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〃What's he trying to do？〃 Pierce asked。 〃Hide her away in a closet and keep her for himself？ You can't do that to a star。 Sooner or later； she busts out。〃
Bonner shrugged。 〃You know Jonas。 Nobody asks why。〃
〃Maybe he'll like the script。〃
〃Even if he did；〃 Bonner said； 〃once he sees you're the agent； the whole deal goes out the window。〃
〃What if the girl puts the pressure on and says she's got to do it？〃
Bonner shrugged。 〃Your guess is as good as mine。 But I'm not going to give it to her。 I'm not getting into trouble over any script。 No matter how good it is； there's always another。〃
Pierce stared at him； his fleshy lips tightening grimly。 〃I got an idea we can make her see it our way；〃 he said。 〃I got my hands on… 〃
Bonner stopped him。 〃Don't tell me。 If it happens； let it e as a pleasant surprise。 I don't want to know anything about it。〃
Pierce stared at him for a moment； then relaxed back into his seat。 He picked up the menu。 〃O。K。； Maurice；〃 he said； smiling。 〃What you going to eat？〃
The mail was on the small desk in the living room when Jennie got back from the studio。 She walked over to the desk and sat down。 〃We'll have dinner about eight thirty；〃 she said。 〃I want to take a bath and rest up first。〃
〃Sí； se？orita；〃 Maria answered and waddled away。
Jennie looked at the mail。 There were two envelopes； one large manila one； which from experience she guessed contained a script； and a letter。 She opened the letter first。 The letterhead across the top read： St。 Mary's College of Nursing。 Her eyes flicked down the page。 It was in Sister M。 Christopher's precise script。
DEAR JENNIE；
This is just a short note to express the appreciation of the students and the staff of St。 Mary's College for the special screening of your picture which you were kind enough to arrange for us。
The Reverend Mother and the sisters； including myself； were all most impressed by the moving expression of the faith and love for our Saviour； Jesus Christ； that you brought to your interpretation of what must have been a most exacting and difficult portrayal。 It is unfortunate indeed that the makers of the motion picture thought it necessary to include certain scenes which we felt could very easily have been omitted without impairment to the story of the Magdalen。 But on the whole； we were extremely pleased that in these troubled times； so noble a demonstration of the Redeeming Grace to be found in the Love of Our Lord is available for all to see。
Now I must close for I am soon due in Surgery。 Since the war； all of us in the school； and in the hospital； are working double shifts due to the shortages of help。 But with Our Lord's Grace； we shall redouble our poor efforts to extend His Mercy。
The Reverend Mother extends to you Her Most Gracious blessing and prays that you may continue to find success and happiness in your new career。
Sincerely yours in J。 C。；
SISTER M。 CHRISTOPHER
A vision of the sister's austere； observant face flashed through her mind； together with a twinge of nostalgia for the years she had spent at the college。 Somehow； it seemed such a long time ago。 It was as if she were a pletely different person from the wide…eyed； nervous girl who first appeared in the Reverend Mother's office。
She remembered the quiet hours of study and the long hours of training and the exhausting hours of sheer drudgery in the hospital。 There had been times when she'd cry out of sheer frustration at her inability to learn all that was taught her。 It was during those moments that the mask of austerity would disappear from the sister's face and she would place her hand fortingly on the girl's shoulder。 〃Work hard and pray hard； Jennie；〃 she'd say gently； 〃and you will learn。 You have the true gift of healing within you。〃
And she would feel forted and her strength would be renewed as she saw how unsparingly the sister gave of herself to all； both patients and students。 It seemed that no matter what hour of the day or night Jennie was on duty； Sister Christopher was always nearby。
Jennie reached for a cigarette。 All of them must be working terribly hard if the sister mentioned it in a letter。 Sister Christopher was never given to make much of her own efforts。 A feeling of uselessness swept through Jennie as she thought of the paratively easy life she led。 She looked down at her strong； lean hands。 She did so little with them now。 The knowledge that was in them seemed to tingle in her fingertips。 There must be something she could do to help the sisters。
There was。 She reached for the telephone at the same time she had the idea and dialed quickly。 〃Rosa？ This is Jennie。〃
〃How are you； Jennie？ David told me how you almost broke up the United States Army with the Hope show。〃
Jennie laughed。 〃The poor kids have been away from women too long。〃
〃Don't hand me that。 The trade papers said you were great。〃
〃Don't tell me David's got you reading them？〃
〃Sure thing；〃 Rosa said。 〃Isn't that what every wife in the business does？ It's the only way they can keep track of what their husbands are doing。〃
〃How's little Bernie？〃
〃Why don't you e over for dinner one night and see for yourself？ It's been a long time。〃
〃I will。 Soon。〃
〃Do you want to talk to David？〃
〃If he's there；〃 Jennie said politely。
〃Good…by； dear；〃 Rosa said； 〃and dinner real soon？ Here's David。〃
〃How's the pride and joy of the Norman lot？〃
〃Fine。 I'm sorry to disturb you at home； David； but I had a little problem I thought you could advise me on。〃
His voice became serious。 〃Shoot。〃
She cleared her throat。 〃I went to St。 Mary's College of Nursing on a scholarship and I was wondering if I could arrange with the studio to take something out of my pay check each week and send it to them the way they do with the Motion Picture Relief Fund。 It would be sort of paying them back a little for all they did for me。〃
〃That's easy。〃 David laughed； a kind of relief in his voice。 〃Just send a note to my office tomorrow morning telling me how much you want taken off and we'll do the rest。 Anything else？〃
〃No； that's all。〃
〃Good。 Now； you e to dinner like Rosa said。〃
〃I will； David。 Good…by。〃
She put down the telephone and looked at the letter again。 She began to feel better。 At least； even if she couldn't be there herself to help； her money would do some good。 She put down the letter and picking up the manila envelope； ripped it open。 She had been right。 It was a script； a long one。
Curiously she read the title on the blue cover。 Aphrodite； a screenplay based on a novel by Pierre Louys。 She opened the script to the first page and a note fell out。 It was brief and to the point。
DEAR MISS DENTON：
It has been a long time since you made a motion picture and I believe you were wise to wait for the proper script with which to follow up your tremendous success in The Sinner。
Aphrodite； I believe； is that script。 It is the one property I have seen that has the scope and the quality to add luster to your career。 I shall be most interested in your reaction。
Sincerely；
DAN PIERCE
She folded the letter and put it back in the script。 That Dan Pierce was a cutie。 He knew better than to submit the script to the studio in the usual manner。 She picked up the script and started upstairs to her room。 She would read it in bed after dinner。
14
DEAR MR。 PIERCE：
Thank you for sending me the enclosed script of Aphrodite； which I am returning。 It is a most interesting screenplay。 However； it is not one that I should particularly care to do。
JENNIE DENTON
She wondered whether she had been right in so summarily dismissing the script。 She had mixed feelings about it。 At night； in bed； reading it for the first time； she could not put it down。 There was a fascination about the story that brought to her mind Standhurst's description of the courtesan who helped rule the world。 The screenplay seemed to capture the sensual imagery and poetry of the original work and yet bring it all within the limitations and confines of the Motion Picture Code。 Yet； the more she read； the less enthusiastic she became。
There was not one single line or scene that could be found objectionab