esses could have sworn to seeing him still on the lot。
In the ensuing search even the tank at the lower end of the lot might have been draggedwithout result。
Being little known to the public； however； and in the Patterson home it being supposed that you could never tell about motion…picture actors； his disappearance for the night caused absolutely no slightest ripple。 Public attention as regarded the young man remained at a mirror…like calm； unflawed by even the mildest curiosity。 He had been seen； perhaps； though certainly not noted with any interest； to be one of the group watching a night scene in front of one of the Fifth Avenue mansions。
Lights shone from the draped windows of this mansion and from its portals issued none other than Muriel Mercer； who； as Vera Vanderpool； freed at last from the blight of Broadway； was leaving her palatial home to cast her lot finally with the ardent young tenement worker with the high forehead。 She descended the brown… stone steps； paused once to look back upon the old home where she had been taught to love pleasure above the worth…while things of life； then came on to the waiting limousine； being greeted here by the young man with the earnest forehead who had won her to the better way。
The missing youth might later have been observed； but probably was not； walking briskly in the chill night toward the gate that led to the outer world。 But he wheeled abruptly before reaching this gate； and walked again briskly； this time debouching from the main thoroughfare into the black silence of the Western village。 Here his pace slackened； and halfway down the street he paused irresolutely。 He was under the wooden porch of the Fashion RestaurantGive our Tamales a Trial。 He lingered here but a moment； however； then lurked on down the still thoroughfare； keeping well within the shadow of the low buildings。 Just beyond the street was the log cabin of the big…hearted miners。 A moment later he could not have been observed even by the keenest eye。
Nothing marked his disappearance； at least nothing that would have been noted by the casual minded。 He had simply gone。 He was now no more than the long…vanished cowboys and sheriffs and gamblers and petty tradesmen who had once peopled this street of silence and desolation。
A night watchman came walking presently； flashing an electric torch from side to side。 He noticed nothing。 He was； indeed； a rather imaginative man； and he hoped he would not notice anything。 He did not like coming down this ghostly street； which his weak mind would persist in peopling with phantom crowds from long…played picture dramas。 It gave him the creeps； as he had more than once confessed。 He hurried on； flashing his torch along the blind fronts of the shops in a perfunctory manner。 He was especially nervous when he came to corners。 And he was glad when he issued from the little street into the wider one that was well lighted。
How could he have been expected to notice a very trifling incongruous detail as he passed the log cabin？ Indeed many a keener… eyed and entirely valorous night watchman might have neglected to observe that the leathern latch…string of the cabin's closed door was no longer hanging outside。
CHAPTER VIII
CLIFFORD ARMYTAGE； THE OUTLAW
Dawn brought the wide stretches of the Holden lot into gray relief。 It lightened the big yellow stages and crept down the narrow street of the Western town where only the ghosts of dead plays stalked。 It burnished the rich fronts of the Fifth Avenue mansions and in the next block illumined the rough sides of a miner's cabin。
With more difficulty it seeped through the blurred glass of the one window in this structure and lightened the shadows of its interior to a pale gray。 The long…handled frying…pan rested on the hearth where the little girl had left it。 The dishes of the overnight meal were still on the table； the vacant chairs sprawled about it； and the rifle was in its place above the rude mantel； the picks and shovels awaited the toil of a new day。 All seemed as it had been when the director had closed the door upon it the previous night。
But then the blankets in the lower bunk were seen to heave and to be thrust back from the pale face of Merton Gill。 An elbow came into play； and the head was raised。 A gaze still vague with sleep travelled about the room in dull alarm。 He was waking up in his little room at the Patterson house and he couldn't make it look right。 He rubbed his eyes vigorously and pushed himself farther up。 His mind resumed its broken threads。 He was where he had meant to be from the moment he had spied the blankets in those bunks。
In quicker alarm； now； he reached for his watch。 Perhaps he had slept too late and would be discoveredarrested； jailed！ He found his watch on the floor beside the bunk。 Seven o'clock。 He was safe。 He could dress at leisure； and presently be an early…arriving actor on the Holden lot。 He wondered how soon he could get food at the cafeteria。 Sleeping in this mountain cabin had cursed him with a ravenous appetite； as if he had indeed been far off in the keen air of the North Woods。
He crept from the warm blankets； and from under the straw mattress in which one of the miners had hidden the pouch of nuggetshe took his newly pressed trousers。 Upon a low bench across the room was a battered tin washbasin； a bucket of water brought by the little girl from the spring； and a bar of yellow soap。 He made a quick toilet； and at seven…thirty； a good hour before the lot would wake up； he was dressed and at the door。
It might be chancy； opening that door； so he peered through a narrow crack at first； listening intently。 He could hear nothing and no one was in sight。 He pushed the latchstring through its hole； then opened the door enough to emit his slender shape。
A moment later； ten feet from the closed door； he stood at ease； scanning the log cabin as one who； passing by； had been attracted by its quaint architecture。 Then glancing in both directions to be again sure that he was unobserved； he walked away from his new home。
He did not slink furtively。 He took the middle of the street and there was a bit of swagger to his gait。 He felt rather set up about this adventure。 He reached what might have been called the lot's civic centre and cast a patronizing eye along the ends of the big stages and the long； low dressingroom building across from them。 Before the open door of the warehouse he paused to watch a truck being loaded with handsome furniturea drawing room was evidently to be set on one of the stages。 Rare rugs and beautiful chairs and tables were carefully brought out。 He had rather a superintending air as he watched this process。 He might have been taken for the owner of these costly things； watching to see that no harm befell them。 He strolled on when the truck had received its load。 Such people as he had met were only artisans； carpenters； electricians； property…men。 He faced them all confidently； with glances of slightly amused tolerance。 They were good men in their way but they were not actorsnot artists。
In the neatly landscaped little green place back of the office building a climbing rose grew on a trellis。 He plucked a pink bud； fixed it in his lapel； and strolled down the street past the dressing rooms。 Across from these the doors of the big stages were slid back； and inside he could see that sets were being assembled。 The truckload of furniture came to one of these doors and he again watched it as the stuff was carried inside。
For all these workmen knew； he might presently be earning a princely salary as he acted amid these beautiful objects； perhaps attending a reception in a Fifth Avenue mansion where the father of a beautiful New York society girl would tell him that he must first make good before he could aspire to her hand。 And he would make goodout there in the great open spaces； where the girl would come to him after many adventures and where they would settle to an untroubled future in the West they both loved。
He had slept； he knew wherewith luckhe could sleep again； and he had money in his pocket for several more ample meals。 At this moment he felt equal to anything。 No more than pleasantly aware of his hunger； sharpened by the walk in this keen morning air； he made a nonchalant progress toward the cafeteria。 Motor cars were now streaming through the gate； disgorging other actorstrim young men and beautiful young women who must hurry to the dressing rooms while he could sit at ease in a first…class cafeteria and eat heavily of sustaining foods。 Inside he chose from the restricted menu offered by the place at this early hour and ate in a leisurely； almost condescending manner。 Half…a…dozen other early comers wolfed their food as if they feared to be late for work； but he suffered no such anxiety。 He consumed the last morsel that his tray held； drained his cup of coffee； and jingled the abundant silver coin in his pocket。
True； underneath it； as he plumed himself upon his adventure； was a certain pestering consciousness that all was not so well with him as observers might guess。 But he resolutely put this away each time it threatened to overwhelm him。 He would cross no bridge until he came to it。 He even combated this under