He finished the cocktail. "Oh, the usual letdown. Extra parts for awhile if I cared to register with Central Casting. Always a possibility that a small character part might arise."

"I hope you registered."

"I did not. I haven't come all the way from Detroit to play in a mob scene now and then."

"What a pity!" she consoled. "Ray, don't you think he was treated rather shabbily? I mean, an attractive personality deserves some recognition."

Sherry snickered. "Don't ask Ray to praise me. It's the hardest thing he ever did. I'm not complaining of their treatment. They were kind and thorough. The young cameraman took no end of trouble when he posed me for the closeups. The most gorgeous eyes! I think some of the technicians are better looking than the actors."

Why was Ray so glum? She set the plates of chicken and mashed potatoes and peas on the table and was passing the hot biscuits. Sherry was willing to talk if Ray wasn't.

"Honestly, I don't mean to imply that the studio was stupid, but I do think I rate a small part. Besides, I want to live in Southern California. I liked Detroit well enough at one time-especially when Ray was there." He wagged his head in amused memory at something. "We were both doing war work which was too heavy for us. The steel plates nearly ruined my hands. Ray didn't mind so much because he's strong, but he was plenty weary when we staggered into our room in the evening. It was the housing emergency which brought us together."

She poured tea and sat down. The bored expression on Ray's face puzzled her. Sherry chattered on.

"The room was small and had a

one

weird smell, I remember. One small clothes closet, if you please, for all my clothes and Ray's few. We never knew where anything was. One night we were reduced to a single pair of pajamas between us. I slept in the pants and Ray wore the shirt." He burst into laughter. "It was too unbearably funny when he forgot and jumped out of bed at six o'clock to take the morning paper from the startled chambermaid."

Ray's expression remained sober. She couldn't figure it. Of course Sherry was overacting a little, but it was all in fun. She was glad when the dinner was over and she had declined Sherry's demand to wash the dishes. They went back to the living room with a noticeable vacuum in the air. She tried to break it with another question:

"You won't take the verdict of only one studio, will you?"

“I'm afraid I will," Sherry admitted. “The test was expert and I've swallowed the big bad medicine. Lost confidence in my acting. Never had much anyway. No, I'll just trot home to Detroit. I suppose I can still have fun in the old town."

Ray said solemnly, "You can always jump in the lake."

Sherry giggled without offense. "Why, you rat! I can't swim and you know it." He turned back to Necia. “Ray was carrying a torch for a sort of war-time sweetheart and I guess he was having dreams about her, because sometimes when I woke up he had both arms-"

"Sherry!" Ray's tone was a stopsignal. “Let's leave out silly dreams." Sherry grinned at his hostess. "Oh, well, it was a good story while it lasted.

She urged, "Why not find some other kind of work here?"

He reached out and patted her hand. "Thanks, my dear. If I stay, will you give Ray a free night occasionally?"

14