The Bozeman courier., 1926-09-10

mind that he would succeed to Eddtes JOB
when the presidential tolerance should pass
the breaking point. For a month now he
had worked about the studio drinking up
wisdom and making himself handy in doZ-
ems of ways. He regarded himself as
gentleman Of parts and was quite confident
that after a few months in the position
now held by Eddie Ffzz he could succeed
in supplanting j. Caeser Clump-and then
holding down that gentleman's Job in a
manner to eclipse the enviable record Of
the present incumbrant.
During most of the day he lounged
about the stage, where desperate effort
was being made to complete the current
picture. But late in the afternoon the ef-
fort was abandoned as impossible and the
company summoned to the lot early the
following morning. Final instructions were
given Eddie by Mr.. Clump.
"NOw you see that them cOschumeS is
locked up tight. If anything happens to
'em tonight, it costs us money an you
is gwine to be minus one good job OF
work"
Accompanied by Mr.. Clump, Eddie Fizz
took the costumes of his three princi-
pals and put them in the wardrobe room.
In the presence Of the director he locked
"You see." he said quietly, 81 has done
ev'ything l can"
An then as he turned he saw a form
oOzing away from the door.
| The person was Festus Martin.
Eddie walked homeward by a circuitous
route. He desired to think and thinking
| seemed easier when his feet were engaged
in the task Of carrying him somewhere.
In a few days the entire prospect OF
life had been altered for Mr.. Fizz. Where
it had been golden hue it was now dull
and drab and impossibly gloomy. He
was about to be pushed from his high es'
tate-to become once again a person o.
common clay. Dignity was to be stripped
from him in the twinkling of an eye; dig
nifty and social position and mighty in
fluence-and in their stead he was tt
ha a11Ouyad largo fuUOOnf1iU Wis
i0ned himself following the barherous pro
fessiOn from which he had graduated II
the motion picture industry-and his sou
was filled with bitter hatred Of the leer
fail. fail se"''e'""" ""O was ~ MS
Festus had plotted wisely and all to,
we'll; Eddie found himself enmeShed In
web of damning circumstance from whicl
there was apparently no escape. He sud
. denly felt the need for rest and seate'
himself on the curb, cupping head II
: "Brains." he pleaded earnestly. "Le'
you an me git busy. 1 Graves a scheme.
Twenty minutes later he leaped to hi
feet and struck out rapidly for home. Hi
. head was thrown back and his skinny leg
moved like eccentric -pistons.
For the first time in a week there wa
the suggestion of a smile on his lips.
I But meanwhile the brain Of Eddie FiZ
had not been the only one in Birmingham
which operated this warm evening. Festu
SGGIeu SOAlIdIJ kIdnOuGL dJ u
counter of Bud Peaglar's Barbecue Lunc
: Room and Billiard ParlOr, warmed the II
0 ner man with a bowl Of steaming Bruins
E wick stew and plotted with Machiavellia
cunning to complete the discontinue
the poor little man who stood between hi
s and opportunity.
Things were breaking we'll for Mr.. Ma
I tin-but Festus did not believe in leav1n
: anything to chance. Instead Of waitin
v for opportunity to rap at his door,
j. OQ rricd fhn door with him the scare
s for opportunity.
: All day long Festus had snOOped abO,
e the Midnight studio, saturating himse
d with the feeling of antagOnism which hI
e developed against the innocent and inOffe
e sive Eddie Fizz. AS a result of long day
: investigation Festus realized that the cam
had been loaded to the last Ounce-and no
e he schemed to place upon the back
% that animal the final straw which wOu
cause the backbone to crack.
Is He did not propose to do anything tn
he had not done frequently in the IL
mediate past. He held in his pocket
lie key which would give him admission
1t the wardrobe room. The task Of breaki
g and entering was therefore simplicity RAJ
re ed to the nth power. Even more simI
would be the job Of abstracting three
~ four exterior garments which would eau
a pOstponement Of the final days shoe
eS ing-and excite the rancor against Edo
th Fizz to the point Of violent and compile
ut discharge.
But unfortunately for Mr.. Martins pes
n of mind, he was ignorant of one fact
IS He did not know that ROcksy, the be-
M was a temporary boarder In the STUDIO:
S4 The evening dragged away on lead
VI feet. To while away the time Mr.. Mar
81 permitted himself to be inveigled into
at game of Kelly pool with such redoubta
sc cue wielders as Florian Slappy and E
Sc Peters. Two-bit piece after two-bit pi
=, I, passed from his possession into the cap
|. cious pockets Of these two gentlemel
II but mere quarters were Of small mom
rs to Festus just then. He was on the thr
II hold Of a final master move.
-, At eleven thirty Bud Peaglar put an {
ne to the pool game. At twelve o'clock +
ny tus Martin had surrounded two barba
eu sandwiches with himself, boosted his ST
NJ, it's and soothed his nerves with gr
,er drafts Of steaming coffee, and now turl
- a corner and headed toward the Studl
sy. The old warehouse which sheltered
-Ot paraphernalia of the Midnight Picture {
ST. pOration, Inc, stood in solemncholy m
~ nificense on the corner Of an alley.
All squat bulk was silhOuetted against
80, full moon. 1t was a grim, fOrbidding pl
10 but it no longer held for FeStuS
. terror which had been generated on
occasion of his first nefariOus visit.
an However, it was not entirely w4tE
the trepidation that he slipped the key
na- the lock and admitted himself to
fty cavernOus place. Festus was inclined
rs be fond of illumination, and the stye
TOT gloom Of the studio caused his knees
quake just the meresI CrlLle. OuC even
. he conquered his fear before, so now
- stifled it and proceeded about his busin
to He told himself that this was an old st
ess and that nothing untoward had ever
for Cured, that he was supremely safe.
:at- But in spite Of past experience, des
his grim determination, he was oppreS
od by a chill fOreboding Of disaster. Two
s three times he paused and considered
turning whence he had come. But coml
me- SSnSe ~, snd he went ebSaA
.esSS he did not do it without quaking.
rlai ''Wrrrrrrrf!'
ass: Festus' feet ceased to function. His
nav balls popped. His knees ratified like
S tanets.
-. He listened. There was nothing to
lter
a yUWWEwN WWRN