CHAPTER XXIV
PICTURE NUMBER NINETEEN
"Well, where have you been?" demanded Goldstein gruffly, as Maud Stantonentered his office the next morning in response to a summons from theContinental manager. "What made you run away yesterday? Don't you knowsuch things make us lots of trouble and cost us money?"
"I'm not worrying about that," replied Maud, as she composedly sat downopposite the manager.
Goldstein glared at her, but he was cautious.
"You're a fine actress, Miss Stanton, and you're popular on the films,"he said, "but if you cannot attend to business we are paying you toomuch money."
"Indeed!"
"No other firm could afford to give you so much, you know that; and theonly reason we are so extravagant is because you are one of ourfeatures."
"Am I to take this as a dismissal?" she asked carelessly.
"Dismissal!" he cried, holding up his hands. "Of course not. Who istalking of dismissal? But I owe a duty to my firm. Such actions as yours,in running away from rehearsals, must have a--a--reprimand. Not severe; Iam not so angry as grieved; but a reprimand is your due--and thatfly-away sister of yours is just as bad."
"We went to assist your president--Mr. Jones--to establish his innocenceof the awful charge made against him," she explained.
"Bah. You can't do that. No one can save him," he replied, with triumphand satisfaction mingled in his tone.
She looked at him thoughtfully.
"You seem pleased with the idea that he is guilty, Mr. Goldstein."
"I am glad he is caught. What is Jones to me? An interloper! A boy whogets money, buys stock, and then interferes with a business he knowsnothing about. You are a professional, Miss Stanton. You know how we, whoare in the game, have won our knowledge of it by long experience, bycareful study, by keeping the thousand threads of the rope of successtwisted tightly together. Any fool could buy this business, but only anexpert could run it successfully. You know that. So I am glad thisinterfering boy is wiped off the slate forever."
"But he isn't!" she protested. "You still have this boy to reckon with,Goldstein. When he is examined by the judge he will be set free, for allthe evidence is in his favor and there is ample proof that he is not theman they are after. And that reminds me. There is a negative here thatwas made at the directors' meeting in January, a year ago, which showsMr. Jones taking control of the Continental."
"I have never seen it," he said, shaking his head.
"It is here, though, and I want a positive printed at once, and mountedon a reel, so it can be exhibited before the judge. Have Alfred get itout of the vault."
"Why should I do that?" he inquired, frowning.
"Because, if you refuse, Mr. Jones is quite likely to find anothermanager. No other firm would pay you so much as you are getting here. Youknow that."
He grinned with delight at the thrust, then grew solemn.
"You are sure he will go free?"
"Positive," returned Maud. "He doesn't really need that film, but itwould be good policy--excellent policy--for you to produce it."
"Alfred!" called the manager. "Bring me the stock book."
He ran his finger down the pages.
"January--eh--eh--"
"January twenty-sixth," she said.
"Here it is: 'Special of Annual Meeting, C.F.M. Co.--280 feet.--No. 19,'Get number nineteen out of the vault, Alfred."
While the young man was gone he relapsed into thought. Maud waitedpatiently.
"You see," resumed the manager abruptly, "I am making more money for theContinental than I get paid for. That is because I know how. It is notgood business to cut down the profits; therefore I should be paid abigger salary. Miss Stanton, you're a friend of young Jones, who controlsthis company. Yon might talk to him about me."
"I will," she said.
"You might say I know every trick of the trade. Tell Jones how all theother film makers are crazy to get me. But say how I refuse more moneybecause I believe our directors will wake up to my value and raise mysalary. That sounds pretty good, eh?"
"It sounds remarkable."
"And it's no dream. Ah, here comes Alfred."
The clerk laid upon the table a round box coated with paraffin to excludethe air. A tag was attached to the box, describing its contents.
"Number nineteen. Quite right. Take it to the printing room and tellMcDonald to make me a copy as quickly as possible. Tell him to let meknow when it's dry and ready to run."
As the clerk disappeared Maud said:
"I needn't wait, I suppose?"
"No. Werner wants you at the rehearsal of 'The Love of a Princess.'Before you go home to-night I'll call you in to see the run of numbernineteen. Then you may take the film to Jones--with my compliments."
At five o'clock, when she was dressing to go home, Maud was summoned tothe little "dark room" where all films are exhibited, trimmed and testedbefore being sent out. She took Aunt Jane and Flo with her and they foundGoldstein already waiting and the operator standing by his machine.
The scene was short and not very exciting, although of interest in thepresent crisis. It showed the interior of the hall where thestock-holders' meeting was held, and began with the assembling of themembers. Two or three pompous individuals then seated themselves facingthe others, and the proceedings began. A slim boy on a back bench aroseand said something. Panic was at once written on the faces of the formerofficers. They gesticulated; their lips moved rapidly. The boy, easilyrecognized as A. Jones, advanced and displayed a lot of papers, whichwere carefully examined. He then took the president's chair, the formerofficers fled in disgust and the throng of stockholders wildly applauded.Then the light went out, the machine stopped, and Goldstein opened thedoor to let in light and air.
"It was the same kid, all right," he remarked. "I had never seen thisfilm run before, but it shows how Jones called the turn on the oldofficers in great shape. I wonder where he got all the money?"
Maud secured his promise to send an operator to town, to exhibit the filmbefore the judge, whenever he might be required. Then she went to herhotel fully satisfied that she had done all in her power to assist A.Jones of Sangoa.