Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 11, Number 9, DeMotte, Jasper County, 16 January 1941 — TRAILER GIRL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TRAILER GIRL

© Ledger

By VERA BROWN

WNU Service

CHAPTER XXXIV -20Ready, Lynn took one last swift look around the apartment. It was her good-by to it. But they did not leave. It was Marty again who answered the door. He thought it was the orchids he had ordered for Lynn. But it was not. It was a cable. Lynn, standing there ready, motioned to Marty to open the message with a trembling hand. The message was terse, seven short words: “Rene Bouchier died 11 o’clock, American Hospital.” Slowly he handed it to Lynn. She could not believe it. “Cruel!” she cried. It was to Marty, crying unashamed, that Lynn turned now for comfort. So it came about, Lynn Morrow did not sail after all. That night after Marty left, Lynn began her unpacking wearily. There was a front-page story that night in all the newspapers, ftene, the rising young genius, was; dead. To Lynn it seemed ipcredible that his genius was stilled forever. Just when life promised everything for him. She chided herself that she had not gone to Rome; with him. “I would have looked after him. This never would have happened.” But all this was too late. “He knew Ihe was" going to die!” Lynn,' weeping alone, hoped desperately he had known shej was coming to him.. Life must ■go j on. But life had changed for Lynn. Something had gone dut of it. It seemed strange to be in a world without Rene. Lynn h|ad only one burning regret Viow, that she had not been a wife to hiffi. He had needed her and she had failed him. Just after New Year’s Day Chuck and Helen asked Lynn to have a quiet dinner with them at their club. Helen wrote that the * matter was important. ! “We’re leaving for Algiers at the end of the week and we want to see you, anyway,’’ she wrote. Lynn hesitated; 'she had gone no place since Christmas. But Helen was so insistent that she finally agreed. Helen had warned her to look her prettiest, and, as Lynn dressed, she looked at her white face with disfavor. She chose a black frock—she could not force herself to wear anything else—and Chuck sent her some yellow orchids. She felt she would be a disappointment to Helen, and to the friend whom Helen wanted her to meet that evening. Helen was such a darling, always plotting. Lynn smiled wanly. What was the use? Chuck was waiting 1 for her and, had she looked, she could have seen the admiration in his eyes. She always took his breath away when he had not seen her in a long time. “They’re waiting in the bar, Lynn. You look gorgeous!” He gave her hand a squeeze, unable to mention ReneT Her sad eyes told him more than she could say. “Be nice to this fellow we have at dinner, Lynn,” he warned as they took the elevator up to the bar. Lynn smiled. Chuck was so obvious in his excitement. He looked so happy, Lynn was herself content. At least he had solved his troubles. When Lynn joined Helen and "her guest she was surprised to find him fat and old. „ His name was Arnold Katzman. The four chatted over a cocktail and went on into the formal club dining room. Helen was bursting with excitement. Katzman hardly seemed to notice Lynn at all. He listened to her conversation casually. It was not until coffee was on the table that he said suddenly: “How old are you?” “Twenty.” “Good.” - He grinned at Helen. “You're a smart woman, Mrs. Austin. I’m usually suspicious of my friends.” He lit a huge cigar and leaned back. “How’d you like to have a movie test?” * ■ “Movie test?” Lynn set her cup down suddenly. She looked at Helen’s beaming face. “Isn’t it wonderful?” Helen demanded. “I knew' it all along. I used to think of it when we were in Florida. Lynn. You’re so lovely. It seemed such a natural thing!” Chuck was as excited as his wife. “Now. now, you two. Don’t get Miss Morrow’s hopes up too high. I’ve seen some lovely women fall down completely before a camera.” “Lynn won’t.” Helen was confident. “We’U see.” Lynn leaned forward: “I’m not sure I’d like tq go to Hollywood.” Katzman looked at her over his cigar. “You’re the only woman in America who doesn’t!” he said shortly. “You’ll like it. You’re the type.” i Lynn’s mobile face was serious. “I don’t know that I can act.” “You don’t have to act, when I turn one of my real directors loose mi you. We’ll make you act, all right.” Lynn smiled at him suddenly. “And with that smile ...” Katzman thumped his cigar on the edge of his plate. “With that smile you ought to do all right!” So it was settled just that casually. Later, Katzman went along to another appointment, and left the three friends together. “I wanted to some way repay you, Lynn.” Helen’s face was serious now. “Happy?" Lynn smiled across •t her.

“So happy it hurts!” Chuck answered for her. “Buddy’s asked about you. He remembers your hair, Lynn.” Helen went on. ‘‘Mother Austin has been so kind. Weren’t we fools to have wasted those two years!” Chuck touched Helen’s hand as it lay on the table. “We learned something anyway!” Lynn promised to see Helen and Chuck off at the end of the week when they sailed. When their sailing day came, however, Lynn did noLgo. At the last moment, her courage failed. She could not face Mr. and Mrs. Austin Sr. So she sent them a long farewell wire, promised to cable the results of the test which was scheduled for the following day. Lynn was horribly nervous when she walked into the New York studio of Superior Pictures. She tried to learn the scene which they handed her. Now that the test had come, she wanted desperately to succeed. The director came over to her. “Try and think of something pleasant and far away. Keep your mind flexible, and try not to see or hear anything around you.” The camera was* .turning. Lynn began haltingly, her hands stiff. She looked down at them in surprise.

Helen’s bracelet was around her wrist. She wanted to succeed for Helen. And for hjerself, too. Her ringless hands were quieter now. They, did not seem so terribly awkward to the girl. Ringless. She could still see the glint of green of Wild’s emerald. But that was a long time ago. Her eyes were soft and bright. Even in that blinding light she could see the funny little technician watching, a pot-bellied, homely little man. He seemed to be following the strange words she was speaking with his lips. People were kind sometimes. Suddenly a far, breaking smile came over Lynn’s lips. “Cut!”. It was over, almost before it se.emed to have begun. It was years, and yet no time at all. She leaned heavily against a chair. “Is that all?” “Yes." CHAPTER XXXV It was a week before Lynn heard anything from the studio. Then one morning when she was at work for Wellington, somebody from Mr. Katzman’s office called. Could Miss Morrow come to the office? Miss Morrow could not. She was working. Lynn finally arranged to get to Katzman’s office at 5 o’clock. Wellington agreed to that. He was frankly annoyed at the talk of Hollywood. It was with bad grace he allowed Lynn to leave early. When she walked into Katzman’s office at 5:30. the secretary told her to wait. It was a half hour before she was finally taken into the office of the big producer. With him were two other men.' They eyed Lynn appraisingly. Whether they were pleased with the girl they >saw, she could not tell. Katzman came to the point promptly. “Your test was all right,” he said abruptly. Then he began asking her questions. Finally he said: “When can you leave for the Coast?” “The Coast?” J “Hollywood.” “I . . .” Lynn was too confused at the swift-moving events to realize what he meant. “We’re offering you a contract,” “But I have one with Mr. Wellington, the artist.” “What does it say?” “I don’t know; Mr. Siedenberg knows about it.” Katzman called his secretary: “Get Marty Siedenberg right away. Get him down here.” His face was grim. “We’ll wait.” In that long hour they waited for Marty to arrive, Katzman talked with Lynn. “I want to know something about you,” he said. "Any parents?” “No.” "Married?”

“No.” Lynn’s mobile face was troubled. “Out with it.” “I am a widow. I was married to Rene Bouchier.” “Who’s he? M “An artist, a very good artist. He died in Rome just after Christmas.” ! “Humph! I want to tell you one thing. If you come with us, no bad publicity. We won’t stand for it a minute! Can’t afford scandal in our studios.” Lynn listened in a daze. ■ “You need somebody to look after you. Think I’ll put you under Lawrence’s wirjg. She’s smart. You better live vi’ith her, for a while anyway.” it I ■. “Who is She?” “My secretary. A tartar. She'll make you toe the mark.” So it went. Lynn found herself telling Katzman all about her early life, her sister. Of Rene, she found it impossibly to speak. These men did not ur/dprstand that he was a great miah. “You’ve had a lot of publicity here in New York.” He got out a book of clippings. “What about this Austin guy?]’ “Nothing.” : “If we take yoq, we want a longtime, contract. Your life won't be your own any more, you know' You must make up your mind to that.” When Marty came, breathless and excited, they! settled down to a business conference. It must have been 8 o’clock; when j Lynn finally protested all the legal talk: “I’m hungry.” “We’ll feed you! hr a little while. Just be patient.” 1 Marty, Katzman and Lynn left together, got into a cab and went over to Katzman’s suite in the Towers. The view' from the fortieth floor was magnificent. Katzman ordered an elaborate: dinner, and he and Marty continued their talk. Only when Lynn was freshening up for dinner did Katzman talk freely to Marty about her. “She’s a find. I can make her the most talked-of woman in the world today! I know! it. I’m almost never wrong; Some day the world will say she’s a great actress.” Marty was silent. The thought of New York without Lynn was insupportable to him. Yet he knew Katzman was right. He had alw r ays known. “She’ll go far.” . I “You’re in love with her?” “Yes.” , “Then you’d better keep an eye on her. She needs it.” Then Lynn came back and the conversation sitopped. It was not until after dinner that Katzman’s man came badk from his interview with Wellington. . “He was tough to crack.” “Did you get it?” “Yes.” Thef-e was telephoning, dispatches for a secretary. Finally the lawyers were there again. Marty and the lawyers and Katzman talked some more. Lynn curled up in a chair and looked at Katzman’s expensive magazines. There was one which had a photograph of her on the back cover. j j It was a long time before they were ready for Lynn’s signature on the contract. Marty was acting for her. She had complete faith in him. “Now, Lynn, this is a five-year contract. It gives you S2OO a week for the first year. Then it increases heavily for the next years. I feel that’s fair. We know you’re going places, but the first year Katzman won’t realize much on you,” Marty explained carefully. Obediently Lynn signed. Katzman ordered up champagne, and together they all drank. Katzman, beaming, tired and perspiring, turned to Lynn. He lifted her hand and kissed it: “To a new star, my dear. In three years, there won’t be a woman in America who doesn’t envy you.” Marty folded up her contract and put it into her handbag. “Now about plans. How soon can you leave for the coast?” “Any time.” Lynn answered. “Tomorrow?” Lynn laughed. This man was amazing. “Hardly tomorrow.” “A week from today then?” Lynn hesitated. “Certainly she can. A week from today,” Marty answered for her. The sooner the better, if she must go. She had lost' enough time already. So it was arranged. Finally Marty and Lynn escaped into the snowy streets. “Let’s walk over to Broadway, Marty.” Together they strolled along, Marty holding her hand. “Lynn! It’s happened. I always knew it would.” They were like excited children. After a while they found themselves over in Times Square. As they rounded the corner from Forty-fourth Street Marty held Lynn back and pointed over at the Paramount Theater where the name of Marlene Dietrich was blazing in lights. “Honey, in a year yours will be up there. In a year or two you can have anything you want in this world.” > “Not anything, Marty,” she corrected him, her eyes misty. “You*re still in love with that Austin guy? You women!” He shook his head. Lynn did not answer. She spoke of Rene then. 'TO BE CONTINUEDJ

It was over, almost before it seemed to have begun.