“Uh”—­in surprise—­“nearly a year.”

“You could have had your library photographed at any time, then, simply by stating your request as you did in this case.  In that year there have been pictures which would have served the purpose as well as this; better, in fact, because in this picture the library seems to be dark almost altogether.  In other stories there probably were infinitely better chances for the exhibition of the room.  Why did you wait for ’The Black Terror’?”

As a clear understanding of Kennedy’s question and all it entailed filtered into the mind of Phelps he became so red and flushed with anger that I felt sure he was going to explode on the spot.

“Because I didn’t think of it before,” he sputtered.

“You said the situation in the picture business made it necessary for you to stay in town.  Is there any trouble between Manton and yourself?”

“Not a bit!”

“Was Stella Lamar making any trouble, of a business nature, such as threatening to quit Manton Pictures?”

“No!” Phelps’ eyes now were narrowed to slits.

“Are you sure?”

With a great effort Phelps achieved a degree of self-control.  He forced a smile.  His remark, presumed to be a pleasantry, I knew masked the true state of his feelings.

“As sure, Mr. Kennedy,” he rejoined, awed by Kennedy’s reputation even in the full flood of his anger, “as sure as I am that I’d like to throw you down these steps!”

XIII

MARILYN LORING

The magic of Manton’s name admitted us to the studio courtyard, and at once I was struck by the change since the day before.  Now the tank was a dry, empty, shallow depression of concrete.  The scenery, all the paraphernalia assembled for the taking of water stuff, was gone.  Except for the parked automobiles in one corner and a few loitering figures here and there the big quadrangle seemed absolutely deserted.

In the general reception room Kennedy asked for Millard, but was told he had not been out since the previous day.  That was to be expected.  But Manton, it developed, was away also.  He had telephoned in that he would be detained until late afternoon on important business.  I know that I, for one, wondered if it were connected with Fortune Features.

“It’s just as well,” Kennedy remarked, after convincing the boy at the desk it was Manton’s wish that we have the run of the place.  “My real object in coming was to watch the cast at work.”

We found our way to the small studio, called so in comparison with the larger one where the huge ballroom and banquet sets were being built.  In reality it possessed a tremendous floor space.  Now all the other companies had been forced to make room for “The Black Terror” on account of the emergency created by the death of Stella Lamar, and there were any number of sets put up hastily for the retakes