Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-05-23
CON ~ louA JossA Vance
Continued From Our Last Issuc)

AlN
WTEEKS slipped stcllthily awny.
w a spring cnsucd like an cast.
crn summer, while delays on
delays accumulated and still the day
when shooting should begin lin.
gcrod remotely down tomorrow's
dim horizon.
Lontalnc had leased studio space
in the Zinn plant. which Summer
lad recommended rs the most
modern and completely equipped on
the coast For this the company
was paying a weekly rental Of fifteen
hundred dollars. An expensive eX-
ecutive and technical staff, lacking
only a director, was kicking heels OF
enforced idlcness on full pay. y
story had been selected. an old novel
by "A moderately popular author TO
which Xnn had in 1914 purchased
all motion-picture rights outright
for five hundred dollars and which
he was now willing TO part with for
ten thousand as a special courtesy
because he had taken such a mad
fancy to Lontaine.
a scenario writer, warranted by
linn the best in the business" had
received five thousand for casting
the story into continuity form, the
labor of ono whole week. and retired
rejoicing to his hundred ,and.flfty Il
week Job In the Zinn scenario depart.
ment.
A reading of his bastard brain.
child had persuaded Lucinda that
continuity writing must be the mys.
terry its adopts alleged; In fact she
couldn't understand the greater part
Of It, and what she did understand
somewhat prcycd upon her mind
But LOutainc seemed satisfied.
Summerlad solaced her misgivinES
with the assurance that Potter
Monahan simply couldn't write a
poor continuity, and both agreed
that Barry Nolan would know what
to do to make it right when he got
down to work on IT,
Incidentally, he did: Nolan read 1t
halfthrouEh. thoughtfully SHE'D the
manuscript out Of a window, and
dictated a continuity all his own, Of
which nobody but himself could
make head or tail, and which at
times in the course of its production
seemed to puzzle oven its pcrpe
traitor.
In the meantime Lucinda had
moved to the Hollywood Hotel, the
LOntaines to a furnished bungalow
nearby, where they vainly pressed
her to Join them. She thought it
wiser to decline.
I'm far too fond Of both Of you
to risk living with YOU sha eX-
planned. Besides, It's high time |
was learning to breathe in proper
motion picture atmosphere.
This the Hollywood provided to
admiration. Summorad assured Lu.
Cinda, and on her own observation
she could well believe, that at one
stage on another of their careers al
most every motion-pictIre player Of
consequence in the country must
have registered at this hotel
with most of these Lucinda be.
came acquainted by sight, with
many she grew accustomed to cX.
change smiles and the time of day,
They made up to her saucily or
shyly, according to the style they
believed became them best. But on
one point they were all agreed; they
wanted work Lucinda spoke to
Lynn Sunmerad. and was rewarded /.
with worried frown, the first sign
of care she had ever detected in .
him, together with some wclI-chosen /
thoughts on the dangers of contract. |
ing, haphazard hotel and aCquaint- /
anCeships.
FIRST thing you know, thcyll be |
trying to borrow money from you"
Lucinda was silent for want of a /
conscience that would sanction an
indignant rcjoinder,
But this is, after all, Hollywood" /
No excuse for doing as the Hol.
lywoodcnhcads do"
Then, ! take it, you think it
might be moro discreet of me to stop
going about with you alone" ]