按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
cornice of a skyscraper； hundreds of feet above a crowded thoroughfare。 They had her； as the screen said； 〃Depressed by the Grim Menace of Tragedy that Impended in the Shadows。〃 They gave her a brief respite in one of those gilded resorts 〃Where the Clink of Coin Opens Wide the Portals of Pleasure； Where Wealth Beckons with Golden Fingers；〃 but this was only a trap for the unsuspecting girl； who was presently； sewed in a plain sack； tossed from the stern of an ocean liner far out at sea by creatures who would do anything for moneywho； so it was said； were Remorseless in the Mad Pursuit of Gain。
At certain gripping moments it became apparent to one of the audience that Mrs。 Sigmund Rosenblatt herself was no longer in jeopardy。 He knew the girl who was； and profoundly admired her artistry as she fled along the narrow cornice of the skyscraper。 For all purposes she was Beulah Baxter。 He recalled her figure as being… …not exactly stubby； but at least not of marked slenderness。 Yet in the distance she was indeed all that an audience could demand。 And she was honest； while Mrs。 Rosenblatt； in the Majestic Theatre at Peoria； Illinois； had trifled airily with his faith in women and deceived him by word of mouth。
He applauded loudly at the sensational finish； when Hortense； driving her motor car at high speed across the great bridge； ran into the draw； that opened too late for her to slow down； and plunged to the cruel waters far below。
Mrs。 Rosenblatt would possibly have been a fool to do this herself。 The Montague girl had been insistent on that point； there were enough things she couldn't avoid doing； and all stars very sensibly had doubles for such scenes when distance or action permitted。 At the same time； he could never again feel the same toward her。 Indeed； he would never have felt the same even had there been no Rosenblatt。 Art was art！
It was only five o'clock when he left the picture theatre； but he ate again at the luxurious cafeteria。 He ate a large steak； drank an immense quantity of milk； and bought another box of candy on his way to the Patterson home。 Lights were on there； and he went in to face the woman he had so long kept out of her money。 She would probably greet him coldly and tell him she was surprised at his actions。
Yet it seemed that he had been deceived in this society woman。 She was human； after all。 She shook hands with him warmly and said they were glad to see him back； he must have been out on location； and she was glad they were not to lose him； because he was so quiet and regular and not like some other motion…picture actors she had known。
He told her he had just put in a hard week on the Holden lot； where things were beginning to pick up。 He was glad she had missed him； and he certainly had missed his comfortable room； because the accommodations on the lot were not of the best。 In fact； they were pretty unsatisfactory； if you came right down to it； and he hoped they wouldn't keep him there again。 And； oh； yeshe was almost forgetting。 Here was ten dollarshe believed there were two weeks' rent now due。 He passed over the money with rather a Clifford Armytage flourish。
Mrs。 Patterson accepted the bill almost protestingly。 She hadn't once thought about the rent； because she knew he was reliable； and he was to remember that any time convenient to him would always suit her in these matters。 She did accept the bill； still she was not the heartless creature he had supposed her to be。
As he bade her good…night at the door she regarded him closely and said； 〃Somehow you look a whole lot older； Mr。 Armytage。〃
〃I am；〃 replied Mr。 Armytage。
* * * * * * *
Miss Montague； after parting with her protege had walked quickly； not without little recurrent dance stepsas if some excess of joy would ever and again overwhelm herto the long office building on the Holden lot； where she entered a door marked 〃Buckeye Comedies。 Jeff Baird； Manager。〃 The outer office was vacant； but through the open door to another room she observed Baird at his desk； his head bent low over certain sheets of yellow paper。 He was a bulky； rather phlegmatic looking man； with a parrot…like crest of gray hair。 He did not look up as the girl entered。 She stood a moment as if to control her excitement； then spoke。
〃Jeff； I found a million dollars for you this morning。〃
〃Thanks！〃 said Mr。 Baird； still not looking up。 〃Chuck it down in the coal cellar； will you？ We're littered with the stuff up here。〃
〃On the level； Jeff。〃
Baird looked up。 〃On the level？〃
〃You'll say so。〃
〃Shoot！〃
〃Well； he's a small…town hick that saved up seventy…two dollars to come here from Goosewallow； Michigan； to go into pictures…took a correspondence course in screenacting and all that； and he went broke and slept in a property room down in the village all last week； no eats at all for three； four days。 I'd noticed him around the lot on different sets； something about him that makes you look a second time。 I don't know what it is…kind of innocent and bug…eyed the way he'd rubber at things； but all the time like as if he thought he was someone。 Well； I keep running across him and pretty soon I notice he's up against it。 He still thinks he's someone； and is very up…stage if you start to kid him the least bit； but the signs are there； all right。 He's up against it good and hard。
〃All last week he got to looking worse and worse。 But he still had his stage presence。 Say； yesterday he looked like the juvenile lead of a busted road show that has walked in from Albany and was just standing around on Broadway wondering who he'd consent to sign up with for forty weekssee what I mean？…hungry but proud。 He was over on the Baxter set last night while I was doing the water stuff； and you'd ought to see him freeze me when I suggested a sandwich and a cup o' coffee。 It was grand。
〃Well； this morning I'm back for a bar pin of Baxter's I'd lost； and there he is again； no overcoat； shivering his teeth loose； and all in。 So I fell for him。 Took him up for some coffee and eggs； staked him to his room rent； and sent him off to get cleaned and barbered。 But before he went he cut loose and told me his history from the cradle to Hollywood。
〃I'd 'a' given something good if you'd been at the next table。 I guess he got kind of jagged on the food； see？ He'd tell me anything that run in his mind； and most of it was good。 You'll say so。 I'll get him to do it for you sometime。 Of all the funny nuts that make this lot！ Well； take my word for it； that's all I ask。 And listen here； JeffI'm down to cases。 There's something about this kid； like when I tell you I'd always look at him twice。 And it's something rich that I won't let out for a minute or two。 But here's what you and me do； right quick：
〃The kid was in that cabaret and gambling…house stuff they shot last week for The Blight of Broadway； and this something that makes you look at him must of struck Henshaw the way it did me； for he let him stay right at the edge of the dance floor and took a lot of close… ups of him looking tired to death of the gay night life。 Well； you call up the Victor folks and ask can you get a look at that stuff because you're thinking of giving a part to one of the extras