"I've got a basic suggestion, but I also have a show to worry about tomorrow night," Lennox stalled. "I'll phone. What's the password? Metatarsal?" She laughed. "Bunions. No, leave a message for me at the switchboard. Just say it's for Olga. They understand a gal's problems." After five minutes more of New Year's preview, Lennox managed to detach her from his anatomy and return to the table. As they sat down, a waiter appeared and presented a telephone message to Bleutcher who read it carefully, then excused himself and lumbered toward the hotel phones. Olga at once took a cigarette from Grabinett's pack, picked up her handbag and departed for the woman's lounge. Lennox and Grabinett were left alone. There was a long pause. Finally Grabinett lifted his eyes and blinked into Jake's hard, level gaze. "If you don't want any trouble, don't say anything," Lennox warned. Grabinett's mouth opened and his face twitched. Lennox poured cold coffee into his cup and went through the motions of drinking it. "Borden wants you and me down to his office for a conference with Bacon," Grabinett blinked suddenly. "Two thirty." Lennox didn't answer. "What's Bacon after?" "Sachs' job," Lennox answered curtly. "The hell he is! He ain't going to get away with it." "He is, and I'm going to help him." "How do you think you're going to swing it? Who's running this Almighty show anyway?" "The three of us are going to vote Sachs out. And if you give us any trouble, I've got an ace in the hole." "What?" "Give Ned a hard time and find out." Grabinett blinked uncertainly. At last he blurted: "All I'm trying to do is keep a show on the air. You're giving me the hard time. That letter scandal, and now Bacon. What are you? In business or in war? Listen. I got a contract with Sachs. He gets a flat weekly retainer and it's a gut-buster. If I keep him working all my shows I just about break even. But if I got to pay out an extra seven and a half bills to Bacon for direction--Will you guys be reasonable! Have a heart!" Lennox stared at Grabinett incredulously. "Are you human?" "I'm asking you to be human." "You knifed me less than twenty-four hours ago. The moment when I needed every check I could get and all the help I could get, you kicked me off the show. And now you have the gall to ask me to have a heart! Lay there and bleed!" "You're crazy!" Grabinett explained. "A crazy writer. What are you cuddling a grudge for? You get yourself into a jam and then you blame me for protecting the show. Didn't you tell me Monday I had to keep my nose clean? So I took your advice. What do you want from me?" "I want the same thing from you that I want from the rest of the world!" Lennox shouted. "I want a fair shake." "Jake! Quiet! Keep it quiet!" Grabinett blinked around in embarrassment, then focussed his twitch on Lennox. He lowered his voice. "All right. Here's a deal. I'll stick with you if you'll stick with me. Yes? You're back on the show."