Radio Mirror: The Magazine of Radio Romances (Jan-June 1943)

sounding firmly in the corridor, his voice back to the pum-pumming of "Good-by, My Lover, Good-by." As I finished the script, the telephone operator came in, and we went down to lunch at the drug store together. But I found that my throat was too closed to let food go past. I tried to choke down a few bites, then gave it up and hurried back to the office. Jeff might already have returned. He wasn't there. Instead, Ralph was pacing the floor of his office angrily. "What's the matter?" I asked. Ralph brought his head up with a jerk, noticing me for the first time. "This!" he exploded, and waved a hand at his desk. "What?" f|E picked up a paper, held it out for *■■*■ me to see. "My questionnaire. From the draft board." I looked at him blankly. "Yes?" "It means I'll be called soon," he cried impatiently. "But didn't you expect it?" I asked. "After all, you have no dependents — " "But — " Suddenly he sank down into the chair behind his desk, and I noticed for the first time that his face was white. "Good heavens!" I cried. "Ralph — A3 you afraid?" He waved his hand, brushing the accusation aside. "Afraid? Lord, no —what is there to be afraid of? We'll never get into this war. A lot of foolishness— taking men away from their jobs, and marching them up and down through the mud. Oh, it's all right for some fellows — men without decent jobs, men with no futures." "A great many men — men with better jobs than yours and finer futures than yours have already gone, and more will go. Gone gladly, most of them, gone without waiting to be called," I told him with a fierceness of feeling that surprised me. And suddenly, I didn't want to hear another word. I didn't want to have to look at him. The ringing of the telephone on my desk rescued me. I went into my own office and picked up the phone. It was the station manager. "Lila," he said, "tell Ralph it's all set for Jeff to do his show tonight." "Jeff's going Lo do Ralph's show?" I repeated hollowly. "That's right," his voice went on. "You were out to lunch when I got the inspiration. Ralph's cold is playing the devil with his voice, and besides, the listeners would get a big kick out of hearing Jeff again, especially now that he's in the Army. The sponsor thinks it's a swell idea, and Jeff says it's okay with him. Will your department whip up some short announcements saying that Jeff will be on the show tonight?" "All right," I said, and repeated it, "all right," before I realized that I'd hung up the phone. The afternoon seemed endless. There was no use in trying to keep Jeff out of my mind. The picture of him as he had looked this morning kept coming back and with it some of the feeling I used to know for him before we were married, when we had worked here together. The feeling when I had wondered if he were going to ask me to marry him — half fear, half hope. I didn't wonder now what he would say when I saw him this afternoon, but how he would say it, and how I would answer, how I would frame the refusal so that it would not hurt him too much —and, oh yes! so that it would not hurt t . ■■■-. . ,■■■,■■■ .,■,■■■■ ■ A portrait by Maria de Kammerer THE 25 HOUR DAY! f I hanks to your SatinFinish Lipstick! J by Constance Luft Huhn, Head of the House of Tangee CARRYING on your regular activities, in addition to your many wartime duties, you've probably complained . . . with the rest of us . . . that 24 hours just aren't enough! That's the reason I urge you to enjoy the longlasting smoothness of Tangee's SATIN-FINISH Lipsticks. They're a boon to the busy woman of today — possibly saving you as much as an hour's make-up time every day by lasting. . .and lasting. . .and lasting! Let your Tangee SATINFINISH Lipstick help you WORK your best. . . by giving you the assurance that you LOOK your best. For Tangee SATINFINISH brings your lips to life with a soft and satiny sheen . . . brings your lips the smooth perfection of an exquisite grooming ! And another tip : Wear the Tangee Rouge that matches your Tangee Lipstick . . . the shade of Tangee Face Powder that matches your complexion! Jamqb SATIN-FINISH NEW TANGEE MEDIUM-RED. a warm, clear shade. Not too dark, not too light . . . just right. TANGEE RED-RED . . ."Rarest, Loveliest Red of Them All," harmonizes perfectly with all fashion colors. TANGEE THEATRICAL RED .. ."The Brilliant Scarlet Lipstick Shade". . . Is always most flattering. TANGEE NATURAL... "Beauty for Duty"conservative make-up for women in uniform. Orange in the stick, it changes to produce your own most becoming shade of blush rose. BEAUTY— Glory of ivoman . . . LIBERTY— Glory of nations . . . Protect them both . . . BUY WAR BONOS AND STAMPS 63