Evening star., 1918-06-16


Packet Some dope like that, Put
up BLUM, anyway. kid. Now listen:
If this thing goes through I can get
you hundred week sure. and mays
be can squeeze 1t up to two hundred.
I've got to start by asking five huns
dred week for you. or nobody will
believe you are worth anything at all
Now. here's the contract you sign
Outside. Mr.. Bunker walked up to the
kin / see Mr.. Cudd'? he asked.
What name? Il
"Bunker-Jabez Bunker"
"What line? IT
Mr.. Bunker chuckled.
"Bunco man." he said. "Plain and
fancy graftin' and so on
The telephone boy showed increased
interest. 1t had been his harsh fate to
read THE Making of James," and he
knew there was a bunco o-man part in
it. Possibly. thought he. he is man
Mr.. Cudd has sent for. He asked Mr..
Bunker to be seated and went into, Mr..
Cudd's office without the Formally OF
knocking
'Mr. Cudd's very busy just now" he
announced when he returned, but
he'll see you as soon as he can"
Mr.. Bunker looked around. He
picked out man he thought must be
Mike Hartway and studied his face.
1t was not Mr.. Hartway, but that did
not matter. Then Mr.. Bunker studied
other faces. He looked through eight
well thumbed motion picture maga-
zines Miss Deare came out of the
inner office and with her head high
as the head of successful actress
should be-brushed scornfully past
the seated walters without a glance
and disappeared into the corridor. Mr..
Cudd put his thin, keen face out Of his
office and said: "Mr. Packett!"
The man Mr.. Bunker had decided
was Mr.. Hartway arose and entered
the inner office. Weary moments
passed.
Presently the outer door opened,
and a.man entered. He wore silk
hat. and he carried cane. His spats
were gray and his shoes glistening
brown. He wore spotless gloves. The
best the tailors of New York could do
hung from his shoulders and draped
his legs. He was Somebody. The way
he entered and the way he strobe to
the side Of the telephone boy and the
very look of him said he was Some
body.
"Tell Cudd I want to see him."
commanded the Somebody.
Eyes. Mr.. Brown" said the boy.
eagerly. and he sped. Mr. Cudd did not
keep Mr. Oliver Pipps Brown waiting
an instant He opened the door him
self and grasped Mr.. Brown by the
arm and urged him to enter. Mr..
Bunker wiped his-moist forehead and
beamed happily on all those waiting;
So this was Oliver Pipps Brown!
Good!
Mr. Packett came out of the inner
office Immediately and again took his
seat against the wall. Mr.. Bunker
moved over next him.
T guess your name Is Packett, amt
it? Mine is Bunekr-Jabez Bunker.
Are you goin' to be in Mr. Browns
motion picture show"
Mr. Packet regarded Mr.. Bunker
distantly.
Il am able to deny any reports to
that effect. SIR" he said. "Are you to
form one of the company"
well, 1 dunno as I'd put it just that
way" said Mr.. Bunker. IF you was
to ask me if 1 was to form the COM
pany. you might be hittin' it nearer
right. I hear as how there's goin' to
be a new company got up to make
pictures of Mr.. Browns book:
thought maybe I could buy some OF
the stock in It.
wait" said Mr.. Packet instantly.
He hurried to the telephone boy and
whispered to him. The telephone boy
looked at Mr. Bunker and made
dash for Mr.. Cudds office. Mr.. Cudd
hurried to the door.
"Packett." he snapped. Bring in
your friend".
ure in introducing Mr.. Bunker to Mr..
Cudd and Mr. oliver Pipps Brown.
Now. then" said Mr.. Cudd. 'I un-
derstand-"
well" said Mr. Bunker beamingly.
"r1e nd M, we caEle down hcre from
Oroduna, Iowa, a spell back, and we've
been goin' around some takin' in the
sights and we've been to the movies
quite some. Looks to me like there
ought to be pretty good money in
movies. if they was real good ones"
There's more money to be made
right now" Mr.. Cudd began.
"Sure! That's what figured"
beamed Mr.. Bunker. II been hearin'
Miss Fogarty and Miss Deare talkin'
about it, and about Mr.. oliver Pipps
some money and ma has some
You couldn't put it into moro
profitable speculation than The
Making of James," I ASSURE" Mr..
Cudd said.
so figgered!' agreed Mr.. Bunker.
"I says to myself: .Jabez, this looks
good! If you was to get up COM
pany and have a contract with Miss
Deare for five weeks at a hundred
dollars a week, and with Mr.. Packet
at two hundred dollars a week, and
with Mr.. Hartway at two or three
hundred dollars a week, and give MI.
Oliver Pipps Brown a fiat five th0us
sand dollars cash for his book"
"Mr. Brown is to get ten per cent
IF the production clears two hundred
thousand dolIars-as we expect it to
clear-he will get twenty thousand
dollars"
And a book with the plot and char<
acter-actor of mine" said Mr..