merton of the movies-第56章

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ply；　of　accessible　homes　where　two　could　live　as　cheaply　as　one。

It　was　not　until　be　was　about　to　go；　when　he　stood　at　the　door　while　the　girl　readjusted　his　cravat；　smoothed　his　hair；　and　administered　a　final　series　of　pats　where　they　seemed　most　needed；　that　he　broke　ever　so　slightly　through　the　reserve　which　both　had　felt　congealing　about　a　certain　topic。

〃You　know；〃　he　said；　〃I　happened　to　remember　the　title　of　a　book　this　morning；　a　book　I　used　to　see　back　in　the　public　library　at　home。　It　wasn't　one　I　ever　read。　Maybe　Tessie　Kearns　read　it。　Anyway；　she　had　a　poem　she　likes　a　lot　written　by　the　same　man。　She　used　to　read　me　good　parts　of　it。　But　I　never　read　the　book　because　the　title　sounded　kind　of　wild；　like　there　couldn't　be　any　such　thing。　The　poem　had　just　a　plain　name；　it　was　called　'Lucile；'　but　the　book　by　the　same　man　was　called　'The　Tragic　Comedians。'　You　wouldn't　think　there　could　be　a　tragic　comedian　would　you？well；　look　at　me。〃

She　looked　at　him；　with　that　elusive；　remote　flickering　back　in　her　eyes；　but　she　only　said；　〃Be　sure　and　come　take　me　out　to　dinner。　To…night　I　can　eat。　And　don't　forget　your　overcoat。　And　listen　don't　you　dare　go　into　Himebaugh's　till　I　can　go　with　you。〃

One　minute　after　he　had　gone　the　Montague　girl　was　at　the　telephone。

〃Hello！　Mr。　Baird；　please。　Is　this　Mr。　Baird？　Well；　Jeff；　everything's　jake。　Yeah。　The　poor　thing　was　pretty　wild　when　he　got　here。　First　he　began　to　bluff。　He'd　got　an　earful　from　someone；　probably　over　on　the　lot。　And　he　put　it　over　on　me　for　a　minute；　too。　But　he　didn't　last　good。　He　was　awful　broke　up　when　the　end　came。　Bless　his　heart。　But　you　bet　I　kissed　the　hurt　place　and　made　it　well。　How　about　him　now？　Jeff；　I'm　darned　if　I　can　tell　except　he's　right　again。　When　he　got　here　he　was　some　heart…broke　and　some　mad　and　some　set　up　on　account　of　things　he　hears　about　himself。　I　guess　he's　that　way　still；　except　I　mended　the　heart…break。　I　can't　quite　make　him　outhe's　like　a　book　where　you　can't　guess　what's　coming　in　the　next　chapter；　so　you　keep　on　reading。　I　can　see　we　ain't　ever　going　to　talk　much　about　itnot　if　we　live　together　twenty　years。　What's　that？　Yeah。　Didn't　I　tell　you　he　was　always　getting　me；　somehow？　Well；　now　I'm　got。　Yeah。　We're　gonna　do　an　altar　walk。　What？　Oh；　right　away。　Say；　honest；　Jeff；　I'll　never　have　an　easy　minute　again　while　he's　out　of　my　sight。　Helpless！　You　said　it。　Thanks；　Jeff。　I　know　that；　old　man。　Good…by！〃




CHAPTER　XX

ONWARD　AND　UPWARD


At　the　first　showing　of　the　Buckeye　company's　new　five…reel　comedy　Five　Reels…500　Laughsentitled　Brewing　Trouble；　two　important　members　of　its　cast　occupied　balcony　seats　and　one　of　them　throughout　the　piece　brazenly　applauded　the　screen　art　of　her　husband。　〃I　don't　care　who　sees　me；〃　she　would　reply　ever　and　again　to　his　whispered　protests。

The　new　piece　proved　to　be　a　rather　broadly　stressed　burlesque　of　the　type　of　picture　drama　that　has　done　so　much　to　endear　the　personality　of　Edgar　Wayne　to　his　public。　It　was　accorded　a　hearty　reception。　There　was　nothing　to　which　it　might　be　compared　save　the　company's　previous　Hearts　on　Fire；　and　it　seemed　to　be　felt　that　the　present　offering　had　surpassed　even　that　masterpiece　of　satire。

The　Gills；　above　referred　to；　watched　the　unwinding　celluloid　with　vastly　different　emotions。　Mrs。　Gill　was　hearty　in　her　enjoyment；　as　has　been　indicated。　Her　husband；　superficially；　was　not　displeased。　But　beneath　that　surface　of　calm　approvalbeneath　even　the　look　of　bored　indifference　he　now　and　then　managedthere　still　ran　a　complication　of　emotions；　not　the　least　of　which　was　honest　bewilderment。　People　laughed；　so　it　must　be　funny。　And　it　was　good　to　be　known　as　an　artist　of　worth；　even　if　the　effects　of　your　art　were　unintended。

It　was　no　shock　to　him　to　learn　now　that　the　mechanical　appliance　in　his　screen…mother's　kitchen　was　a　still；　and　that　the　grape　juice　the　honest　country　boy　purveyed　to　the　rich　New　Yorker　had　been　improved　in　rank　defiance　of　a　constitutional　amendment。　And　even　during　the　filming　of　the　piece　he　had　suspected　that　the　little　sister；　so　engagingly　played　by　the　present　Mrs。　Gill；　was　being　too　bold。　With　slight　surprise；　therefore；　as　the　drama　unfolded；　he　saw　that　she　had　in　the　most　brazen　manner　invited　the　attentions　of　the　city　villains。

She　had；　in　truth；　been　only　too　eager　to　be　lured　to　the　great　city　with　all　its　pitfalls；　and　had　bidden　the　old　home　farewell　in　her　simple　country　way　while　each　of　the　villains　in　turn　had　awaited　her　in　his　motor…car。　What　Merton　had　not　been　privileged　to　watch　were　the　later　developments　of　this　villainy。　For　just　beyond　the　little　hamlet　at　a　lonely　spot　in　the　road　each　of　the　motor…cars　had　been　stopped　by　a　cross…eyed　gentleman　looking　much　like　the　clerk　in　the　hotel；　save　that　he　was　profusely　bewhiskered　and　bore　side…arms　in　a　menacing　fashion。

Declaring　that　no　scoundrel　could　take　his　little　daughter　from　him；　he　deprived　the　villains　of　their　valuables；　so　that　for　a　time　at　least　they　should　not　bring　other　unsuspecting　girls　to　grief。　As　a　further　precaution　he　compelled　them　to　abandon　their　motor…cars；　in　which　he　drove　off　with　the　rescued　daughter。　He　was　later　seen　to　sell　the　cars　at　a　wayside　garage；　and；　after　dividing　their　spoils　with　his　daughter；　to　hail　a　suburban　trolley　upon　which　they　both　returned　to　the　home　nest；　where　the　little　girl　would　again　languish　at　the　gate；　a　prey　to　any　designing　city　man　who　might　pass。

She　seemed　so　defenceless　in　her　wild…rose　beauty；　her　longing　for　pretty　clothes　and　city　ways；　and　yet　so　capably　pro　by　this　opportune　father　who　appeared　to　foresee　the　moment　of　her　flights。

He　learned　without　a　tremor　that　among　the　triumphs　of　his　inventive　genius　had　been　a　machine　for　making　tendollar　bills；　at　which　the　New　York　capitalist　had　exclaimed　that　the　state　right　for　Iowa　alone　would　bring　one　hundred　thousand　dollars。　Even　more　remunerative；　it　would　seem；　had　been　his　other　patentthe　folding　boomerang。　The　manager　of　the　largest　boomerang　factory　in　Australia　stood　ready　to　purchase　this　device　for　ten　million　dollars。　And　there　was　a　final　view　of　the　little　home　after　prosperity　had　come　to　its　inmates　so　long　threatened　with　ruin。　A　sign　over　the　door　read　〃Ye　Olde　Fashioned　Gifte　Shoppe；〃　and　under　it；　flaunted　to　the　wayside；　was　the　severely　simple　trade…device　of　a　high　boot。

These　things　he　now　knew　were　to　be　expected　among　the　deft　infamies　of　a　Buckeye　comedy。　But　the　present　piece　held　in　store　for　him　a　complication　that；　despite　his　already　rich　experience　of　Buckeye　methods；　caused　him　distressing　periods　of　heat　and　cold　while　he　watched　its　incredible　unfolding。　Early　in　the　piece；　indeed；　he　had　begun　to　suspect　in　the　luring　of　his　little　sister　a　grotesque　parallel　to　the　bold　advances　made　him　by　the　New　York　society　girl。　He　at　once　feared　some　such　interpretation　when　he　saw　himself　coy　and　embarrassed　before　her　down…right　attack；　and　he　was　certain　this　was　intended　when　he　beheld　himself　embraced　by　this　reckless　young　woman　who　behaved　in　the　manner　of　male　screen　idols　during　the　last　dozen　feet　of　the　last　reel。　But　how　could　he　have　suspected　the　lengths　to　which　a　perverted　spirit　of　satire　would　lead　the　Buckeye　director？

For　now　he　staggered　through　the　blinding　snow；　a　bundle　clasped　to　his　breast。　He　fell；　half　fainting；　at　the　door　of　the　old　home。　He　groped　for　the　knob　and　staggered　in　to　kneel　at　his　mother's　feet。　And　she　sternly　repulsed　him；　a　finger　pointing　to　the　still　open　door。

Unbelievably　the　screen　made　her　say；　〃He　wears　no　ring。　Back　to　the　snow　with　'em　both！　Throw　'em　Way　Down　East！〃

And　Baird　had　said　the　bundle　would　contain　one　of　his　patents！

Mrs。　Gill　watched　this　scene　with　tense　absorption。　When　the　mother's　iron　heart　had　relented　she　turned　to　her　husband。　〃You　dear　thing；　that　was　a　beautiful　piece　of　work。　You're　set　now。　That　cinches　your　future。　Only；　dearest；　never；　never；　never　let　it　show　on　your　face　that　you　think　it's　funny。　That's　all　you'll　ever　have　to　be　afraid　of　in　your　work。〃

〃I　won't；〃　he　said　stoutly。

He　shiveredor　did　he　shudder？and　quickly　reached　to　take　her　hand。　It　was　a　simple；　direct　gesture；　yet　somehow　it　richly　had　the　quality　of　pleading。

〃Mother　understands；〃　she　whispered。〃　Only　remember；　you　mustn't　seem　to　think　it's　funny。〃

〃I　won't；〃　he　said　again。　But　in　his　torn　heart　he　stubbornly　cried；　〃I　don't；　I　don't！〃

*　*　*　*　*　*　*

Some　six　months　later　that　representative　magazine；　Silver　Screenings；　emblazoned　upon　its　front　cover　a　promise　that　in　the　succeeding　number　would　appear　a　profusely　illustrated　interview　by　Augusta　Blivens　with　that　rising　young　screen　actor；　Merton　Gill。

The　promise　was　kept。　The　interview　wandered　amid　photographic　reproductions　of　the　luxurious　Hollywood　bungalow；　set　among　palms　and　climbing　roses；　the　actor　and　his　wife　in　their　high…powered　roadster　（Mrs。　Gill　at　the　wheel）；　the　actor　in　his　costume　of　chaps　and　sombrero；　rolling　a　cigarette；　the　actor　in　evening　dress；　the　actor　in　his　famous　scene　of　the　Christmas　eve　return　in　Brewing　Trouble；　the　actor　regaining　his　feet　in　his　equally　famous　scene　of　the　malignant　spurs；　the　actor　and　his　young　wife；　on　the　lawn　before　the　bungalow；　and　the　young　wife　aproned；　in　her　kitchen；　earnestly　busy　with　spoon　and　mixing　bowl。

〃It　is　perhaps　not　generally　known；〃　wrote　Miss　Blivens；　〃that　the　honour　of　having　discovered　this　latest　luminary　in　the　stellar　firmament　should　be　credited　to　Director　Howard　Henshaw　of　the　Victor　forces。　Indeed；　I　had　not　known　this　myself　until　the　day　I　casually　mentioned　the　Gills　in　his　presence。　I　lingered　on　a　set　of　Island　Love；　at　present　being　filmed　by　this　master　of　the　unspoken　drama；　having　but　a　moment　since　left　that　dainty　little　reigning　queen　of　the　celluloid　dynasty；　Muriel　Mercer。　Seated　with　her　in　the　tiny　bijou　boudoir　of　her　bungalow　dressing　room　on　the　great　Holden　lot；　its　walls　lined　with　the　works　of　her　favourite　authors…　…for　one　never　finds　this　soulful　little　girl　far　from　the　books　that　have　developed　her　mentally　as　the　art　of　the　screen　has　developed　her　emotionallyshe　had　referred　me　to　the　director　when　I　sought　further　details　of　her　forthcoming　great　production；　an　idyl　of　island　romance　and　adventure。　And　presently；　when　I　had　secured　from　him　the　information　I　needed　concerning　this　unique　little　drama　of　the　great　South　Seas；　I　chanced　to　mention　my　approaching　encounter　with　the　young　star　of　the　Buckeye　forces；　an　encounter　to　which　I　looked　forward　with　some　dismay。

〃Mr。　Henshaw；　pausing　in　his　task　of　effecting　certain　changes　in　the　interior　of　the　island　hut；　reassured　me。　'You　need　have　no　fear　about　your　meeting　with　Gill；'　he　said。　'You　will　find　him　quite　simple　and　unaffected；　an　artist；　and　yet　sanely　human。'　It　was　now　that　he　revealed　his　own　part　in　the　launching　of　this　young　star。　'I　fancy　it　is　not　generally　known；'　he　continued；　'that　to　me　should　go　the　honour　of　having　〃discovered〃　Gill。　It　is　a　fact；　however。　He　appeared　as　an　extra　one　morning　in　the　cabaret　scene　we　used　in　Miss　Mercer's　tremendous　hit；　The　Blight　of　Broadway。　Instantly；　as　you　may　suppose；　I　was　struck　by　the　extraordi