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240 The Farraguts, husband and wife, ruled '"The King's Own." They drank tea at four and otherwise attempted to impress the world with their complete independence of American musical comedy tradition. Because Jack and Alice Farragut were indispensible to the success of the show, Howard permitted them to dictate to him. As a result many sketches had been withdrawn, several numbers rewritten to the taste of the stars.

Bucky Barton, too, was quite different from Jules Monroe. Bucky wanted dancers, not playmates, men, not boy friends.

Because he was thus at the mercy of his stars and his temperamental dance director, Howard was, he explained, unable to keep his promise to Ken, who had no speaking lines and whose two dances would be individual specialties, not parts of big chorus numbers. This, Ken learned as they sat in their old rendezvous, L'Aiglon, dining, tasting choice French wines.

"I want you to release me," Ken said.

"I can't do that," Howard replied.

"Why not?"

"I propose to keep you under my management indefinitely."

"But I shan't work for you."

"Indefinitely? Of course not. But for a time."

"Can't you see that my being in the show is an absurdity? You admit yourself that you have nothing for me to do. From a professional point of view I can't afford to waste a season on Broadway doing two dance numbers a night."

"You'll make plenty of money."

"I don't want to work in the show."