rried　this　light　manner　through　minor　scenes　with　the　beautiful　young　girl　friends　of　Miss　Gordon　who　wooed　him；　lay　in　wait　for　him；　ogled　and　sighed。　Always　he　was　the　laughingly　tolerant　conqueror　who　had　but　a　lazy　scorn　for　his　triumphs。
  He　did　not　strike　the　graver　note　until　it　became　suspected　that　there　were　crooks　in　the　house　bent　upon　stealing　the　famous　Gordon　jewels。　That　it　was　Throckmorton　who　averted　this　catastrophe　by　sheer　nerve　and　by　use　of　his　rare　histrionic　powersas　when　he　disguised　himself　in　the　coat　and　hat　of　the　arch　crook　whom　he　had　felled　with　a　single　blow　and　left　bound　and　gagged；　in　order　to　receive　the　casket　of　jewels　from　the　thief　who　opened　the　safe　in　the　library；　and　that　he　laughed　away　the　thanks　of　the　grateful　millionaire；　astonished　no　one　in　the　audience；　though　it　caused　Merton　Gill　to　wonder　if　he　could　fell　a　crook　with　one　blow。　He　must　practice　up　some　blows。
  Throckmorton　left　the　palatial　country　home　wearied　by　the　continuous　adulation。　The　last　to　speed　him　was　the　Gordon　daughter；　who　reminded　him　of　their　wager；　within　ten　days　he　would　acknowledge　her　to　be　an　actress　fit　to　play　as　his　leading　woman。
  Throckmorton　drove　rapidly　to　a　simple　farm　where　he　was　not　known　and　would　be　no　longer　surfeited　with　attentions。　He　dressed　plainly　in　shirts　that　opened　wide　at　the　neck　and　assisted　in　the　farm　labours；　such　as　pitching　hay　and　leading　horses　into　the　barn。　It　was　the　simple　existence　that　he　had　been　cravingaway　from　it　all！　No　one　suspected　him　to　be　Hubert　Throckmorton；　least　of　all　the　simple　country　maiden；　daughter　of　the　farmer；　in　her　neat　print　dress　and　heavy　braid　of　golden　hair　that　hung　from　beneath　her　sunbonnet。　She　knew　him　to　be　only　a　man　among　men；　a　simple　farm　labourer；　and　Hubert　Throckmorton；　wearied　by　the　adulation　of　his　feminine　public；　was　instantly　charmed　by　her　coy　acceptance　of　his　attentions。
  That　this　charm　should　ripen　to　love　was　to　be　expected。　Here　was　a　child；　simple；　innocent；　of　a　wild…rose　beauty　in　her　print　dress　and　sunbonnet；　who　would　love　him　for　himself　alone。　Beside　a　blossoming　orange　tree　on　the　simple　Long　Island　farm　he　declared　his　love；　warning　the　child　that　he　had　nothing　to　offer　her　but　two　strong　arms　and　a　heart　full　of　devotion。
  The　little　girl　shyly　betrayed　that　she　returned　his　love　but　told　him　that　he　must　first　obtain　the　permission　of　her　grandmother　without　which　she　would　never　consent　to　wed　him。　She　hastened　into　the　old　farmhouse　to　prepare　Grandmother　for　the　interview。
  Throckmorton　presently　faced　the　old　lady　who　sat　huddled　in　an　armchair；　her　hands　crooked　over　a　cane；　a　ruffled　cap　above　her　silvery　hair。　He　manfully　voiced　his　request　for　the　child's　hand　in　marriage。　The　old　lady　seemed　to　mumble　an　assent。　The　happy　lover　looked　about　for　his　fiance　when；　to　his　stupefaction；　the　old　lady　arose　briskly　from　her　chair；　threw　off　cap；　silvery　wig；　gown　of　black；　and　stood　revealed　as　the　child　herself；　smiling　roguishly　up　at　him　from　beneath　the　sunbonnet。　With　a　glad　cry　he　would　have　seized　her；　when　she　stayed　him　with　lifted　hand。　Once　more　she　astounded　him。　Swiftly　she　threw　off　sunbonnet；　blonde　wig；　print　dress；　and　stood　before　him　revealed　as　none　other　than　the　Gordon　daughter。
  Hubert　Throckmorton　had　lost　his　wager。　Slowly；　as　the　light　of　recognition　dawned　in　his　widening　eyes；　he　gathered　the　beautiful　girl　into　his　arms。　〃Now　may　I　be　your　leading　lady？〃　she　asked。
  〃My　leading　lady；　not　only　in　my　next　picture；　but　for　life；〃　he　replied。
  There　was　a　pretty　little　scene　in　which　the　wager　was　paid。　Merton　studied　it。　Twice　again；　that　evening；　he　studied　it。　He　was　doubtful。　It　would　seem　queer　to　take　a　girl　around　the　waist　that　way　and　kiss　her　so　slowly。　Maybe　he　could　learn。　And　he　knew　he　could　already　do　that　widening　of　the　eyes。　He　could　probably　do　it　as　well　as　Parmalee　did。
  *　*　*　*　*　*　*
  Back　in　the　Buckeye　office；　when　the　Montague　girl　had　returned　from　her　parting　with　Merton；　Baird　had　said：
  〃Kid；　you've　brightened　my　whole　day。〃
  〃Didn't　I　tell　you？〃
  〃He's　a　lot　better　than　you　said。〃
  〃But　can　you　use　him？〃
  〃You　can't　tell。　You　can't　tell　till　you　try　him　out。　He　might　be　good；　and　he　might　blow　up　right　at　the　start。〃
  〃I　bet　he'll　be　good。　I　tell　you。　Jeff；　that　boy　is　just　full　of　acting。　All　you　got　to　dokeep　his　stuff　straight；　serious。　He　can't　help　but　be　funny　that　way。〃
  〃We'll　see。　To…morrow　we'll　kind　of　feel　him　out。　He'll　see　this　Parmalee　film　to…dayI　caught　it　last　nightand　there's　some　stuff　in　it　I　want　to　play　horse　with；　see？　So　I'll　start　him　to…morrow　in　a　quiet　scene；　and　find　out　does　he　handle。　If　he　does；　we'll　go　right　into　some　hokum　drama　stuff。　The　more　serious　he　plays　it　the　better。　It　ought　to　be　good；　but　you　can't　ever　tell　in　our　trade。　You　know　that　as　well　as　I　do。〃
  The　girl　was　confident。　〃I　can　tell　about　this　lad；〃　she　insisted。
  CHAPTER　XIII
  GENIUS　COMES　INTO　ITS　OWN
  Merton　Gill；　enacting　the　part　of　a　popular　screen　idol；　as　in　the　play　of　yesterday；　sat　at　breakfast　in　his　apartments　on　Stage　Number　Five。　Outwardly　he　was　cool；　wary；　unperturbed；　as　he　peeled　the　shell　from　a　hard…boiled　egg　and　sprinkled　salt　upon　it。　For　the　breakfast　consisted　of　hard…boiled　eggs　and　potato　salad　brought　on　in　a　wooden　dish。
  He　had　been　slightly　disturbed　by　the　items　of　this　meal；　it　was　not　so　elegant　a　breakfast　as　Hubert　Throckmorton's；　but　he　had　been　told　by　Baird　that　they　must　be　a　little　different。
  He　had　been　slightly　disturbed；　too；　at　discovering　the　faithful　valet　who　brought　on　the　simple　repast　was　the　crosseyed　man。　Still；　the　fellow　had　behaved　respectfully；　as　a　valet　should。　He　had　been　quietly　obsequious　of　manner；　revealing　only　a　profound　admiration　for　his　master　and　a　constant　solicitude　for　his　comfort。　Probably　he；　like　Baird；　was　trying　to　do　something　distinctive　and　worth　while。
  Having　finished　the　last　eggglad　they　had　given　him　no　more　than　threethe　popular　screen　idol　at　the　prompting　of　Baird；　back　by　the　cameras；　arose；　withdrew　a　metal　cigarette　case；　purchased　that　very　morning　with　this　scene　in　view；　and　selected　a　cigarette。　He　stood　negligently；　as　Parmalee　had　stood；　tapped　the　end　of　the　cigarette　on　the　side　of　the　case；　as　Parmalee　had　done；　lighted　a　match　on　the　sole　of　his　boot；　and　idly　smoked　in　the　Parmalee　manner。
  Three　times　the　day　before　he　had　studied　Parmalee　in　this　bit　of　business。　Now　he　idly　crossed　to　the　centre…table　upon　which　reposed　a　large　photograph　album。　He　turned　the　pages　of　this；　pausing　to　admire　the　pictures　there　revealed。　Baird　had　not　only　given　him　general　instructions　for　this　scene；　but　now　prompted　him　in　low；　encouraging　tones。
  〃Turn　over　slowly；　you　like　'em　all。　Now　lift　the　album　up　and　hold　it　for　a　better　light　on　that　one。　It's　one　of　the　best；　it　pleases　you　a　lot。　Look　even　more　pleasedsmile！　That's　good。　Put　down　the　album；　turn　again；　slowly；　turn　twice　more；　that's　it；　pick　it　up　again。　This　one　is　fine〃
  Baird　took　him　through　the　album　in　this　manner；　had　him　close　it　when　all　the　leaves　were　turned；　and　stand　a　moment　with　one　hand　resting　on　it。　The　album　had　been　empty。　It　had　been　deemed　best　not　to　inform　the　actor　that　later　close…ups　of　the　pages　would　show　him　to　have　been　refreshed　by　studying　photographs　of　himselfcopies；　in　fact；　of　the　stills　of　Clifford　Armytage　at　that　moment　resting　on　Baird's　desk。
  As　he　stood　now；　a　hand　affectionately　upon　the　album；　a　trace　of　the　fatuously　admiring　smile　still　lingering　on　his　expressive　face；　a　knock　sounded　upon　the　door。　〃Come　in；〃　he　called。
  The　valet　entered　with　the　morning　mail。　This　consisted　entirely　of　letters。　There　were　hundreds　of　them；　and　the　valet　had　heaped　them　in　a　large　clothes…basket　which　he　now　held　respectfully　in　front　of　him。
  The　actor　motioned　him；　with　an　authentic　Parmalee　gesture；　to　place　them　by　the　table。　The　valet　obeyed；　though　spilling　many　letters　from　the　top　of　the　overflowing　basket。　These；　while　his　master　seated　himself；　he　briskly　swept　up　with　a　broom。
  The　chagrined　amusement　of　Harold　Parmalee；　the　half…savage；　half…　humorous　tolerance　for　this　perhaps　excusable　weakness　of　woman；　was　here　accurately　manifested。　The　actor　yawned　slightly；　lighted　another　cigarette　with　flawless　Parmalee　technique；　withdrew　a　handkerchief　from　his　sleeve…cuff；　lightly　touched　his　forehead　with　it；　and　began　to　open　the　letters。　He　glanced　at　each　one　in　a　quick；　bored　manner；　and　cast　it　aside。
  When　a　dozen　or　so　had　been　thus　treated　he　was　aroused　by　another　knock　at　the　door。　It　opened　to　reveal　the　valet　with　another　basket　overflowing　with　letters。　Upon　this　the　actor　arose；　spread　his　arms　wide　in　a　gesture　of　humorous　helplessness。　He　held　this　briefly；　then　drooped　in　humorous　despair。
  He　lighted　another　cigarette；　eyed　the　letters　with　that　whimsical　lift　of　the　brows　so　characteristic　of　Parmalee；　and　lazily　blew　smoke　toward　them。　Then；　regarding　the　smoke；　he　idly　waved　a　hand　through　it。　〃Poor；　silly　little　girls！〃　But　there　was　a　charming　tolerance　in　his　manner。　One　felt　his　generous　recognition　that　they　were　not　wholly　without　provocation。