 Maybe he would always be that way now； practically a cripple。
The girl turned back to him。 〃Atta boy；〃 she said。 〃Now take the orange。 And when the toast comes you can have some more coffee。〃 A dread load was off his mind。 He did not dream this thing。 He ate the orange； and ate wonderful toast to the accompaniment of another cup of coffee。 The latter half of this he managed with but one hand； though it was not yet wholly under control。 The three eggs seemed like but one。 He thought they must have been small eggs。 More toast was commanded and more coffee。
〃Easy； easy！〃 cautioned his watchful hostess from time to time。 〃Don't wolf ityou'll feel better afterwards。〃
〃I feel better already；〃 he announced。
〃Well；〃 the girl eyed him critically； 〃you certainly got the main chandelier lighted up once more。〃
A strange exhilaration flooded all his being。 His own thoughts babbled to him； and he presently began to babble to his new friend。
〃You remind me so much of Tessie Kearns；〃 he said as he scraped the sides of the egg cup。
〃Who's she？〃
〃Oh； she's a scenario writer I know。 You're just like her。〃 He was now drunkmaudlin drunkfrom the coffee。 Sober； he would have known that no human beings could be less alike than Tessie Kearns and the Montague girl。 Other walls of his reserve went down。
〃Of course I could have written to Gashwiler and got some money to go back there〃
〃Gashwiler； Gashwiler？〃 The girl seemed to search her memory。 〃I thought I knew all the tank towns； but that's a new one。 Where is it？〃
〃It isn't a town； it's a gentleman I had a position with； and he said he'd keep it open for me。〃 He flew to another thought with the inconsequence of the drunken。 〃Say； Kid〃He had even caught that form of address from her〃I'll tell you。 You can keep this watch of mine till I pay you back this money。〃 He drew it out。 〃It's a good solid…gold watch and everything。 My uncle Sylvester gave it to me for not smoking； on my eighteenth birthday。 He smoked； himself； he even drank considerable。 He was his own worst enemy。 But you can see it's a good solidgold watch and keeps time； and you hold it till I pay you back； will you？〃
The girl took the watch； examining it carefully； noting the inscription engraved on the case。 There were puzzling glints in her eyes as she handed it back to him。 〃No； I'll tell you； it'll be my watch until you pay me back； but you keep it for me。 I haven't any place to carry it except the pocket of my jacket； and I might lose it； and then where'd we be？〃
〃Well； all right。〃 He cheerfully took back the watch。 His present ecstasy would find him agreeable to all proposals。
〃And say；〃 continued the girl； 〃what about this Gashweiler； or whatever his name is？ He said he'd take you back； did he？ A farm？〃
〃No； an emporiumand you forgot his name just the way that lady in the casting office always does。 She's funny。 Keeps telling me not to forget the address； when of course I couldn't forget the town where I lived； could I？ Of course it's a little town； but you wouldn't forget it when you lived there a long timenot when you got your start there。〃
〃So you got your start in this town； did you？〃
He wanted to talk a lot now。 He prattled of the town and his life there； of the eight…hour talent…tester and the course in movie… acting。 Of Tessie Kearns and her scenarios； not yet prized as they were sure to be later。 Of Lowell Hardy； the artistic photographer； and the stills that he had made of the speaker as Clifford Armytage。 Didn't she think that was a better stage name than Merton Gill； which didn't seem to sound like so much？ Anyway； he wished he had his stills here to show her。 Of course some of them were just in society parts； the sort of thing that Harold Parmalee playedhad she noticed that he looked a good deal like Harold Parmalee？ Lots of people had。
Tessie Kearns thought he was the dead image of Parmalee。 But he liked Western stuff bettera lot better than cabaret stuff where you had to smoke one cigarette after anotherand he wished she could see the stills in the Buck Benson outfit； chaps and sombrero and spurs and holster。 He'd never had two guns； but the one he did have he could draw pretty well。 There would be his hand at his side； and in a flash he would have the gun in it； ready to shoot from the hip。 And ropinghe'd need to practise that some。 Once he got it smack over Dexter's head； but usually it didn't go so well。
Probably a new clothesline didn't make the best ropetoo stiff。 He could probably do a lot better with one of those hair ropes that the real cowboys used。 And Metta Judsonshe was the best cook anywhere around Simsbury。 He mustn't forget to write to Metta； and to Tessie Kearns； to be sure and see The Blight of Broadway when it came to the Bijou Palace。 They would be surprised to see those closeups that Henshaw had used him in。 And he was in that other picture。 No close…ups in that； still he would show pretty well in the cage… scenehe'd had to smoke a few cigarettes there； because Arabs smoke all the time； and he hadn't been in the later scene where the girl and the young fellow were in the deserted tomb all night and he didn't lay a finger on her because he was a perfect gentleman。
He didn't know what he would do next。 Maybe Henshaw would want him in Robinson Crusoe； Junior； where Friday's sister turned out to be the daughter of an English earl with her monogram tattooed on her left shoulder。 He would ask Henshaw； anyway。
The Montague girl listened attentively to the long； wandering recital。 At times she would seem to be strongly moved； to tears or something。 But mostly she listened with a sympathetic smile； or perhaps with a perfectly rigid face； though at such moments there would be those curious glints of light far back in her gray eyes。 Occasionally she would prompt him with a question。
In this way she brought out his version of the Sabbath afternoon experience with Dexter。 He spared none of the details； for he was all frankness now。 He even told how ashamed he had felt having to lead Dexter home from his scandalous grazing before the Methodist Church。 He had longed to leap upon the horse and ride him back at a gallop； but he had been unable to do this because there was nothing from which to climb on him； and probably he would have been afraid to gallop the beast； anyway。
This had been one of the bits that most strangely moved his listener。 Her eyes were moist when he had finished； and some strong emotion seemed about to overpower her； but she had recovered command of herself； and become again the sympathetic provider an