merton of the movies-第36节

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a　look…in。〃

〃Can't；〃　said　the　girl。　〃Soon　as　I　get　out　o'　this　dump　I　got　to　eat　on　the　lot　and　everything　and　be　over　to　Baxter's　layoutshe'll　be　doing　tank　stuff　till　all　hoursshipwreck　and　murder　and　all　like　that。　Gosh；　I　hope　it　ain't　cold。　I　don't　mind　the　water；　but　I　certainly　hate　to　get　out　and　wait　in　wet　clothes　while　Sig　Rosenblatt　is　thinking　about　a　retake。〃

〃Well〃Baird　turned　to　go〃take　care　of　yourselfdon't　dive　and　forget　to　come　up。　Come　over　when　you're　ready。〃

〃Sure！　S'long！〃　Here　the　girl；　turning　from　Baird；　noted　Merton　Gill　beside　her。　〃Well；　well；　as　I　live；　the　actin'　kid　once　more！　Say；　you're　getting　to　be　a　regular　studio　hound；　ain't　you？〃

For　the　moment　he　had　forgotten　his　troubles。　He　was　burning　to　ask　her　if　Beulah　Baxter　would　really　work　in　a　shipwreck　scene　that　night　at　the　place　where　he　had　watched　the　carpenters　and　the　men　on　the　sailboat；　but　as　he　tried　to　word　this　he　saw　that　the　girl　was　again　scanning　him　with　keen　eyes。　He　knew　she　would　read　the　collar；　the　beard；　perhaps　even　a　look　of　mere　hunger　that　he　thought　must　now　be　showing。

〃Say；　see　here；　Trouper；　what's　the　shootin'　all　about；　anyway？　You　up　against　ityes。〃　There　was　again　in　her　eye　the　look　of　warm　concern；　and　she　was　no　longer　trying　to　be　funny。　He　might　now　have　admitted　a　few　little　things　about　his　screen　career；　but　again　the　director　interrupted。

〃Miss　Montaguewhere　are　you？　Oh！　Well；　remember　you're　behind　the　piano　during　that　gun　play　just　now；　and　you　stay　hid　till　after　the　boys　get　out。　We'll　shoot　this　time；　so　get　set。〃

She　sped　off；　with　a　last　backward　glance　of　questioning。　He　waited　but　a　moment　before　leaving。　He　was　almost　forgetting　his　hunger　in　the　pretty　certain　knowledge　that　in　a　few　hours　he　would　actually　behold　his　wonder…woman　in　at　least　one　of　her　daring　exploits。　Shipwreck！　Perhaps　she　would　be　all　but　drowned。　He　hastened　back　to　the　pool　that　had　now　acquired　this　high　significance。　The　carpenters　were　still　puttering　about　on　the　scaffold。　He　saw　that　platforms　for　the　cameras　had　been　built　out　from　its　side。

He　noted；　too；　and　was　puzzled　by　an　aeroplane　propeller　that　had　been　stationed　close　to　one　corner　of　the　pool；　just　beyond　the　stern　of　the　little　sailing…craft。　Perhaps　there　would　be　an　aeroplane　wreck　in　addition　to　a　shipwreck。　Now　he　had　something　besides　food　to　think　of。　And　he　wondered　what　the　Montague　girl　could　be　doing　in　the　company　of　a　really　serious　artist　like　Beulah　Baxter。　From　her　own　story　she　was　going　to　get　wet；　but　from　what　he　knew　of　her　she　would　be　some　character　not　greatly　missed　from　the　cast　if　she　should；　as　Baird　had　suggested；　dive　and　forget　to　come　up。　He　supposed　that　Baird　had　meant　this　to　be　humorous；　the　humour　typical　of　a　man　who　could　profane　a　great　art　with　the　atrocious　Buckeye　comedies；　so　called。

He　put　in　the　hours　until　nightfall　in　aimless　wandering　and　idle　gazing；　and　was　early　at　the　pool…side　where　his　heroine　would　do　her　sensational　acting。　It　was　now　a　scene　of　thrilling　activity。　Immense　lights；　both　from　the　scaffolding　and　from　a　tower　back　of　the　sailing…craft；　flooded　its　deck　and　rigging　from　time　to　time　as　adjustments　were　made。　The　rigging　was　slack　and　the　deck　was　still　littered；　intentionally　so；　he　now　perceived。　The　gallant　little　boat　had　been　cruelly　buffeted　by　a　gale。　Two　sailors　in　piratical　dress　could　be　seen　to　emerge　at　intervals　from　the　cabin。

Suddenly　the　gale　was　on　with　terrific　force；　the　sea　rose　in　great　waves；　and　the　tiny　ship　rocked　in　a　perilous　manner。　Great　billows　of　water　swept　its　decks。　Merton　Gill　stared　in　amazement　at　these　phenomena　so　dissonant　with　the　quiet　starlit　night。　Then　he　traced　them　without　difficulty　to　their　various　sources。　The　gale　issued　from　the　swift　revolutions　of　that　aeroplane　propeller　he　had　noticed　a　while　ago。　The　flooding　billows　were　spilled　from　the　big　tank　at　the　top　of　the　scaffold　and　the　boat　rocked　in　obedience　to　the　tugging　of　a　ropetugged　from　the　shore　by　a　crew　of　helpers　that　ran　to　the　top　of　its　mast。　Thus　had　the　storm　been　produced。

A　spidery；　youngish　man　from　one　of　the　platforms　built　out　from　the　scaffold；　now　became　sharply　vocal　through　a　megaphone　to　assistants　who　were　bending　the　elements　to　the　need　of　this　particular　hazard　of　Hortense。　He　called　directions　to　the　men　who　tugged　the　rope；　to　the　men　in　control　of　the　lights；　and　to　another　who　seemed　to　create　the　billows。　Among　other　items　he　wished　more　action　for　the　boat　and　more　water　for　the　billows。　〃See　that　your　tank　gets　full…　up　this　time；〃　he　called；　whereupon　an　engine　under　the　scaffold；　by　means　of　a　large　rubber　hose　reaching　into　the　pool；　began　to　suck　water　into　the　tank　above。

The　speaker　must　be　Miss　Baxter's　director；　the　enviable　personage　who　saw　her　safely　through　her　perils。　When　one　of　the　turning　reflectors　illumined　him　Merton　saw　his　face　of　a　keen　Semitic　type。　He　seemed　to　possess　not　the　most　engaging　personality；　his　manner　was　aggressive；　he　spoke　rudely　to　his　doubtless　conscientious　employees；　he　danced　in　little　rages　of　temper；　and　altogether　he　was　not　one　with　whom　the　watcher　would　have　cared　to　come　in　contact。　He　wondered；　indeed；　that　so　puissant　a　star　as　Beulah　Baxter　should　not　be　able　to　choose　her　own　director；　for　surely　the　presence　of　this　unlovely；　waspishly　tempered　being　could　be　nothing　but　an　irritant　in　the　daily　life　of　the　wonder…woman。　Perhaps　she　had　tolerated　him　merely　for　one　picture。　Perhaps　he　was　especially　good　in　shipwrecks。

If　Merton　Gill　were　in　this　company　he　would　surely　have　words　with　this　person；　director　or　no　director。　He　hastily　wrote　a　one…reel　scenario　in　which　the　man　so　far　forgot　himself　as　to　speak　sharply　to　the　star；　and　in　which　a　certain　young　actor；　a　new　member　of　the　company；　resented　the　ungentlemanly　words　by　pitching　the　offender　into　a　convenient　pool　and　earned　even　more　than　gratitude　from　the　starry…eyed　wonder…woman。

The　objectionable　man　continued　active；　profuse　of　gesture　and　loud　through　the　megaphone。　Once　more　the　storm。　The　boat　rocked　threateningly；　the　wind　roared　through　its　slack　rigging；　and　giant　billows　swept　the　frail　craft。　Light　as　from　a　half…clouded　moon　broke　through　the　mist　that　issued　from　a　steam　pipe。　There　was　another　lull；　and　the　Semitic　type　on　the　platform　became　increasingly　offensive。　Merton　saw　himself　saying；　〃Allow　me；　Miss　Baxter；　to　relieve　you　of　the　presence　of　this　bounder。〃　The　man　was　impossible。　Constantly　he　had　searched　the　scene　for　his　heroine。　She　would　probably　not　appear　until　they　were　ready　to　shoot；　and　this　seemed　not　to　be　at　once　if　the　rising　temper　of　the　director　could　be　thought　an　indication。

The　big　hose　again　drew　water　from　the　pool　to　the　tank；　whence；　at　a　sudden　release；　it　would　issue　in　billows。　The　big　lights　at　last　seemed　to　be　adjusted　to　the　director's　whim。　The　aeroplane　propeller　whirred　and　the　gale　was　found　acceptable。　The　men　at　the　rope　tugged　the　boat　into　grave　danger。　The　moon　lighted　the　mist　that　overhung　the　scene。

Then　at　last　Merton　started；　peering　eagerly　forward　across　the　length　of　the　pool。　At　the　far　end；　half　illumined　by　the　big　lights；　stood　the　familiar　figure　of　his　wonderwoman；　the　slim　little　girl　with　the　wistful　eyes。　Plainly　he　could　see　her　now　as　the　mist　lifted。　She　was　chatting　with　one　of　the　pirates　who　had　stepped　ashore　from　the　boat。　The　wonderful　golden　hair　shone　resplendent　under　the　glancing　rays　of　the　arcs。　A　cloak　was　about　her　shoulders；　but　at　a　word　of　command　from　the　director　she　threw　it　off　and　stepped　to　the　boat's　deck。　She　was　dressed　in　a　short　skirt；　her　trim　feet　and　ankles　lightly　shod　and　silken　clad。　The　sole　maritime　touch　in　her　garb　was　a　figured　kerchief　at　her　throat　similar　to　those　worn　by　the　piratical　crew。

〃All　ready；　Hortenseall　ready　Jose　and　Gaston；　get　your　places。〃

Miss　Baxter　acknowledged　the　command　with　that　characteristic　little　wave　of　a　hand　that　he　recalled　from　so　many　of　her　pictures；　a　half…humorous；　half…mocking　little　defiance。　She　used　it　often　when　escaping　her　pursuers；　as　if　to　say　that　she　would　see　them　in　the　next　installment。

The　star　and　the　two　men　were　now　in　the　cabin；　hidden　from　view。　Merton　Gill　was　no　seaman；　but　it　occurred　to　him　that　at　least　one　of　the　crew　would　be　at　the　wheel　in　this　emergency。　Probably　the　director　knew　no　better。　Indeed　the　boat；　so　far　as　could　be　discerned；　had　no　wheel。　Apparently　when　a　storm　came　up　all　hands　went　down　into　the　cabin　to　get　away　from　it。

The　storm　did　come　up　at　this　moment；　with　no　one　on　deck。　It　struck　with　the　full　force　of　a　tropic　hurricane。　The　boat　rocked；　the　wind　blew；　and　billows　swept　the　deck。　At　the　height　of　the　tempest　Beulah　Baxter　sprang　from　the　cabin　to　the　deck；　clutching　wildly　at　a　stanchion。　Buffeted　by　the　billows　she　groped　a　painful　way　along　the　side；　at　risk　of　being　swept　off　to　her　death。

She　was　followed　by　one　of　the　crew　who　held　a　murderous　knife　in　his　hand；　then　by　the　other　sailor　who　also　held　a　knife。　They；　too；　were　swept　by　the　billows；　but　seemed　grimly　determined　upon　the　death　of　the　heroine。　Then；　when　she　reached　midships　and　the　forem