Part 7 (1/2)

”Where is Millard? I would like to talk to him.”

”I'll try to get him for you. Suppose--” Manton looked at his watch. ”I should be in at the studio,” he explained. ”Everything is at a standstill, probably, and--and so, suppose you and Mr. Jameson ride in with me in my car. Millard might be there.”

Kennedy brightened. ”Good!” Then he looked back to catch the eye of Mackay. ”Let everyone go now,” he directed. ”Don't forget to send me the samples of the body fluids and”--as an afterthought--”you'd better keep a watch on the house.”

VI

THE FIRST CLUE

Manton's car was a high-powered, expensive limousine, fitted inside with every luxury of which the mind of even a prima donna could conceive, painted a vivid yellow that must have made it an object of attention even on its familiar routes. It was quite characteristic of its owner, for Manton, as we learned, missed no chance to advertise himself.

In the back with us was Werner, while the rest of the company were left to return to the city in the two studio cars which had brought them out in the morning. The director, however, seemed buried with his reflections. He took no part in the conversation; paid no attention to us upon the entire trip.

Manton's mind seemed to dwell rather upon the problems brought up by the death of Stella than upon the tragedy itself. The Star's photoplay editor once had remarked to me that the promoter was 90 per cent ”bull,” and 10 per cent efficiency. I found that it was an unfair estimation. With all his self-advertis.e.m.e.nt and almost obnoxious personality, Manton was a more than capable executive in a business where efficiency and method are rare.

”This has been a hoodoo picture from the start,” he exclaimed, suddenly. ”We have been jinxed with a vengeance. Some one has held the Indian sign on us for sure.”

Kennedy, I noticed, listened, studying the man cautiously from the corners of his eyes, but making no effort to draw him out.

”First there were changes to be made in the script, and for those Millard took his own sweet time. Then we were handed a lot of negative which had been fogged in the perforator, a thing that doesn't happen once in a thousand years. But it caught us just as we sent the company down to Delaware Water Gap. A whole ten days' work went into the developer at once. Neither of the camera men caught the fog in their tests because it came in the middle of the rolls. Everything had to be done over again.

”And accidents! We carefully registered the princ.i.p.al accomplice of the 'Black Terror,' a little hunchback with a face to send chills down your back. After we had him in about half the scenes of a sequence of action he was taken sick and died of influenza. First we waited a few days; then we had to take all that stuff over again.

”Our payroll on this picture is staggering. Stella's three thousand a week is cheap for her, the old contract, but it's a lot of money to throw away. Two weeks when she was under the weather cost us six thousand dollars salary and there was half a week we couldn't do any work without her. Gordon and s.h.i.+rley and Marilyn Loring draw down seventeen hundred a week between them. The director's salary is only two hundred short of that. All told 'The Black Terror' is costing us a hundred thousand dollars over our original estimate.

”And now”--it seemed to me that Manton literally groaned--”with Stella Lamar dead--excuse me looking at it this way, but, after all, it is business and I'm the executive at the head of the company--now we must find a new star, Lord knows where, and we must retake every scene in which Stella appeared. It--it's enough to bankrupt Manton Pictures for once and all.”

”Can't you change the story about some way, so you won't lose the value of her work?” asked Kennedy.

”Impossible! We've announced the release and we've got to go ahead.

Fortunately, some of the biggest sets are not taken yet.”

The car pulled up with a flourish before the Manton studio, which was an immense affair of reinforced concrete in the upper Bronx. Then, in response to our horn, a great wide double door swung open admitting us through the building to a large courtyard around which the various departments were built.

Here, there was little indication that the princ.i.p.al star of the company had just met her death under mysterious and suspicious circ.u.mstances. Perhaps, had I been familiar with the ordinary bustle of the establishment, I might have detected a difference. Indeed, it did strike me that there were little knots of people here and there discussing the tragedy, but everything was overshadowed by the aquatic scene being filmed in the courtyard for some other Manton picture. The cramped s.p.a.ce about the concrete tank was alive with people, a mob of extras and stage hands and various employees, a sight which held Kennedy and me for some little time. I was glad when Manton led the way through a long hall to the comparative quiet of the office building. In the reception room there was a decided hush.

”Is Millard here?” he asked of the boy seated at the information desk.

”No, sir,” was the respectful reply. ”He was here this morning and for a while yesterday.”

”You see!” Manton confronted Kennedy grimly. ”This is only one of the things with which we have to contend in this business. I give Millard an office but he's a law unto himself. It's the artistic temperament.

If I interfere, then he says he cannot write and he doesn't produce any ma.n.u.script. Ordinarily he cannot be bothered to work at the studio.

But”--philosophically--”I know where to get him as a general thing. He does most of his writing in his rooms downtown; says there's more inspiration in the confusion of Broadway than in the wilds of the Bronx. I'll phone him.”

We followed the promoter up the stairs to the second and top floor.

Here a corridor gave access to the various executive offices. Its windows at frequent intervals looked down upon the courtyard and the present confusion.

Werner, who had preceded us into the building, now came up. As Manton bustled into his own office to use the telephone the director turned to Kennedy, indicating the next doorway.