deckhouse　forward。　They　glanced　at　the　newcomer　but　with　a　cheering　absence　of　curiosity　or　even　of　interest。　He　sauntered　past　them　with　a　polite　but　not…too…keen　interest。　The　yacht　would　be　an　expensive　one。　The　deck　fittings　were　elaborate。　A　glance　into　the　captain's　cabin　revealed　it　to　be　fully　furnished；　with　a　chart　and　a　sextant　on　the　mahogany　desk。
  〃Where's　the　bedding　for　this　stateroom？〃　asked　one　of　the　men。
  〃I　got　a　prop…rustler　after　it；〃　one　of　the　others　informed　him。
  They　strolled　aft　and　paused　by　an　iron　standard　ingeniously　swung　from　the　deck。
  〃That's　Burke's　idea；〃　said　one　of　the　men。　〃I　hadn't　thought　about　a　steady　support　for　the　camera；　of　course　if　we　stood　it　on　deck　it　would　rock　when　the　ship　rocked　and　we'd　get　no　motion。　So　Burke　figures　this　out。　The　camera　is　on　here　and　swings　by　that　weight　so　it's　always　straight　and　the　rocking　registers。　Pretty　neat；　what？〃
  〃That　was　nothing　to　think　of〃　said　one　of　the　other　men；　in　apparent　disparagement。　〃I　thought　of　it　myself　the　minute　I　saw　it。〃　The　other　two　grinned　at　this；　though　Merton　Gill；　standing　by；　saw　nothing　to　laugh　at。　He　thought　the　speaker　was　pretty　cheeky；　for　of　course　any　one　could　think　of　this　device　after　seeing　it。　He　paused　for　a　final　survey　of　his　surroundings　from　this　elevation。　He　could　see　the　real　falseness　of　the　sawmill　he　had　just　left；　he　could　also　look　into　the　exposed　rear　of　the　railway　station；　and　could　observe　beyond　it　the　exposed　skeleton　of　that　New　York　street。　He　was　surrounded　by　mockeries。
  He　clambered　down　the　ladder　and　sauntered　back　to　the　street　of　offices。　He　was　by　this　time　confident　that　no　one　was　going　to　ask　him　what　right　he　had　in　there。　Now；　too；　he　became　conscious　of　hunger　and　at　the　same　moment　caught　the　sign　〃Cafeteria〃　over　a　neat　building　hitherto　unnoticed。　People　were　entering　this；　many　of　them　in　costume。　He　went　idly　toward　the　door；　glanced　up；　looked　at　his　watch；　and　became；　to　any　one　curious　about　him；　a　man　who　had　that　moment　decided　he　might　as　well　have　a　little　food。　He　opened　the　screen　door　of　the　cafeteria；　half　expecting　it　to　prove　one　of　those　structures　equipped　only　with　a　front。　But　the　cafeteria　was　practicable。　The　floor　was　crowded　with　little　square　polished　tables　at　which　many　people　were　eating。　A　railing　along　the　side　of　the　room　made　a　passage　to　the　back　where　food　was　served　from　a　counter　to　the　proffered　tray。　He　fell　into　line。　No　one　had　asked　him　how　he　dared　try　to　eat　with　real　actors　and　actresses　and　apparently　no　one　was　going　to。　Toward　the　end　of　the　passage　was　a　table　holding　trays　and　napkins　the　latter　wrapped　about　an　equipment　of　cutlery。　He　took　his　tray　and　received　at　the　counter　the　foods　he　designated。　He　went　through　this　ordeal　with　difficulty　because　it　was　not　easy　to　keep　from　staring　about　at　other　patrons。　Constantly　he　was　detecting　some　remembered　face。　But　at　last；　with　his　laden　tray　he　reached　a　vacant　table　near　the　centre　of　the　room　and　took　his　seat。　He　absently　arranged　the　food　before　him。　He　could　stare　at　leisure　now。　All　about　him　were　the　strongly　marked　faces　of　the　film　people；　heavy　with　makeup；　interspersed　with　hungry　civilians；　who　might　be　producers；　directors；　camera　men；　or　mere　artisans；　for　the　democracy　of　the　cafeteria　seemed　ideal。
  At　the　table　ahead　of　his　he　recognized　the　man　who　had　been　annoyed　one　day　by　the　silly　question　of　the　Montague　girl。　They　had　said　he　was　a　very　important　director。　He　still　looked　important　and　intensely　serious。　He　was　a　short；　very　plump　man；　with　pale　cheeks　under　dark　brows；　and　troubled　looking　gray　hair。　He　was　very　seriously　explaining　something　to　the　man　who　sat　with　him　and　whom　he　addressed　as　Governor；　a　merry…looking　person　with　a　stubby　gray　mustache　and　little　hair；　who　seemed　not　too　attentive　to　the　director。
  〃You　see；　Governor；　it's　this　way：　the　party　is　lost　on　the　desert　understand　what　I　meanand　Kempton　Ward　and　the　girl　stumble　into　this　deserted　tomb　just　at　nightfall。　Now　here's　where　the　big　kick　comes〃
  Merton　Gill　ceased　to　listen　for　there　now　halted　at　his　table；　bearing　a　laden　tray；　none　other　than　the　Montague　girl；　she　of　the　slangy　talk　and　the　regrettably　free　manner。　She　put　down　her　tray　and　seated　herself　before　it。　She　had　not　asked　permission　of　the　table's　other　occupant；　indeed　she　had　not　even　glanced　at　him；　for　cafeteria　etiquette　is　not　rigorous。　He　saw　that　she　was　heavily　made　up　and　in　the　costume　of　a　gypsy；　he　thought；　a　short　vivid　skirt；　a　gay　waist；　heavy　gold　hoops　in　her　ears；　and　dark　hair　massed　about　her　small　head。　He　remembered　that　this　would　not　be　her　own　hair。　She　fell　at　once　to　her　food。　The　men　at　the　next　table　glanced　at　her；　the　director　without　cordiality；　but　the　other　man　smiled　upon　her　cheerfully。
  〃Hello；　Flips！　How's　the　girl？〃
  〃Everything's　jake　with　me；　Governor。　How's　things　over　at　your　shop？〃
  〃So；　so。　I　see　you're　working。〃
  〃Only　for　two　days。　I'm　just　atmosphere　in　this　piece。　I　got　some　real　stuff　coming　along　pretty　soon　for　Baxter。　Got　to　climb　down　ten　stories　of　a　hotel　elevator　cable；　and　ride　a　brake…beam　and　be　pushed　off　a　cliff　and　thrown　to　the　lions；　and　a　few　other　little　things。〃
  〃That's　good；　Flips。　Come　in　and　see　me　some　time。　Have　a　little　chat。　Ma　working？〃
  〃Yeahgot　a　character　bit　with　Charlotte　King　in　Her　Other　Husband。〃　〃Glad　to　hear　it。　How's　Pa　Montague？〃
  〃Pa's　in　bed。　They've　signed　him　for　Camillia　of　the　Cumberlands；　providing　he　raises　a　brush；　and　just　now　it　ain't　long　enough　for　whiskers　and　too　long　for　anything　else；　so　he's　putterin'　around　with　his　new　still。〃
  〃Well；　drop　over　sometime；　Flips；　I'm　keeping　you　in　mind。〃
  〃Thanks；　Governor。　Say〃　Merton　glanced　up　in　time　to　see　her　wink　broadly　at　the　man；　and　look　toward　his　companion　who　still　seriously　made　notes　on　the　back　of　an　envelope。　The　man's　face　melted　to　a　grin　which　he　quickly　erased。　The　girl　began　again：
  〃Mr。　Henshawcould　you　give　me　just　a　moment；　Mr。　Henshaw？〃　The　serious　director　looked　up　in　quite　frank　annoyance。
  〃Yes；　yes；　what　is　it；　Miss　Montague？〃
  〃Well；　listen；　Mr。　Henshaw；　I　got　a　great　idea　for　a　story；　and　I　was　thinking　who　to　take　it　to　and　I　thought　of　this　one　and　I　thought　of　that　one；　and　I　asked　my　friends；　and　they　all　say　take　it　to　Mr。　Henshaw；　because　if　a　story　has　any　merit　he's　the　one　director　on　the　lot　that　can　detect　it　and　get　every　bit　of　value　out　of　it；　so　I　thoughtbut　of　course　if　you're　busy　just　now〃
  The　director　thawed　ever　so　slightly。　〃Of　course；　my　girl；　I'm　busy…　…but　then　I'm　always　busy。　They　run　me　to　death　here。　Still；　it　was　very　kind　of　your　friends；　and　of　course〃
  〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Henshaw。〃　She　clasped　her　hands　to　her　breast　and　gazed　raptly　into　the　face　of　her　coy　listener。
  〃Of　course　I'll　have　to　have　help　on　the　details；　but　it　starts　off　kind　of　like　this。　You　see　I'm　a　Hawaiian　princess〃　She　paused；　gazing　aloft。
  〃Yes；　yes；　Miss　Montaguean　Hawaiian　princess。　Go　on；　go　on！〃
  〃Oh；　excuse　me；　I　was　thinking　how　I'd　dress　her　for　the　last　spool　in　the　big　fire　scene。　Well；　anyway；　I'm　this　Hawaiian　princess；　and　my　father；　old　King　Mauna　Loa；　dies　and　leaves　me　twenty…one　thousand　volcanoes　and　a　billiard　cue〃
  Mr。　Henshaw　blinked　rapidly　at　this。　For　a　moment　he　was　dazed。　〃A　billiard　cue；　did　you　say？〃　he　demanded　blankly。
  〃Yes。　And　every　morning　I　have　to　go　out　and　ram　it　down　the　volcanoes　to　see　are　they　all　rightand〃
  〃Tush；　tush！〃　interrupted　Mr。　Henshaw　scowling　upon　the　playwright　and　fell　again　to　his　envelope；　pretending　thereafter　to　ignore　her。
  The　girl　seemed　to　be　unaware　that　she　had　lost　his　attention。　〃And　you　see　the　villain　is　very　wealthy；　he　owns　the　largest　ukelele　factory　in　the　islands；　and　he　tries　to　get　me　in　his　power；　but　he's　foiled　by　my　fiance；　a　young　native　by　the　name　of　Herman　Schwarz；　who　has　invented　a　folding　ukelele；　so　the　villain　gets　his　hired　Hawaiian　orchestra　to　shove　Herman　down　one　of　the　volcanoes　and　me　down　another；　but　I　have　the　key　around　my　neck；　which　Father　put　there　when　I　was　a　babe　and　made　me　swear　always　to　wear　it；　even　in　the　bath…tub；　so　I　let　myself　out　and　unlock　the　other　one　and　let　Herman　out　and　the　orchestra　discovers　us　and　chases　us　over　the　cliff；　and　then　along　comes　my　old　nurse　who　is　now　running　a　cigar　store　in　San　Pedro　and　she〃　Here　she　affected　to　discover　that　Mr。　Henshaw　no　longer　listened。
  〃Why；　Mr。　Henshaw's　gone！〃　she　exclaimed　dramatically。　〃Boy；　boy；　page　Mr。　Henshaw。〃　Mr。　Henshaw　remained　oblivious。
  〃Oh；　well；　of　course　I　might　have　expected　you　wouldn't　have　time　to　listen　to　my　poor　little　plot。　Of　course　I　know　it's　crude；　but　it　did　seem　to　me　that　something　might　be　made　out　of　it。〃　She　resumed　her　food。　Mr。　Henshaw's　companion　here　winked　at　her　and　was　seen　to　be　shaking　with　emotion。　Merton　Gill　could　not　believe　it　to　be　laughter；　for　he　had　seen　nothing　to　laugh　at。　A　busy　man　had　been　bothered　by　a　silly　girl　who　thought　she　had　the　plot　for　a　photodrama；　and　even　he；　Merton　Gill；　could　have　told　her　that　her　plot　was　impossibly　wild　and　inconsequent。　If　she　were　going　into　that　branch　of　the　art　she　ought　to　take　lessons；　the　way　Tes