Part 21 (2/2)

They wanted him too.”

”I think that Bilby is too mean for words!”

”Well, I take it that it was his trump card. He must have some powerful influence behind him. But--”

”But what, Mr. Hooley?” asked Ruth eagerly.

”I can see how we might get over the difficulty if the courts will not listen to reason.”

”Oh! Do tell me!”

”We can move the whole company over the Canadian border, and before Bilby can do anything over there we'll have finished 'The Long Lane's Turning.'

That's the only way I see out of the mess.”

”But think of the expense!”

”Sure! I'm thinking of that all the time,” grumbled Hooley. ”And don't you forget that the boss never allows me to lose sight of it. Your interest in this picture is greater than mine, Miss Fielding; but my job is sort of tangled up in it, too. Mr. Hammond is a good man; but he is a good business man first of all. I am afraid that you will be obliged to make some changes in the remaining scenes so as to overcome the difficulty of losing Wonota.”

”I will not do it!” cried the girl, this time in anger.

”Better read your contract. If you won't do it, somebody else will have to. You know, we've got a man at the studio who could change Hamlet into a slap-stick comedy over night, if the emergency arose.”

”I will not agree to have my picture ruined,” said Ruth, almost in tears.

”That isn't the way to look at it,” Hooley observed more kindly. ”Just see that you save your story yourself instead of letting some other person do it for you. That's the answer, I fear.”

Ruth had no appet.i.te for dinner that evening, but she was obliged to meet her friends and the actors and actresses who ate at her table with at least an appearance of cheerfulness.

It was impressed upon her mind more deeply than ever before, however, that her arrangement with the Alectrion Film Corporation was not wholly satisfactory. She had learned so much now about the making of a screen picture that often her advice in the directing of the action was accepted with admiration by Mr. Hooley. Mr. Hammond was not afraid to go away and leave the two to film the most important scenes in a script.

And why should she be tied to certain agreements that cramped her?

Especially in a case of this kind. For the sake of saving expense Mr.

Hammond was likely to insist that the artistic part of ”The Long Lane's Turning” should be sacrificed.

Ruth felt that on her part she would spend twenty-five thousand dollars more (if she had it to spend) in s.h.i.+pping the whole company over the border and making the remainder of the picture in Canada.

”I am going to be in a position some time where I shall have the say as to every detail of the picture,” she told herself. ”I want to be my own manager and my own producer. Otherwise I shall never be happy--nor will I ever be sure of making worth-while pictures.”

For Ruth took this career of hers very seriously indeed. Because she did so, perhaps, the fact that Tom Cameron seemed to consider his work so lightly caused Ruth to criticise the young man harshly. That could only be expected.

Tom did not return for dinner. Nor did Mr. Hammond come back to headquarters. Chess Copley was eager to get the girls out in his _Lauriette_ again.

”Pooh! it's nothing much, I guess,” said Helen, seemingly having lost her first interest in the smugglers and the King of the Pipes. ”And, anyway, I shall not go unless Tom is with us.”

”Why, Helen!” cried Ruth, ”I thought you were so eager.”

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