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n the leather couch in his office and daintily crossed her long； shapely legs。 When she spoke； her voice sounded a trifle husky； but that may have been because Sam was looking for some kind of sign。 She studied him with soft gray eyes and said；
〃I seem to be in a terrible spot； Mr。 Winters。 I had no intention of putting anyone out of work。 And yet〃 she raised her hands helplessly 〃Miss Brand says she simply won't make the picture unless I produce it。 What do you think I should do？〃
For an instant； Sam was tempted to tell her。 Instead； he said；
〃Have you had any experience with show business besides being a costume designer？〃
〃I've ushered； and I've seen lots of movies。〃
Terrific！ 〃What makes Miss Brand think you can produce a motion picture？〃 It was as though Sam had touched a hidden spring。 Barbara Carter was suddenly full of animation。
〃Tessie and I have talked a lot about this picture。〃
No more 〃Miss Brand〃； Sam noticed。
〃I feel there are a lot of things wrong with the script； and when I pointed them out to her； she agreed with me。〃
〃Do you think you know more about writing a script than an Academy Award…winning writer who's done half a dozen successful pictures and Broadway plays？〃
〃Oh； no； Mr。 Winters！ I just think I know more about women。〃 The gray eyes were harder now； the tone a little tougher。 〃Don't you think it's ridiculous for men to always be writing women's parts？ Only we really know how we feel。 Doesn't that make sense to you？〃
Sam was tired of the game。 He knew he was going to hire her； and he hated himself for it； but he was running a studio； and his job was to see that pictures got made。 If Tessie Brand wanted her pet squirrel to produce this picture； Sam would start ordering nuts。 A Tessie Brand picture could easily mean a profit of from twenty to thirty million dollars。 Besides； Barbara Carter couldn't do anything to really hurt the picture。 Not now。 It was too close to shooting for any major changes to be made。
〃You've convinced me；〃 Sam said； with irony。 〃You've got the job。 Congratulations。〃
The following morning； the Hollywood Reporter and Variety announced on their front pages that Barbara Carter was producing the new Tessie Brand movie。 As Sam started to throw the papers in his wastebasket； a small item at the bottom of the page caught his eye： 〃Toby Temple signed for lounge at tahoe hotel。〃 Toby Temple。 Sam remembered the eager young ic in uniform； and the memory brought a smile to Sam's face。 Sam made a mental note to see his act if Temple ever played in town。 He wondered why Toby Temple had never gotten in touch with him。
In a strange way； it was Millie who was responsible for Toby Temple's rise to stardom。 Before their marriage； he had been just another up…and…ing ic； one of dozens。 Since the wedding； a new ingredient had been added hatred。 Toby had been forced into a marriage with a girl he despised； and there was such rage in him that he could have killed her with his bare hands。 Although Toby did not realize it； Millie was a wonderful； devoted wife。 She adored him and did everything she could to please him。 She decorated the house in Benedict Canyon； and did it beautifully。 But the more Millie tried to please Toby； the more he loathed her。 He was always meticulously polite to her； careful never to do or say anything that might upset her enough to call Al Caruso。 As long as he lived； Toby would not forget the awful agony of that tire iron smashing into his arm； the look on Al Caruso's face when he said； 〃If you ever hurt Millie。。。〃
Because Toby could not take out his aggressions on his wife； he turned his fury on his audiences。 Anyone who rattled dish； or rose to go to the washroom or dared to talk while Toby was on stage was the instant object of a savage tirade。 Toby dealt it with such wide…eyed； naive charm that the audiences adored it； and when Toby ripped apart some hapless victim； people laughed until they cried。 The bination of his innocent； guileless face and his wicked； funny tongue made him irresistible。 He could say the most outrageous things and get away with them。 It became a mark of distinction to be singled out for a tongue lashing by Toby Temple。 It never even occurred to his victims that Toby meant every word he said。 Where before Toby had been just another promising young edian； now he became the talk of the entertainment circuit。 When Clifton Lawrence returned from Europe； he was amazed to learn that Toby had married a showgirl。 It had seemed out of character； but when he asked Toby about it； Toby looked him in the eye and said；
〃What's there to tell； Cliff？ I met Millie； fell in love with her and that was that。〃
Somehow； it had not rung true。 And there was something else that puzzled the agent。 One day in his office； Clifton told Toby；
〃You're really getting hot。 I've booked you into the Thunderbird for a four…week gig。 Two thousand a week。〃
〃What about that tour？〃
〃Forget it。 Las Vegas pays ten times as much； and everybody will see your act。〃
〃Cancel Vegas。 Get me the tour。〃
Clifton looked at him in surprise。 〃But Las Vegas is 〃
〃Get me the tour。〃
There was a note in Toby's voice that Clifton Lawrence had never heard before。 It was not arrogance or temperament； it was something beyond that； a deep； controlled rage。 What made it frightening was that it emanated from a face that had grown more genial and boyish than ever。
From that time on； Toby was on the road constantly。 It was his only escape from his prison。 He played nightclubs and theaters and auditoriums； and when those bookings ran out； he badgered Clifton Lawrence to book him into colleges。 Anywhere； to get away from Millie。 The opportunities to go to bed with eager； attractive women were limitless。 It was the same in every town。 They waited in Toby's dressing room before and after the show and waylaid him in his hotel lobby。 Toby went to bed with none of them。 He thought of the man's penis being hacked off and set on fire and Al Caruso saying to Toby； You're really hung。。。 I wouldn't hurt you。 You're my friend。 As long as you're good to Millie 。。。 And Toby turned all the women away。
〃I'm in love with my wife；〃 he would say shyly。 And they believed him and admired him for it； and the word spread； as Toby meant it to spread： Toby Temple did not fool around； he was a real family man。 But the lovely； nubile young girls kept ing after him； and the more Toby refused； the more they wanted him。 And Toby was so hungry for a woman that he was in constant physical pain。 His groin ached so much that sometimes it was difficult for him to work。 He started to masturbate again。 Each time he did； he thought of all the beautiful girls waiting to go to bed with him； and he cursed and raged against fate。 Because Toby could not have it； sex was on his mind all the time。 Whenever he returned home after a tour； Millie was waiting for him； eager and loving and ready。 And the moment Toby saw her； all his sexual desire drained away。 She was the enemy； and Toby despised her for what she was doing to him。 He forced himself to go to bed with her； but it was Al Caruso he was satisfying。 Whenever Toby took Millie； it was with a savage brutality that forced gasps of pain from her。 He pretended that he thought they were sounds of pleasure； and he pounded into her harder and harder； until finally he came in an explosion of fury that poured his venomous semen into her。 He was not making love。 He was making hate。
In June； 1950； the North Koreans moved across the 38th Parallel and attacked the South Koreans； and President Truman ordered United States troops in。 No matter what the rest of the world thought about it； to Toby the Korean War was the best thing that ever happened。 In early December； there was an announcement in Daily Variety that Bob Hope was getting ready to make a Christmas tour to entertain the troops in Seoul。 Thirty seconds after he
〃What for？ You're almost thirty years old。 Believe me； dear boy； those tours are no fun。 I 〃
〃I don't give a damn whether they're fun or not；〃 Toby shouted into the phone。 〃Those soldiers are out there risking their lives。 The least I can do is give them a few laughs。〃
It was a side of Toby Temple that Clifton had not seen before。 He was touched and pleased。
〃Okay。 If you feel that strongly about it； I'll see what I can do；〃 Clifton promised。
An hour later he called Toby back。
〃I talked to Bob。 He'd be happy to have you。 But if you should change your mind 〃
〃No chance；〃 Toby said； hanging up。
Clifton Lawrence sat there a long time； thinking about Toby。 He was very proud of him。 Toby was a wonderful human being； and Clifton Lawrence was delighted to be his agent； delighted to be the man helping to shape his growing career。
Toby played Taegu and Pusan and Chonju； and he found solace in the laughter of the soldiers。 Millie faded into the background of his mind。 Then Christmas was over。 Instead of returning home； Toby went to Guam。 The boys there loved him。 He went to Tokyo and entertained the wounded in the army hospital。 But finally； it was time to return home。
In April； when Toby came back from a ten…week tour in the Midwest； Millie was waiting at the airpo