RANSVESTIA

Fennell's mouth slackened. "You mean . 'his voice was shocked.

"Yes," sighed Pamela Wood. "They all want Gloria Sand for their shows, look," she stared at him directly in the eye, "I know how you were forced into this, and how you must have hated it, a man like you, but... well, you know, if you could . . . er . . ." she paused and then went on with a rush. "You could earn really good money as Gloria Sand, far more than as Curtis Fennell."

Fennell's white, strained face gave her an answer. "And what happens when Arnold screens his episode and they see me stripping off Rita to become Curtis Fennell. What will happen to your offers then?"

Pamela Wood's face showed consternation. Lost in the sudden offers she had received, she had not considered the certain demise of 'Gloria Sand' after the screening of the 'Homicide' episode involving Fennell.

Fennell looked at her scornfully. Shaking his head, as he stood up, he might have left this time, if, his hand on the door handle, it hadn't suddenly turned in his hand and pressed in toward him. Jack Arnold's bitter, savage, round face pushed into Pamela's office. "Don't go, Curt," he snapped. "I'm afraid I've some bad news."

"What?" Pamela Wood stood up, looking troubled.

Fennell stood still and alert by the door. Arnold nodded at him. "They're not going to screen the Rita Ronay story after all. Not, at least, in the way we shot it."

"What's happened?" asked Pamela. Still Fennell could say nothing there was a churning inside him, composed equally of relief and regret.

"Berin reneged on me,” said Arnold bitterly. "Besides which, you did too good a job, Curt." He sat down heavily in the chair vacated by Fennell, and swivelled it around so that he could look easily from the standing agent to her client. "Neither Berin nor his bosses will believe that the part of Rita Ronay, particularly that fantastic dance," Pamela's eyes opened as she stared at Fennell's expressionless face, "were done by a man, least of all by Curtis Fennell, the western actor.