merton of the movies-第42章

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Not　until　long　afterward；　on　a　certain　dread　night　when　the　earth　was　to　rock　beneath　him；　did　he　recall　that　Baird　had　never　retaken　that　window　scene。　At　present　the　young　actor　was　too　engrossed　by　the　details　of　his　daring　leap　to　remember　small　things。　The　leap　was　achieved　at　last。　He　was　in　the　saddle　after　a　twenty…foot　drop。　He　gathered　up　the　reins；　the　horse　beneath　him　coughed　plaintively；　and　Merton　rode　him　out　of　the　picture。　Baird　took　a　load　off　his　mind　as　to　this　bit　of　riding。

〃Will　you　want　me　to　gallop？〃　he　asked；　recalling　the　unhappy　experience　with　Dexter。

〃No；　just　walk　him　beyond　the　camera　line。　The　camera'll　trick　it　up　all　right。〃　So；　safely；　confidently；　he　had　ridden　his　steed　beyond　the　lens　range　at　a　curious　shuffling　amble；　and　his　work　at　the　Come　All　Ye　Dance　Hall　was　done。

Then　came　some　adventurous　days　in　the　open。　In　motor　cars　the　company　of　artists　was　transported　to　a　sunny　nook　in　the　foothills　beyond　the　city；　and　here　in　the　wild；　rough；　open　spaces；　the　drama　of　mother…love；　sacrifice；　and　thrills　was　further　unfolded。

First　to　be　done　here　was　the　continuation　of　the　hero's　escape　from　the　dance…hall。　Upon　his　faithful　horse　he　ambled　along　a　quiet　road　until　he　reached　the　shelter　of　an　oak　tree。　Here　he　halted　at　the　roadside。

〃You　know　the　detective　is　following　you；〃　explained　Baird；　〃and　you're　going　to　get　him。　Take　your　nag　over　a　little　so　the　tree　won't　mask　him　too　much。　That's　it。　Now；　you　look　back；　lean　forward　in　the　saddle；　listen！　You　hear　him　coming。　Your　face　setslook　as　grim　as　you　can。　That's　the　stuffthe　real　Buck　Benson　stuff　when　they're　after　him。　That's　fine。　Now　you　get　an　idea。　Unlash　your　rope；　let　the　noose　out；　give　it　a　couple　of　whirls　to　see　is　everything　all　right。　That's　itonly　you　still　look　grimnot　so　worried　about　whether　the　rope　is　going　to　act　right。　We'll　attend　to　that。　When　the　detective　comes　in　sight　give　about　three　good　whirls　and　let　her　fly。　Try　it　once。　Good！　Now　coil　her　up　again　and　go　through　the　whole　thing。　Never　mind　about　whether　you're　going　to　get　him　or　not。　Remember；　Buck　Benson　never　misses。　We'll　have　a　later　shot　that　shows　the　rope　falling　over　his　head。〃

Thereupon　the　grim…faced　Benson；　strong；　silent　man　of　the　open；　while　the　cameras　ground；　waited　the　coming　of　one　who　hounded　him　for　a　crime　of　which　he　was　innocent。　His　iron　face　was　relentless。　He　leaned　forward；　listening。　He　uncoiled　the　rope；　expertly　ran　out　the　noose；　and　grimly　waited。　Far　up　the　road　appeared　the　detective　on　a　galloping　horse。　Benson　twirled　the　rope　as　he　sat　in　his　saddle。　It　left　his　hand；　to　sail　gracefully　in　the　general　direction　of　his　pursuer。

〃Cut！〃　called　Baird。　〃That　was　bully。　Now　you　got　him。　Ride　out　into　the　road。　You're　dragging　him　off　his　horse；　see？　Keep　on　up　the　road；　you're　still　dragging　the　hound。　Look　back　over　your　shoulder　and　light　your　face　up　just　a　littlethat's　it；　use　Benson's　other　expression。　You　got　it　fine。　You're　treating　the　skunk　rough；　but　look　what　he　was　doing　to　you；　trying　to　pinch　you　for　something　you　never　did。　That's　finego　ahead。　Don't　look　back　any　more。〃

Merton　was　chiefly　troubled　at　this　moment　by　the　thought　that　someone　would　have　to　double　for　him　in　the　actual　casting　of　the　rope　that　would　settle　upon　the　detective's　shoulders。　Well；　he　must　practise　roping。　Perhaps；　by　the　next　picture。　he　could　do　this　stuff　himself。　It　was　exciting　work；　though　sometimes　tedious。　It　had　required　almost　an　entire　morning　to　enact　this　one　simple　scene；　with　the　numerous　close…ups　that　Baird　demanded。

The　afternoon　was　taken　up　largely　in　becoming　accustomed　to　a　pair　of　old　Spanish　spurs　that　Baird　now　provided　him　with。　Baird　said　they　were　very　rare　old　spurs　which　he　had　obtained　at　a　fancy　price　from　an　impoverished　Spanish　family　who　had　treasured　them　as　heirlooms。　He　said　he　was　sure　that　Buck　Benson　in　all　his　vast　collection　did　not　possess　a　pair　of　spurs　like　these。　He　would　doubtless；　after　seeing　them　worn　by　Merton　Gill　in　this　picture；　have　a　pair　made　like　them。

The　distinguishing　feature　of　these　spurs　was　their　size。　They　were　enormous；　and　their　rowels　extended　a　good　twelve　inches　from　Merton's　heels　after　he　had　donned　them。

〃They　may　bother　you　a　little　at　first；〃　said　Baird；　〃but　you'll　get　used　to　them；　and　they're　worth　a　little　trouble　because　they'll　stand　out。〃

The　first　effort　to　walk　in　them　proved　bothersome　indeed；　for　it　was　made　over　ground　covered　with　a　low…growing　vine　and　the　spurs　caught　in　this。　Baird　was　very　earnest　in　supervising　this　progress；　and　even　demanded　the　presence　of　two　cameras　to　record　it。

〃Of　course　I'm　not　using　this　stuff；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　want　to　make　a　careful　study　of　it。　These　are　genuine　hidalgo　spurs。　Mighty　few　men　in　this　line　of　parts　could　get　away　with　them。　I　bet　Benson　himself　would　have　a　lot　of　trouble。　Now；　try　it　once　more。〃

Merton　tried　once　more；　stumbling　as　the　spurs　caught　in　the　undergrowth。　The　cameras　closely　recorded　his　efforts；　and　Baird　applauded　them。　〃You're　getting　itkeep　on。　That's　better。　Now　try　to　run　a　few　stepsgo　right　toward　that　left…hand　camera。〃

He　ran　the　few　steps；　but　fell　headlong。　He　picked　himself　up；　an　expression　of　chagrin　on　his　face。

〃Never　mind；〃　urged　Baird。　〃Try　it　again。　We　must　get　this　right。〃　He　tried　again　to　run；　was　again　thrown。　But　he　was　determined　to　please　the　manager；　and　he　earnestly　continued　his　efforts。　Benson　himself　would　see　the　picture　and　probably　marvel　that　a　new　man　should　have　mastered；　apparently　with　ease；　a　pair　of　genuine　hidalgos。

〃Maybe　we　better　try　smoother　ground；〃　Baird　at　last　suggested　after　repeated　falls　had　shown　that　the　undergrowth　was　difficult。　So　the　cameras　were　moved　on　to　the　front　of　a　ranche　house　now　in　use　for　the　drama；　and　the　spur　lessons　continued。　But　on　smooth　ground　it　appeared　that　the　spurs　were　still　troublesome。　After　the　first　mishap　here　Merton　discovered　the　cause。　The　long　shanks　were　curved　inward　so　that　in　walking　their　ends　clashed。　He　pointed　this　out　to　Baird；　who　was　amazed　at　the　discovery。

〃Well；　well；　that's　so！　They're　bound　to　interfere。　I　never　knew　that　about　hidalgo　spurs　before。〃

〃We　might　straighten　them；〃　suggested　the　actor。

〃No；　no；〃　Baird　insisted；　〃I　wouldn't　dare　try　that。　They　cost　too　much　money；　and　it　might　break　'em。　I　tell　you　what　you　do；　stand　up　and　try　this：　just　toe　in　a　little　when　you　walkthat'll　bring　the　points　apart。　Therethat's　it；　that's　fine。〃

The　cameras　were　again　recording　so　that　Baird　could　later　make　his　study　of　the　difficulties　to　be　mastered　by　the　wearer　of　genuine　hidalgos。　By　toeing　in　Merton　now　succeeded　in　walking　without　disaster；　though　he　could　not　feel　that　he　was　taking　the　free　stride　of　men　out　there　in　the　open　spaces。

〃Now　try　running。〃　directed　Baird；　and　he　tried　running；　but　again　the　spurs　caught　and　he　was　thrown　full　in　the　eyes　of　the　grinding　camera。　He　had　forgotten　to　toe　in。　But　he　would　not　give　up。　His　face　was　set　in　Buck　Benson　grimness。　Each　time　he　picked　himself　up　and　earnestly　resumed　the　effort。　The　rowels　were　now　catching　in　the　long　hair　of　his　chaps。

He　worked　on；　directed　and　cheered　by　the　patient　Baird；　while　the　two　camera　men；　with　curiously　strained　faces；　recorded　his　failures。　Baird　had　given　strict　orders　that　other　members　of　the　company　should　remain　at　a　distance　during　the　spur　lessons；　but　now　he　seemed　to　believe　that　a　few　other　people　might　encourage　the　learner。　Merton　was　directed　to　run　to　his　old　mother　who；　bucket　at　her　side　and　mop　in　hand；　knelt　on　the　ground　at　a　little　distance。　He　was　also　directed　to　run　toward　the　Montague　girl；　now　in　frontier　attire　of　fringed　buckskin。　He　made　earnest　efforts　to　keep　his　feet　during　these　essays；　but　the　spurs　still　proved　treacherous。

〃Just　pick　yourself　up　and　go　on；〃　ordered　Baird；　and　had　the　cameras　secure　close　shots　of　Merton　picking　himself　up　and　going　carefully　on；　toeing　in　now；　to　embrace　his　weeping　old　mother　and　the　breathless　girl　who　had　awaited　him　with　open　arms。

He　was　tired　that　night；　but　the　actual　contusions　he　had　suffered　in　his　falls　where　forgotten　in　the　fear　that　he　might　fail　to　master　the　hidalgos。　Baird　himself　seemed　confident　that　his　pupil　would　yet　excite　the　jealousy　of　Buck　Benson　in　this　hazardous　detail　of　the　screen　art。　He　seemed；　indeed；　to　be　curiously　satisfied　with　his　afternoon's　work。　He　said　that　he　would　study　the　film　carefully　and　try　to　discover　just　how　the　spurs　could　be　mastered。

〃You'll　show　'em　yet　how　to　take　a　joke；〃　he　declared　when　the　puzzling　implements　were　at　last　doffed。　The　young　actor　felt　repaid　for　his　earnest　efforts。　No　one　could　put　on　a　pair　of　genuine　hidalgos　for　the　first　time　and　expect　to　handle　them　correctly。

There　were　many　days　in　the　hills。　Until　this　time　the　simple　drama　had　been　fairly　coherent　in　Merton　Gill's　mind。　So　consecutively　were　the　scenes　shot　that　the　story　had　not　been　hard　to　follow。　But　now　came　rather　a　jumble　of　scenes；　not　only　at　times　bewildering　in　themselves；　but　apparently　unrelated。

First　it　appeared　that　the　Montague　girl；　as　Miss　Rebecca　Hoffmeyer；　had　tired　of　being　a　mere　New　York　society　butterfly；　had　come　out　into　the　big　open　spaces　to　do　something　real；　something　worth　while。　The　ruin　of　her　father；　still　unexplained；　had　seemed　to　call　out　unsuspected　reserves　in　the　girl。　She　was　stern　and　businesslike　in　such　scenes　as　Merton　was　permitted　to　observe。　And　she　had　not　only　brought　her　ruined　father　out　to　the　open　spaces　but　the　dissipated　brother；　who　was　still　seen　to　play　at　dice　whenever　opportunity　offered。　He　played　with　the　jolly　cowboys　and　invariably　won。

Off　in　the　hills　there　were　many　scenes　which　Merton　did　not　overlook。　〃I　want　you　to　have　just　your　own　part　in　mind；〃　Baird　told　him。　And；　although　he　was　puzzled　later；　he　knew　that　Baird　was　somehow　making　it　right　in　the　drama　when　he　became　again　the　successful　actor　of　that　first　scene；　which　he　had　almost　forgotten。　He　was　no　longer　the　Buck　Benson　of　the　open　spaces；　but　the　foremost　idol　of　the　shadowed　stage；　and　in　Harold　Parmalee's　best　manner　he　informed　the　aspiring　Montague　girl　that　he　could　not　accept　her　as　leading　lady　in　his　next　picture　because　she　lacked　experience。　The　wager　of　a　kiss　was　laughingly　made　as　she　promised　that　within　ten　days　she　would　convince　him　of　her　talent。

Later　she　herself；　in　an　effective　scene；　became　the　grimfaced　Buck　Benson　and　held　the　actor　up　at　the　point　of　her　two　guns。　Then；　when　she　had　convinced　him　that　she　was　Benson；　she　appeared　after　an　interval　as　her　own　father；　the　fiery　beard；　the　derby　hat　with　its　dents；　the　chaps；　the　bicycle；　and　golf　bag。　In　this　scene　she　seemed　to　demand　the　actor's　intentions　toward　the　daughter；　and　again　overwhelmed　him　with　confusion；　as　Parmalee　had　been　overwhelmed　when　she　revealed　her　true　self　under　the　baffling　disguise。　The　wager　of　a　kiss　was　prettily　paid。　This　much　of　the　drama　he　knew。　And　there　was　an　affecting　final　scene　on　a　hillside。

The　actor；　arrayed　in　chaps；　spurs；　and　boots　below　the　waist　was；　above　this；　in　faultless　evening　dress。　〃You　see；　it's　a　masquerade　party　at　the　ranche；〃