Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-10-30
CHAPTER l.

CHAPTER l.
On the morning Of Saturday, Octo-
Der sixth. Tony Hull came into the
office Hardy had taken on Forty
second street. accompanied by a man
carrying q large satchel.
"Hcre she is" he laughed. as his
companion placed the bag on a chair.
"All ready TO show. That's all,
Pritchard. Wait for me in the car.
Well. Ben-what's the news?" He
spoke with a tense quickness which
indicated utterly worn-ou nerves.
Hardy glanced up with 4 frown.
II guess there's been a leak some
where. Tony" he said.
"A leak? What do YOU mean 7"
"Why-Davidson's showing tomor-
row night. too"
"Nol" Tony staggered, clutched
the edge Of the desk.
ITS III al the papers. Haven't
YOU seen them?'
"No. Too busy this morning"
Tony clutched the sheet that Ben
held out To him. A news item said
that the Davidson company's new
million dollar production. Elaine"
was 70 Re given It's initial showing at
the Plaza on Sunday night. October
..vcnth. In the same column ap-
reared a notice OF the opening Of
Tony Hull's production of the same
name.
Doesn't that look as though some
body had given away our plans?'
Ben asked.
IL don't think so. II Davidson had
supposed that VIC were opening Sun
dav. he'd have set his showing for
SATURDAY.. in order to he first in the
field. What he believes is that he
has stolen a march on us-that he's
n full week ahead. Or did. last night.
when these notices went out TO the
papers. BY this time. ] guess. he's
throwing seventeen different kinds
Of fits"
you don't seem particularly wor-
RED
I'm not. Rather pleased. in fact.
Two rival productions with the same
story, opening the same night, Talk
about your publicity And Of course
il invites comparison at once. Well
welcome that. | don't know what
sort Of scenario Sammy Glotzmann
fixed IN for Lew. but I'm ready 70
hack h7ine against ID, any time. And
Jane Dare against Irene Shirley.
They're not in the same class NO
matter how much money Davidson
has spent on his production. Il won't
look any more costly than ours.
Knowing Hallett. who directed Il. rs
I do. expect a lot Of theatrical
effects, but not much story. Neither
~ nor Glotzmann is suited to handle
\ subject az this sort. They'll miss
all the beauty. the poetry ~ II and
waste their time on spectacular seen
orv and clan trap. The public's been
fcd IN on that sort Of thing. We've
made our characters real human
beings. living a passionate romance.
not inst lay figures moving through
a u~areant. No-I'm not a bit sorry
we're opening tho same night--so
long as he isn't ahead Of us. Al
though I'll admit it's going to be a
hit hard on the critics" He sank
into a chair, exhausted by the effort
Of speaking. -,
a~nxiously. what wrong? You
"Guess I am. Too much black
coffee ard not enough sleep. When
this things over. I'm going to bed
for a month"
"Better make il a sea trip. You've
worked yourself to a fare-you-weii.
Too bad
Tony got up. There were tiny
heads Of perzpiration on his fore
head. He was palpably very weak.
"Not quite. Still got a kick or two
left in me. Got your invitations all
OUT"
ayes. Including n couple of hun
bred Columbia men in the balcony.
And the critics. of course. Used n
IN j ent me. But what don't
Gee il how they are going to take IN
both showings nj once
"Oh-a lot Of the papers Will cover
both. The hest men will come 20
ours. I ruess-knowing what they
think Of Irene Shirley. Where one
man tries to do two shows In an eve
ming, il should operate n our favor.
n NJ ~ "a our showing first.
he'll like Il. and won't want to leave.
III he takes in half the Davidson film
first. he'll probably be glad to. Com
parisons are the best sort OF adver-
tising-especially II thew happen to
he in your favor. On Monday morn-
ing our picture ought 10 be the most
talked-of show in town"