按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
d inconsequent。 If she were going into that branch of the art she ought to take lessons； the way Tessie Kearns did。 She now looked so mournful that he was almost moved to tell her this； but her eyes caught his at that moment and in them was a light so curious； so alive with hidden meanings； so eloquent of some iron restraint she put upon her own emotions； that he became confused and turned his gaze from hers almost with the rebuking glare of Henshaw。 She glanced quickly at him again； studying his face for the first time。 There had been such a queer look in this young man's eyes； she understood most looks； but not that one。
Henshaw was treating the late interruption as if it had not been。 〃You see； Governor； the way we got the script now； they're in this tomb alone for the nightunderstand what I meanand that's where the kick comes for the audience。 They know he's a strong young fellow and she's a beautiful girl and absolutely in his powersee what I mean？but he's a gentleman through and through and never lays a hand on her。 Get that？ Then later along comes this Ben Ali Ahab〃
The Montague girl glanced again at the face of the strange young man whose eyes had held a new expression for her； but she and Mr。 Henshaw and the so…called governor and all those other diners who rattled thick crockery and talked unendingly had ceased to exist for Merton Gill。 A dozen tables down the room and nearer the door sat none other than Beulah Baxter。 Alone at her table； she gazed raptly aloft； meditating perhaps some daring new feat。 Merton Gill stared； entranced； frozen。 The Montague girl perfectly understood this look and traced it to its object。 Then she surveyed Merton Gill again with something faintly like pity in her shrewd eyes。 He was still staring； still rapt。
Beulah Baxter ceased to look aloft。 She daintily reached for a wooden toothpick from the bowl before her and arose to pay her check at the near…by counter。 Merton Gill arose at the same moment and stumbled a blind way through the intervening tables。 When he reached the counter Miss Baxter was passing through the door。 He was about to follow her when a cool but cynical voice from the counter said； 〃Hey； Billain't you fergittin' somepin'。〃
He looked for the check for his meal； it should have been in one hand or the other。 But it was in neither。 He must have left it back on his tray。 Now he must return for it。 He went as quickly as he could。 The Montague girl was holding it up as he approached。 〃Here's the little joker； Kid；〃 she said kindly。
〃Thanks！〃 said Merton。 He said it haughtily； not meaning to be haughty； but he was embarrassed and also fearful that Beulah Baxter would be lost。 〃Exit limping；〃 murmured the girl as he turned away。 He hurried again to the door； paid the check and was outside。 Miss Baxter was not to be seen。 His forgetfulness about the check had lost her to him。 He had meant to follow； to find the place where she was working； and look and look and look！ Now he had lost her。 But she might be on one of those stages within the big barns。 Perhaps the day was not yet lost。 He crossed the street； forgetting to saunter； and ventured within the cavernous gloom beyond an open door。 He stood for a moment； his vision dulled by the dusk。 Presently he saw that he faced a wall of canvas backing。 Beyond this were low voices and the sound of people moving。 He went forward to a break in the canvas wall and at the same moment there was a metallic jar and light flooded the enclosure。 From somewhere outside came music； principally the low； leisurely moan of a 'cello。 A beautiful woman in evening dress was with suppressed emotion kneeling at the bedside of a sleeping child。 At the doorway stood a dark； handsome gentleman in evening dress； regarding her with a cynical smile。 The woman seemed to bid the child farewell； and arose with hands to her breast and quivering lips。 The still…smiling gentleman awaited her。 When she came to him； glancing backward to the sleeping child； he threw about her an elaborate fur cloak and drew her to him； his cynical smile changing to one of deceitful tenderness。 The woman still glanced back at the child； but permitted herself to be drawn through the doorway by the insistent gentleman。 From a door the other side of the bed came a kind…faced nurse。 She looked first at the little one then advanced to stare after the departing couple。 She raised her hands tragically and her face became set in a mask of sorrow and despair。 She clasped the hands desperately。
Merton Gill saw his nurse to be the Montague mother。 〃All right；〃 said an authoritative voice。 Mrs。 Montague relaxed her features and withdrew； while an unkempt youth came to stand in front of the still…grinding camera and held before it a placard on which were numbers。 The camera stopped； the youth with the placard vanished。 〃Save it；〃 called another voice； and with another metallic jar the flood of light was turned off。 The 'cello ceased its moan in the middle of a bar。
The watcher recalled some of the girl's chat。 Her mother had a character bit in Her Other Husband。 This would be it； one of those moving tragedies not unfamiliar to the screen enthusiast。 The beautiful but misguided wife had been saying good…by to her little one and was leaving her beautiful home at the solicitation of the false friend in evening dressforgetting all in one mad moment。 The watcher was a tried expert； and like the trained faunal naturalist could determine a species from the shrewd examination of one bone of a photoplay。 He knew that the wife had been ignored by a husband who permitted his vast business interests to engross his whole attention； leaving the wife to seek solace in questionable quarters。 He knew that the shocked but faithful nurse would presently discover the little one to be suffering from a dangerous fever； that a hastily summoned physician would shake his head and declare in legible words； 〃Naught but a mother's love can win that tiny soul back from the brink of Eternity。〃 The father would overhear this； and would see it all then： how his selfish absorption in Wall Street had driven his wife to another。 He would pursue her； would find her ere yet it was too late。 He would discover that her better nature had already prevailed and that she had started back without being sent for。 They would kneel side by side； hand in hand； at the bedside of the little one； who would recover and smile and prattle； and together they would face an untroubled future。
This was all thrilling to Merton Gill； but Beulah Baxter was not here； her plays being clean and wholesome things of the great outdoors。 Far down the great enclosure was another wall of canvas backing； a flood of light above it and animated voices from within。 He stood again to watch。 But this drama seemed to have been suspended。 The room exposed was a bedroom with an open window facing an open door； the actors and the mechanical staff as well were busily hurling knives at various walls。 They were earnest and absorbed in this curious pursuit。 Sometimes they made the knife penetrate the wall； oftener it merely struck and clattered to the floor。 Five knives at once were being hurled by five enthusiasts； while a harried…looking director watched and criticised。
〃You're a clumsy bunch；〃 he announced at last。 〃It's a simple thing to do； isn't it？〃 The knife…throwers redoubled； their efforts； but they did not find it a simple thing to do。
〃Let me try it； Mr。 Burke。〃 It was the Montague girl still in her gipsy costume。 She had been standing quietly in the shadow observing the ineffective practice。
〃Hello； Flips！ Sure； you can try it。 Show these boys something good； now。 Here； Al； give Miss Montague that stickeree of yours。〃 Al seemed glad to relinquish the weapon。 Miss Montague hefted it； and looked doubtful。
〃It ain't balanced right；〃 she declared。 〃Haven't you got one with a heavier handle？〃
〃Fair enough；〃 said the director。 〃Hey； Pickles； let her try that one you got。〃 Pickles； too； was not unwilling to oblige。
〃That's better；〃 said the girl。 〃It's balanced right。〃 Taking the blade by its point between thumb and forefinger she sent it with a quick flick of the wrist into the wall a dozen feet away。 It hung there quivering。
〃There！ That's what we want。 It's got to be quivering when Jack shoots at Ramon who threw it at him as he leaps through the window。 Try it again； Flips。〃 The girl obliged and bowed impressively to the applause。
〃Now come here and try it through the doorway。〃 He led her around the set。 〃Now stand here and see can you put it into the wall just to the right of the window。 Good！ Some little knife…thrower； I'll say。 Now try it once with Jack coming through。 Get set； Jack。〃
Jack made his way to the window through which he was to leap。 He paused there to look in with some concern。 〃Say； Mr。 Burke； will you please make sure she understands？ She isn't to let go of that thing until I'm in and crouched down ready to shootunderstand what I mean？ I don't want to get nicked nor nothing。〃
〃All right； all right！ She understands。〃
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 li