merton of the movies-第30节

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esses　could　have　sworn　to　seeing　him　still　on　the　lot。

In　the　ensuing　search　even　the　tank　at　the　lower　end　of　the　lot　might　have　been　draggedwithout　result。

Being　little　known　to　the　public；　however；　and　in　the　Patterson　home　it　being　supposed　that　you　could　never　tell　about　motion…picture　actors；　his　disappearance　for　the　night　caused　absolutely　no　slightest　ripple。　Public　attention　as　regarded　the　young　man　remained　at　a　mirror…like　calm；　unflawed　by　even　the　mildest　curiosity。　He　had　been　seen；　perhaps；　though　certainly　not　noted　with　any　interest；　to　be　one　of　the　group　watching　a　night　scene　in　front　of　one　of　the　Fifth　Avenue　mansions。

Lights　shone　from　the　draped　windows　of　this　mansion　and　from　its　portals　issued　none　other　than　Muriel　Mercer；　who；　as　Vera　Vanderpool；　freed　at　last　from　the　blight　of　Broadway；　was　leaving　her　palatial　home　to　cast　her　lot　finally　with　the　ardent　young　tenement　worker　with　the　high　forehead。　She　descended　the　brown…　stone　steps；　paused　once　to　look　back　upon　the　old　home　where　she　had　been　taught　to　love　pleasure　above　the　worth…while　things　of　life；　then　came　on　to　the　waiting　limousine；　being　greeted　here　by　the　young　man　with　the　earnest　forehead　who　had　won　her　to　the　better　way。

The　missing　youth　might　later　have　been　observed；　but　probably　was　not；　walking　briskly　in　the　chill　night　toward　the　gate　that　led　to　the　outer　world。　But　he　wheeled　abruptly　before　reaching　this　gate；　and　walked　again　briskly；　this　time　debouching　from　the　main　thoroughfare　into　the　black　silence　of　the　Western　village。　Here　his　pace　slackened；　and　halfway　down　the　street　he　paused　irresolutely。　He　was　under　the　wooden　porch　of　the　Fashion　RestaurantGive　our　Tamales　a　Trial。　He　lingered　here　but　a　moment；　however；　then　lurked　on　down　the　still　thoroughfare；　keeping　well　within　the　shadow　of　the　low　buildings。　Just　beyond　the　street　was　the　log　cabin　of　the　big…hearted　miners。　A　moment　later　he　could　not　have　been　observed　even　by　the　keenest　eye。

Nothing　marked　his　disappearance；　at　least　nothing　that　would　have　been　noted　by　the　casual　minded。　He　had　simply　gone。　He　was　now　no　more　than　the　long…vanished　cowboys　and　sheriffs　and　gamblers　and　petty　tradesmen　who　had　once　peopled　this　street　of　silence　and　desolation。

A　night　watchman　came　walking　presently；　flashing　an　electric　torch　from　side　to　side。　He　noticed　nothing。　He　was；　indeed；　a　rather　imaginative　man；　and　he　hoped　he　would　not　notice　anything。　He　did　not　like　coming　down　this　ghostly　street；　which　his　weak　mind　would　persist　in　peopling　with　phantom　crowds　from　long…played　picture　dramas。　It　gave　him　the　creeps；　as　he　had　more　than　once　confessed。　He　hurried　on；　flashing　his　torch　along　the　blind　fronts　of　the　shops　in　a　perfunctory　manner。　He　was　especially　nervous　when　he　came　to　corners。　And　he　was　glad　when　he　issued　from　the　little　street　into　the　wider　one　that　was　well　lighted。

How　could　he　have　been　expected　to　notice　a　very　trifling　incongruous　detail　as　he　passed　the　log　cabin？　Indeed　many　a　keener…　eyed　and　entirely　valorous　night　watchman　might　have　neglected　to　observe　that　the　leathern　latch…string　of　the　cabin's　closed　door　was　no　longer　hanging　outside。



CHAPTER　VIII

CLIFFORD　ARMYTAGE；　THE　OUTLAW


Dawn　brought　the　wide　stretches　of　the　Holden　lot　into　gray　relief。　It　lightened　the　big　yellow　stages　and　crept　down　the　narrow　street　of　the　Western　town　where　only　the　ghosts　of　dead　plays　stalked。　It　burnished　the　rich　fronts　of　the　Fifth　Avenue　mansions　and　in　the　next　block　illumined　the　rough　sides　of　a　miner's　cabin。

With　more　difficulty　it　seeped　through　the　blurred　glass　of　the　one　window　in　this　structure　and　lightened　the　shadows　of　its　interior　to　a　pale　gray。　The　long…handled　frying…pan　rested　on　the　hearth　where　the　little　girl　had　left　it。　The　dishes　of　the　overnight　meal　were　still　on　the　table；　the　vacant　chairs　sprawled　about　it；　and　the　rifle　was　in　its　place　above　the　rude　mantel；　the　picks　and　shovels　awaited　the　toil　of　a　new　day。　All　seemed　as　it　had　been　when　the　director　had　closed　the　door　upon　it　the　previous　night。

But　then　the　blankets　in　the　lower　bunk　were　seen　to　heave　and　to　be　thrust　back　from　the　pale　face　of　Merton　Gill。　An　elbow　came　into　play；　and　the　head　was　raised。　A　gaze　still　vague　with　sleep　travelled　about　the　room　in　dull　alarm。　He　was　waking　up　in　his　little　room　at　the　Patterson　house　and　he　couldn't　make　it　look　right。　He　rubbed　his　eyes　vigorously　and　pushed　himself　farther　up。　His　mind　resumed　its　broken　threads。　He　was　where　he　had　meant　to　be　from　the　moment　he　had　spied　the　blankets　in　those　bunks。

In　quicker　alarm；　now；　he　reached　for　his　watch。　Perhaps　he　had　slept　too　late　and　would　be　discoveredarrested；　jailed！　He　found　his　watch　on　the　floor　beside　the　bunk。　Seven　o'clock。　He　was　safe。　He　could　dress　at　leisure；　and　presently　be　an　early…arriving　actor　on　the　Holden　lot。　He　wondered　how　soon　he　could　get　food　at　the　cafeteria。　Sleeping　in　this　mountain　cabin　had　cursed　him　with　a　ravenous　appetite；　as　if　he　had　indeed　been　far　off　in　the　keen　air　of　the　North　Woods。

He　crept　from　the　warm　blankets；　and　from　under　the　straw　mattress　in　which　one　of　the　miners　had　hidden　the　pouch　of　nuggetshe　took　his　newly　pressed　trousers。　Upon　a　low　bench　across　the　room　was　a　battered　tin　washbasin；　a　bucket　of　water　brought　by　the　little　girl　from　the　spring；　and　a　bar　of　yellow　soap。　He　made　a　quick　toilet；　and　at　seven…thirty；　a　good　hour　before　the　lot　would　wake　up；　he　was　dressed　and　at　the　door。

It　might　be　chancy；　opening　that　door；　so　he　peered　through　a　narrow　crack　at　first；　listening　intently。　He　could　hear　nothing　and　no　one　was　in　sight。　He　pushed　the　latchstring　through　its　hole；　then　opened　the　door　enough　to　emit　his　slender　shape。

A　moment　later；　ten　feet　from　the　closed　door；　he　stood　at　ease；　scanning　the　log　cabin　as　one　who；　passing　by；　had　been　attracted　by　its　quaint　architecture。　Then　glancing　in　both　directions　to　be　again　sure　that　he　was　unobserved；　he　walked　away　from　his　new　home。

He　did　not　slink　furtively。　He　took　the　middle　of　the　street　and　there　was　a　bit　of　swagger　to　his　gait。　He　felt　rather　set　up　about　this　adventure。　He　reached　what　might　have　been　called　the　lot's　civic　centre　and　cast　a　patronizing　eye　along　the　ends　of　the　big　stages　and　the　long；　low　dressingroom　building　across　from　them。　Before　the　open　door　of　the　warehouse　he　paused　to　watch　a　truck　being　loaded　with　handsome　furniturea　drawing　room　was　evidently　to　be　set　on　one　of　the　stages。　Rare　rugs　and　beautiful　chairs　and　tables　were　carefully　brought　out。　He　had　rather　a　superintending　air　as　he　watched　this　process。　He　might　have　been　taken　for　the　owner　of　these　costly　things；　watching　to　see　that　no　harm　befell　them。　He　strolled　on　when　the　truck　had　received　its　load。　Such　people　as　he　had　met　were　only　artisans；　carpenters；　electricians；　property…men。　He　faced　them　all　confidently；　with　glances　of　slightly　amused　tolerance。　They　were　good　men　in　their　way　but　they　were　not　actorsnot　artists。

In　the　neatly　landscaped　little　green　place　back　of　the　office　building　a　climbing　rose　grew　on　a　trellis。　He　plucked　a　pink　bud；　fixed　it　in　his　lapel；　and　strolled　down　the　street　past　the　dressing　rooms。　Across　from　these　the　doors　of　the　big　stages　were　slid　back；　and　inside　he　could　see　that　sets　were　being　assembled。　The　truckload　of　furniture　came　to　one　of　these　doors　and　he　again　watched　it　as　the　stuff　was　carried　inside。

For　all　these　workmen　knew；　he　might　presently　be　earning　a　princely　salary　as　he　acted　amid　these　beautiful　objects；　perhaps　attending　a　reception　in　a　Fifth　Avenue　mansion　where　the　father　of　a　beautiful　New　York　society　girl　would　tell　him　that　he　must　first　make　good　before　he　could　aspire　to　her　hand。　And　he　would　make　goodout　there　in　the　great　open　spaces；　where　the　girl　would　come　to　him　after　many　adventures　and　where　they　would　settle　to　an　untroubled　future　in　the　West　they　both　loved。

He　had　slept；　he　knew　wherewith　luckhe　could　sleep　again；　and　he　had　money　in　his　pocket　for　several　more　ample　meals。　At　this　moment　he　felt　equal　to　anything。　No　more　than　pleasantly　aware　of　his　hunger；　sharpened　by　the　walk　in　this　keen　morning　air；　he　made　a　nonchalant　progress　toward　the　cafeteria。　Motor　cars　were　now　streaming　through　the　gate；　disgorging　other　actorstrim　young　men　and　beautiful　young　women　who　must　hurry　to　the　dressing　rooms　while　he　could　sit　at　ease　in　a　first…class　cafeteria　and　eat　heavily　of　sustaining　foods。　Inside　he　chose　from　the　restricted　menu　offered　by　the　place　at　this　early　hour　and　ate　in　a　leisurely；　almost　condescending　manner。　Half…a…dozen　other　early　comers　wolfed　their　food　as　if　they　feared　to　be　late　for　work；　but　he　suffered　no　such　anxiety。　He　consumed　the　last　morsel　that　his　tray　held；　drained　his　cup　of　coffee；　and　jingled　the　abundant　silver　coin　in　his　pocket。

True；　underneath　it；　as　he　plumed　himself　upon　his　adventure；　was　a　certain　pestering　consciousness　that　all　was　not　so　well　with　him　as　observers　might　guess。　But　he　resolutely　put　this　away　each　time　it　threatened　to　overwhelm　him。　He　would　cross　no　bridge　until　he　came　to　it。　He　even　combated　this　under