while. He thawed somewhat from
the reserve that Buckeye comedies had put upon him. He chatted amiably.
Under promptings from the girl he spoke freely of his career, both in
Simsbury and in Hollywood. It was twelve o'clock before they seemed
willing to let him go, and from time to time they would pause to gloat
over the stills.

At last Baird said cheerily, "Well, my lad, I need you in my new piece.
How'll it be if I put you on my payroll, beginning to-day, at forty a
week? How about it, hey?"

"Well, I'd like that first rate, only I haven't worked any to-day; you
shouldn't pay me for just coming here."

The manager waved a hand airily. "That's all right, my boy; you've
earned a day's salary just coming here to cheer me up. These mere
comedies get me so down in the dumps sometimes. And besides, you're not
through yet. I'm going to use you some more. Listen, now--" The manager
had become coldly businesslike. "You go up to a little theatre on
Hollywood Boulevard--you can't miss it--where they're running a Harold
Parmalee picture. I saw it last night and I want you to see it to-day,
Better see it afternoon and evening both."

"Yes, sir," said Merton.

"And watch Parmalee. Study him in this picture. You look like him
already, but see if you can pick up some of his tricks, see what I mean?
Because it's a regular Parmalee part I'm going to have you do, see?
Kind of a society part to start with, and then we work in some of your
Western stuff at the finish. But get Parmalee as much as you can. That's
all now. Oh, yes, and can you leave these stills with me? Our publicity
man may want to use them later."

"All right, Mr. Baird, I'll do just what you say, and of course you can
keep the stills as long as I got an engagement with you, and I'm very
glad you're trying to do something really worth while."

"Thanks," said Baird, averting his face.

The girl followed him into the hall. "Great work, boy, and take it from
me, you'll go over. Say, honest now, I'm glad clear down into my boots."
She had both his hands again, and he could see that her eyes were moist.
She seemed to be an impressionable little thing, hysterical one minute
while looking at a bunch of good stills, and sort of weepy the next. But
he was beginning to like her, in spite of her funny talk and free ways.

"And say," she called after him when he had reached the top of the
stairs, "you know you haven't had much experience yet with a bunch of
hard-boiled tro