l alight。 But the light stayed； and at last he nerved himself for a possible encounter。 He let himself in softly； still hoping he could gain his room undiscovered； but Mrs。 Patterson framed herself in the lighted door of the living room and became exclamatory at sight of him。
And he who had thought to stand before these people in shame to receive their condolences now perceived that his trial would be of another but hardly less…distressing sort。 For somehow； so dense were these good folks； that he must seem to be not displeased with his own performance。 Amazingly they congratulated him； struggling with reminiscent laughter as they did so。
〃And you never told us you was one of them funny comedians；〃 chided Mrs。 Patterson。 〃We thought you was just a beginner； and here you got the biggest part in the picture！ Say； the way you acted when you'd pick yourself up after them spurs threw youI'll wake up in the night laughing at that。〃
〃And the way he kept his face so straight when them other funny ones was cutting their capers all around him；〃 observed Mr。 Patterson。
〃Yes！ wasn't it wonderful； Jed； the way he never let on； keeping his face as serious as if he'd been in a serious play？〃
〃I like to fell off my seat；〃 added Mr。 Patterson。
〃I'll tell you something； Mr。 Armytage；〃 began Mrs。 Patterson with a suddenly serious manner of her own； 〃I never been one to flatter folks to their faces unless I felt it from the bottom of my heartI never been that kind； when I tell a person such…and…such about themselves they can take it for the truth's own truth； so you can believe me nowI saw lots of times in that play to…night when you was even funnier than the cross…eyed man。〃
The young actor was regarding her strangely； seemingly he wished to acknowledge this compliment but could find no suitable words。 〃Yes； you can blush and hem and haw；〃 went on his critic； 〃but any one knows me I'll tell you I mean it when I talk that wayyes； sir； funnier than the cross…eyed man himself。 My； I guess the neighbours'll be talking soon's they find out we got someone as important as you be in our spare…roomand； Mr。 Armytage； I want you to give me a signed photograph of yourself； if you'll be so good。〃
He escaped at last； dizzy from the maelstrom of conflicting emotions that had caught and whirled him。 It had been impossible not to appear； and somehow difficult not to feel； gratified under this heartfelt praise。 He had been bound to appear pleased but incredulous； even when she pronounced him superior； at times； to the cross…eyed manthough the word she used was 〃funnier。〃
Betrayed by his friends； stricken； disconsolate； in a panic of despair； he had yet seemed glad to hear that he had been 〃funny。〃 He flew to the sanctity of his room。 Not again could he bear to be told that the acting which had been his soul's high vision was a thing for merriment。
He paced his room a long time； a restless； defenceless victim to recurrent visions of his shame。 Implacably they returned to torture him。 Reel after reel of the ignoble stuff； spawned by the miscreant； Baird； flashed before him； a world of base painted shadows in which he had been the arch offender。
Again and again he tried to make clear to himself just why his own acting should have caused mirth。 Surely he had been serious； he had given the best that was in him。
And the groundlings had guffawed！
Perhaps it was a puzzle he could never solve。 And now he first thought of the new piece。
This threw him into fresh panic。 What awful things； with his high and serious acting； would he have been made to do in that？ Patiently； one by one； he went over the scenes in which he had appeared。 Dazed； confused； his recollection could bring to him little that was ambiguous in them。 But also he had played through Hearts on Fire with little suspicion of its low intentions。
He went to bed at last； though to toss another hour in fruitless effort to solve this puzzle and to free his eyes of those flashing infamies of the night。 Ever and again as he seemed to become composed； free at last of tormenting visions； a mere subtitle would flash in his brain； as where the old mother； when he first punished her insulter； was made by the screen to call out； 〃Kick him on the knee…cap； too！〃
But the darkness refreshed his tired eyes； and sun at last brought him a merciful outlet from a world in which you could act your best and still be funnier than a cross…eyed man。
He awakened long past his usual hour and occupied his first conscious moments in convincing himself that the scandal of the night before had not been a bad dream。 The shock was a little dulled now。 He began absurdly to remember the comments of those who had appeared to enjoy the unworthy entertainment。 Undoubtedly many people had mentioned him with warm approval。 But such praise was surely nothing to take comfort from。 He was aroused from this retrospection by a knock on his door。 It proved to be Mr。 Patterson bearing a tray。 〃Mrs。 P。 thought that you being up so late last night mebbe would like a cup of coffee and a bite of something before you went out。〃 The man's manner was newly respectful。 In this house； at least； Merton Gill was still someone。
He thanked his host； and consumed the coffee and toast with a novel sense of importance。 The courtesy was unprecedented。 Mrs。 Patterson had indeed been sincere。 And scarcely had he finished dressing when Mr。 Patterson was again at the door。
〃A gentleman downstairs to see you； Mr。 Armytage。 〃He says his name is Walberg but you don't know him。 He says it's a business matter。〃
〃Very well； I'll be down。〃 A business matter？ He had no business matters with any one except Baird。
He was smitten with a quick and quite illogical fear。 Perhaps he would not have to tear up that contract and hurl it in the face of the manager who had betrayed him。 Perhaps the manager himself would do the tearing。 Perhaps Baird； after seeing the picture； had decided that Merton Gill would not do。 Instantly he felt resentful。 Hadn't he given the best that was in him？ Was it his fault if other actors had turned into farce one of the worth…while things？
He went to meet Mr。 Walberg with this resentment so warm that his greeting of the strange gentleman was gruff and short。 The caller； an alert； businesslike man； came at once to his point。 He was； it proved； not the representative of a possibly repenting Baird。 He was； on the contrary； representing a rival producer。 He extended his cardThe Bigart Comedies。
〃I got your address from the Holden office； Mr。 Armytage。 I guess I routed you out of bed； eh？ Well； it's like this； if yon ain't sewed up with Baird yet； the Bigart people would like to talk a little business to you。 How about it？〃
〃Business？〃 Mr。 Armytage fairly exploded this。 He was unhappy and puzzled； in consequence； unamiable。
〃Sure； business；〃 confirmed Mr。 Walberg。 〃I understand you just finished another five…reeler for the Buckeye outfit； but how about some stuff for us now？ We can give you as good a company as that one last night and a good line of comedy。 We got a gag man that simply never gets to the end of his string。 He's doping out something right now that would fit you like a gloveand say； it would be a great idea to kind a' specialize in that spur act of yours。 That got over big。 We could work it in again。 An act like that's good for a million laughs。〃
Mr。 Armytage eyed Mr。 Walberg coldly。 Even Mr。 Walberg felt an extensive area of glaciation setting in。
〃I wouldn't think of it；〃 said the actor； still gruffly。
〃Do you mean that you can't come to the Bigart at allon any proposition？〃
〃That's what I mean；〃 confirmed Mr。 Armytage。
〃Would three hundred and fifty a week interest you？〃
〃No；〃 said Mr。 Armytage； though he gulped twice before achieving it。
Mr。 Walberg reported to his people that this Armytage lad was one hard…boiled proposition。 He'd seen lots of 'em in his time； but this bird was a wonder。
Yet Mr。 Armytage was not really so granitic of nature as the Bigart emissary had thought him。 He had begun the interview with a smouldering resentment due to a misapprehension； he had been outraged by a suggestion that the spurs be again put to their offensive use； and he had been stunned by an offer of three hundred and fifty dollars a week。 That was all。
Here was a new angle to the puzzles that distracted him。 He was not only praised by the witless； but he had been found desirable by certain discerning overlords of filmdom。 What could be the secret of a talent that caused people； after viewing it but once； to make reckless offers？
And another thingwhy had he allowed Baird to 〃sew him up〃？ The Montague girl again occupied the foreground of his troubled musings。 She； with her airs of wise importance； had helped to sew him up。 She was a helpless thing； after all； and false of nature。 He would have matters out with her this very day。 But first he must confront Baird in a scene of scorn and reprobation。
On the car he became aware that far back in remote caverns of his mind there ran a teasing memory of some book on the shelves of the Simsbury public library。 He was sure it was not a book he had read。 It was merely the title that hid itself。 Only this had ever interested him； an