Jack leaped through the window to a crouch； weapon in hand。 The knife quivered in the wall above him as he shot。
〃Fine and dandy。 Some class； I'll say。 All right； Jack。 Get back。 We'll gun this little scene right here and now。 All ready； Jack； all ready Miss Montaguecamera！one； two； threecome in； Jack。〃 Again the knife quivered in the wall above his head even while he crouched to shoot at the treacherous Mexican who had thrown it。
〃Good work； Flips。 Thanks a whole lot。 We'll do as much for you some time。〃
〃You're entirely welcome； Mr。 Burke。 No trouble to oblige。 How you coming？〃
〃Coming good。 This thing's going to be a knockout。 I bet it'll gross a million。 Nearly done； too； except for some chase stuff up in the hills。 I'll do that next week。 What you doing？〃
〃Oh； everything's jake with me。 I'm over on Number FourToys of Destinyputting a little pep into the mob stuff。 Laid out for two hours； waiting for somethingI don't know what。〃
Merton Gill passed on。 He confessed now to a reluctant admiration for the Montague girl。 She could surely throw a knife。 He must practise that himself sometime。 He might have stayed to see more of this drama but he was afraid the girl would break out into more of her nonsense。 He was aware that she swept him with her eyes as he turned away but he evaded her glance。 She was not a person； he thought； that one ought to encourage。
He emerged from the great building and crossed an alley to another of like size。 Down toward its middle was the usual wall of canvas with half…a…dozen men about the opening at one corner。 A curious whirring noise came from within。 He became an inconspicuous unit of the group and gazed in。 The lights were on； revealing a long table elaborately set as for a banquet； but the guests who stood about gave him instant uneasiness。 They were in the grossest caricatures of evening dress； both men and women； and they were not beautiful。 The gowns of the women were grotesque and the men were lawless appearing； either as to hair or beards or both。 He divined the dreadful thing he was stumbling upon even before he noted the sign in large letters on the back of a folding chair： 〃Jeff Baird's Buckeye Comedies。〃 These were the buffoons who with their coarse pantomime； their heavy horse…play； did so much to debase a great art。 There； even at his side； was the arch offender； none other than Jeff Baird himself； the man whose regrettable sense of so…called humour led him to make these low appeals to the witless。 And even as he looked the cross…eyed man entered the scene。 Garbed in the weirdly misfitting clothes of a waiter； holding aloft a loaded tray of dishes； he entered on roller skates； to halt before Baird with his uplifted tray at a precarious balance。
〃All right； that's better；〃 said Baird。 〃And； Gertie； listen： don't throw the chair in front of him。 That's out。 Now we'll have the entrance again。 You other boys on the rollers； there〃 Three other basely comic waiters on roller skates came to attention。
〃Follow him in and pile up on him when he makes the grand spillsee what I mean？ Get your trays loaded now and get off。 Now you other people； take your seats。 No； no； Annie； you're at the head； I told you。 Tom； you're at the foot and start the rough…house when you get the tray in the neck。 Now； all set。〃
Merton Gill was about to leave this distressing scene but was held in spite of himself by the voice of a newcomer。
〃Hello； Jeff！ Atta boy！〃
He knew without turning that the Montague girl was again at his elbow。 He wondered if she could be following him。
〃Hello； Flips！ How's the kid？〃 The producer had turned cordially to her。 〃Just in time for the breakaway stuff。 See how you like it。〃
〃What's the big idea？〃
〃Swell reception at the Maison de Glue； with the waiters on roller skates in honour of rich Uncle Rollo Glue。 The head waiter starts the fight by doing a fall with his tray。 Tom gets the tray in the neck and soaks the nearest man banquet goes flooey。 Then we go into the chase stuff。〃
〃Which is Uncle Rollo？〃
〃That's him at the table； with the herbaceous border under his chin。〃
〃Is he in the fight？〃
〃I think so。 I was going to rehearse it once more to see if I could get a better idea。 Near as I can see now； everybody takes a crack at him。〃
〃Well； maybe。〃 Montague girl seemed to be considering。 〃Say； how about this； Jeff？ He's awful hungry； see； and he's begun to eat the celery and everything he can reach； and when the mix…up starts he just eats on and pays no attention to it。 Never even looks up； see what I mean？ The fight spreads the whole length of the table； right around Rollo half…a…dozen murders are going on and he just eats and pays no attention。 And he's still eating when they're all down and out； and don't know a thing till Charlie or someone crowns him with the punch…bowl。 How about it？ Ain't there a laugh in that？〃 Baird had listened respectfully and now patted the girl on a shoulder。
〃Good work； Kid！ That's a gag； all right。 The little bean's sparking on all six； ain't it？ Drop around again。 We need folks like you。 Now； listen； Rolloyou there； Rollo； come here and get this。 Now； listenwhen the fight begins〃
Merton Gill turned decisively away。 Such coarse foolery as this was too remote from Beulah Baxter who； somewhere on that lot； was doing something really； as her interview had put it； distinctive and worth while。
He lingered only to hear the last of Baird's instructions to Rollo and the absurd guests； finding some sinister fascination in the man's talk。 Baird then turned to the girl； who had also started off。
〃Hang around； Flips。 Why the rush？〃
〃Got to beat it over to Number Pour。〃
〃Got anything good there？〃
〃Nothing that will get me any billing。 Been waiting two hours now just to look frenzied in a mob。〃
〃Well； say； come around and see me some time。〃
〃All right； Jeff。 Of course I'm pretty busy。 When I ain't working I've got to think about my art。〃
〃No； this is on the level。 Listen； now； sister； I got another two reeler to pull off after this one； then I'm goin' to do something new； see？ Got a big idea。 Probably something for you in it。 Drop in t' the office and talk it over。 Come in some time next week。 'F I ain't there I'll be on the lot some place。 Don't forget； now。〃
Merton Gill； some distance from the Buckeye set； waited to note what direction the Montague girl would take。 She broke away presently； glanced brazenly in his direction； and tripped lightly out the nearest exit。 He went swiftly to one at the far end of the building； and was again in the exciting street。 But the afternoon was drawing in and the street had lost much of its vivacity。 It would surely be too late for any glimpse of his heroine。 And his mind was already cluttered with impressions from his day's adventure。 He went out through the office； meaning to thank the casting director for the great favour she had shown him； but she was gone。 He hoped the headache had not driven her home。 If she were to suffer again he hoped it would be some morning。 He would have the Eezo wafers in one pocket and a menthol pencil in the other。 And she would again extend to him the freedom of that wonderful city。
In his room that night he tried to smooth out the jumble in his dazed mind。 Those people seemed to say so many things they considered funny but that were not really funny to any one else。 And moving…picture plays were always waiting for something； with the bored actors lounging about in idle apathy。 Still in bis ears sounded the drone of the sawmill and the deep purr of the lights when they were put on。 That was a funny thing。 When they wanted the lights on they said 〃Kick it；〃 and when they wanted the lights off they said 〃Save it！〃 And why did a boy come out after every scene and hold up a placard with numbers on it before the camera？ That placard had never shown in any picture he had seen。 And that queer Montague girl； always turning up when you thought you had got rid of her。 Still； she had thrown that knife pretty well。 You had to give her credit for that。 But she couldn't be much of an actress； even if she had spoken of acting with Miss Baxter； of climbing down cables with her and falling off cliffs。 Probably she was boasting； because he had never seen any one but Miss Baxter do these things in her pictures。 Probably she had some very minor part。 Anyway； it was certain she couldn't be much of an actress because she had almost promised to act in those terrible Buckeye comedies。 And of course no one with any real ambition or capacity could consider such a thing descending to rough horse…play for the amusement of the coarser element among screen patrons。
But there was one impression from the day's whirl that remained clear and radiant： He had looked at the veritable face of his heroine。 He began his letter to Tessie Kearns。 〃At last I have seen Miss Baxter face to face。 There was no doubt about its being her。 You would have known her at once。 And how beautiful she is！ She was looking up and seemed inspired； probably thinking about her part。 She reminded me of that beautiful picture of St。 Cecelia playing on the piano。 。 。 。〃
CHAPTER VI
UNDER THE GLASS TOPS
He approached the office of the Holden studios the following