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the night she had called。 She walked over to him and put her arms around his head； drawing him to her bosom。 〃Poor David；〃 she whispered sympathetically。 〃So many problems。〃
He turned his face up to her。 〃I'll have to make a decision soon；〃 he said。 〃What do you think I ought to do？〃
She looked down at him； her gray eyes glowing。 She felt strong and capable； as if her roots were deep into the earth。 〃Whatever decision you make； David；〃 she said； 〃I feel sure will be the right one for us。〃
〃For us？〃
She smiled slowly。 This new…found strength； too； was what it meant to be a woman。 Her voice was low and happy。
〃We're going to have a baby；〃 she said。
16
THE BRIGHT SUNLIGHT HURT THEIR EYES AFTER THE DARK OF THE SCREENING ROOM。 They walked along silently toward David's office； in one of the executive cottages。
〃What are you thinking； David？〃 she asked quietly。 〃That test make you sorry you're married？〃
He looked at her and laughed。 He opened the door to his cottage and they went past his secretary into his private office。 David walked around behind his desk and sat down。
She seated herself in a leather chair in front of his desk。 The thoughtful expression was still on his face。 She took out a cigarette and lit it。
〃What did you think of the test？〃 he asked。
She smiled。 〃Now I understand why she's driving all the men crazy；〃 she answered。 〃The way that sheet clung to her when she came out of the water was the most suggestive thing I ever saw。〃
〃Forget that scene。 If it weren't in the test； what would you think of her？〃
She dragged on the cigarette and the smile left her face。 〃I thought she was wonderful。 She almost tore my heart out in that scene where all you saw was Jesus' feet walking； the bottom of the Cross dragging along as she crawled in the dirt after Him； trying to kiss His feet。 I found myself crying with her。〃 She was silent for a moment。 〃Were those real tears or make…up？〃
David stared at her。 〃They were real tears；〃 he said。 〃They don't use make…up tears in tests。〃
He felt his excitement begin to hammer inside him。 In her own way； Rosa had given him the answer。 He hadn't felt like this since he'd first seen Rina Marlowe on the screen。 They'd all been too blinded by the baptismal scene to see it。
He pulled a buck slip from the holder on his desk and began to write on it。 Rosa watched him for a moment； then walked around the desk and looked down curiously over his shoulder。 He had already finished his scribbling and was reaching for the telephone。
JONAS…
I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME WE GOT BACK INTO THE PICTURE BUSINESS。 LET ME HEAR FROM YOU。
DAVID
〃Get me McAllister； in Reno；〃 David said into the telephone。 He looked up at Rosa and smiled。 She smiled back and returned to her chair。
〃Hello； Mac；〃 David said； his voice firm and forceful。 〃Two questions you can answer for me。〃
A feeling of pride began to run through her。 She was glad she'd e down to the studio。 This was a facet of her husband she had never known before。
〃First；〃 David said into the telephone； 〃can I sign an actress to a contract with Cord Explosives？ I have specific reasons for not wanting to sign her with us。 Important reasons。〃 David relaxed slightly。
〃Good。 Next question。 I have some film I want Jonas to see right away。 Can you get it to him？〃
He waited a moment。 〃Can't ask for anything more than that。 I'll have the film at your L。A。 office in two hours。 Thanks； Mac。 Good…by。〃
He pressed down the bar on the telephone and raised it again。 〃Miss Wilson； get me Jess Lee in printing and developing； then e right in here。〃
He held onto the telephone and reached for a cigarette。 He put it in his mouth。 She leaned across the desk with a match。 He drew in on the cigarette and smiled at her。
〃Jess；〃 he said； as the door opened and his secretary came in。 〃I'm shooting down a buck slip to you。 I want you to photograph it on the title card and splice it onto the end of the Jennie Denton test； right away。〃
David covered the mouthpiece with his hand。 〃Take that buck slip down to Jess Lee yourself；〃 he said to the secretary； indicating the paper on his desk。 She picked it up silently and walked out。
〃I know it's a wild test； Jess；〃 he said into the phone。 〃Make up one print with my buck slip and shoot it right over to Mr。 McAllister's secretary at Cord Aircraft。 It's got to be there by noon。〃
〃You've made up your mind？〃
He nodded。 〃I'm playing a long shot；〃 he said。 〃If I'm wrong； it won't matter which of them wins。 I lose。〃
Rosa smiled。 〃There es a time like that in every operation。 You're the surgeon； you hold the knife and the patient is open before you。 According to the book； there are many things you can do； many ways you can go。 But you have only one way to go … the right way。 So you make the decision。 Your way。 No matter what the pressures are； no matter what the books say。 You have to go your own way。〃 She looked at him； still smiling。 〃Is that what you're doing； David？〃 she asked gently。 〃Going your own way？〃
He looked at her； marveling at her insight and knowledge。 〃Yes；〃 he said unhesitantly。 〃I'm going my own way。〃
He had never thought of it quite like that。 She was right； though。 He was on his own now。
Jennie was sitting at her desk in the living room； writing checks for the monthly bills； when the door chime rang。 She heard the Mexican woman waddle past her on the way to answer it。 She frowned； looking down at the desk。
She'd been a fool； she thought bitterly； letting herself be talked into that screen test。 She should have known the John was only shooting his mouth off。 Now they were laughing their heads off all over Hollywood。 At least four other Johns had called her up； sarcastically congratulating her on her screen test。 They'd all seen it。
She had known she wasn't an actress。 Why the hell had she fallen for the gag？ Just like every stage…struck kid that came out here。 But she thought she was too wise。 She'd never fall into a trap like that。 Then she'd gone for it； just like all the others。
She should have known the moment she stood in front of the cameras that it wasn't for her。 But she'd read the script。 Mary Magdalene。 At first； she'd almost died laughing。 No wonder Bonner had thought of her。 It was type…casting of a high order。
Then something of the story had got to her。 She'd felt moved and shaken。 She'd lost herself in the part and there were times when she cried while the cameras were on her。 And that was something she hadn't done since she was a little girl。 No wonder they were laughing。 She'd have laughed herself if it had been anyone else。 The whore crying for the whore。 She never should have listened。 The week had gone by and there hadn't been even a word from Bonner。
The heavy footsteps of the Mexican woman sounded behind her。 She looked around。 The servant's beady eyes were inscrutable。 〃Se？or Woolf está aquí。〃
Woolf。 She knew no one by that name。 Maybe he was the new man from the cops。 They'd told her a new man was ing around to pick up the pay…off。
〃De las películas；〃 the servant added quickly。
〃Oh。〃 She nodded。 〃Tráigale aquí。〃 She turned back to her desk as the servant moved away。 Quickly Jennie made a neat pile of the bills and put them in a drawer。 She turned in her chair just as the Mexican returned with a young man。
She looked coldly at him； rising from her chair。 〃Bonner sent you？〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃As a matter of fact； Bonner doesn't even know I'm here。〃
〃Oh。〃 She knew now why he had e。 〃You saw the test？〃
He nodded。
Her voice grew even colder。 〃Then you might as well go；〃 she said。 〃I see no one except by appointment。〃
A faint smile tugged at his lips。 She grew even angrier。 〃And you can tell Bonner for me that he'd better stop showing that test around town or he'll regret it。〃
He laughed； then his face grew serious。 〃I've already done that； Miss Denton。〃
〃You have？〃 She felt her anger dissipating。 〃A thing like that could ruin my business。〃
〃I think you're out of that business；〃 he said quietly。
She stared at him； her eyes large。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃I'm afraid you don't understand；〃 he said； taking a card from his pocket and handing it to her。 She looked down at it。 It was an expensive engraved card。 DAVID WOOLF； it read simply； and down in one corner； the words： EXECUTIVE VICE…PRESIDENT。 Below that was the name of the motion…picture pany Bonner was connected with。 Now she remembered who he was。 She'd read about him in the papers。 The bright young man。 Cord's boy wonder。 She looked up at him。
The faint smile was playing around his lips again。 〃Would you like to play Mary Magdalene？〃
Suddenly； she was nervous。 〃I don't know；〃 she said hesitantly。 〃I thought … it was all a kind of joke to Bonner。〃
〃Perhaps it was；〃 David Woolf said quickly。 〃I don't know what he thought。 But it's no joke to me。 I think you can be a great star。〃 He was silent for a moment。 〃And my wife does； too。〃
She looked at him questioningly。
〃Rosa Strassmer。 She knew you at the hospital four years ago。〃
A light came into her eyes。 〃You mean Dr。 Strassmer？ The one who performed the skin graft on Linda Davis' face？〃
He nodded again； smiling。 〃I was chief nurse in surgery that