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're wondering why I sent you that telegram？〃
Nevada nodded。 〃That's why I'm here。〃
〃I appreciate your ing；〃 Pierce said。 〃When this deal came up； you were the first one I thought about。〃
〃Thanks；〃 Nevada said dryly。 〃What's the hitch？〃
Dan's eyes grew round and large and pretended hurt。 〃Nevada； baby；〃 he protested。 〃Is that the way to talk to an old friend？ I used to be your agent。 Who got you your first job in pictures？〃
Nevada smiled。 〃Who sold my show down the river when he found he could get more money for the Buffalo Bill show？〃
Pierce dismissed it with a wave of his hand。 〃That was a long time ago； Nevada。 I'm surprised you even brought it up。〃
〃Only to keep the record straight； Dan；〃 Nevada said。 〃Now； what's on your mind？〃
〃You know how pictures are being sold nowadays？〃 Pierce asked； then went on without waiting for Nevada to answer。 〃We sell a whole year in advance。 So many A pictures； so many B's； so many action…adventures； so many mystery…horrors and so many Westerns。 Maybe ten per cent of the program is filmed when the sale's made； the rest as we go along。 That's what I meant by rat race。 We're lucky if we can keep ahead of our contracts。〃
〃Why don't you accumulate a backlog for release？〃 Nevada asked。 〃That ought to solve your problem。〃
Dan smiled。 〃It would but we haven't the cash reserve。 We're always waiting for the buck to e in from the current release so we can produce the next one。 It's a vicious cycle。〃
〃I still haven't heard your proposition；〃 Nevada said。
〃I'm going to lay it right on the line。 I feel I can speak frankly to you。〃
Nevada nodded。
〃Jonas has us on a short budget；〃 Dan said。 〃I'm not plaining； maybe Jonas is right。 At least； we didn't lose any money last year and it's the first time in almost five years we broke even。 Now； this year； the sales department thinks they can sell fourteen Westerns。〃
〃Sounds fine；〃 Nevada said。
〃We haven't got the money to make them。 But the bank will lend us the money if you'll star in them。〃
〃You know？〃 Nevada asked。
Fierce nodded。 〃I spoke to Moroni myself。 He thought it was a great idea。〃
〃How much will they advance you？〃 Nevada asked。
〃Forty thousand a picture。〃
Nevada laughed。 〃For the entire negative cost？〃
Dan nodded。
Nevada got to his feet。 〃Thanks； pal。〃
〃Hold on a minute； Nevada；〃 Dan said。 〃Wait until I finish。 You didn't think I'd get you up here unless I thought you could make a buck； did you？〃
Nevada sank back into his seat silently。
〃I know how you feel about quickies；〃 Dan said。 〃But believe me； these will be different。 We still have the sets we used for The Renegade； out on the back lot。 Dress them up a little and they'll be good as new。 I'll use my top production staff。 You can have your choice of any director and cameraman on the lot。 That goes for writers and producers； too。 I think too much of you； baby； to louse you up。〃
〃That's fine；〃 Nevada said。 〃But what am I supposed to work for？ Spit and tobacco？〃
〃I think I've got a good deal for you。 I had our accountants look into it and figure out a way you can keep some money instead of paying it all out in these damn taxes Roosevelt is slapping on us。〃
Nevada stared at him。 〃This better be good。〃
〃We'll salary you ten grand a picture；〃 Dan said。 〃That breaks down to five grand a week； because each picture will only take two weeks to shoot。 You defer your salary until first profits and we'll give you the picture outright after seven years。 You'll own the entire thing … negative and prints … lock； stock and barrel。 Then； if you want； we'll buy it back from you。 That'll give you a capital gain。〃
Nevada's face was impassive。 〃You sound just like Bernie Norman；〃 he said。 〃It must be the office。〃
Pierce smiled。 〃The difference is that Norman was out to screw you。 I'm not。 I just want to keep this factory running。〃
〃What would we use for stories？〃
〃I didn't want to look into that until after I'd talked to you；〃 Dan said quickly。 〃You know I always had a high regard for your story sense。〃
Nevada smiled。 He knew from Pierce's answer that he hadn't even thought about stories yet。 〃The important thing would be to hang the series on a character people can believe in。〃
〃Exactly how I felt about it；〃 Dan exclaimed。 〃I was thinking maybe we'd have you playing yourself。 Each time； you'd get into another adventure。 You know； full of the old stunts； tricks and shoot…outs。〃
Nevada shook his head。 〃Uh…uh。 I can't buy that。 It always seems phony。 Gene Autry and Roy Rogers do that at Republic。 Besides； I don't think anybody else would believe it。 Not with this white hair of mine。〃
Pierce looked at him。 〃We could always dye it black。〃
Nevada smiled。 〃No； thanks；〃 he said。 〃I kinda got used to it。〃
〃We'll e up with it；〃 Dan said。 〃Even if we have to pick up something from Zane Grey or Clarence Mulford。 Just you say the word and we're off。〃
Nevada got to his feet。 〃Let me think about it a little；〃 he said。 〃I'll talk it over with Martha and let you know。〃
〃I heard you got married again；〃 Dan said。 〃My belated congratulations。〃
Nevada started for the door。 Halfway there； he paused and looked back。 〃By the way；〃 he asked； 〃how's Jonas？〃
For the first time since they had met； Pierce seemed to hesitate。 〃All right； I guess。〃
〃You guess？〃 Nevada asked。 〃Why？ Haven't you seen him？〃
〃Not since New York； about two years ago；〃 Pierce answered。 〃When we took over the pany。〃
〃And you haven't seen him since？〃 Nevada asked incredulously。 〃Doesn't he ever e to the studio？〃
Dan looked down at his desk。 He seemed almost embarrassed。 〃Nobody sees him much any more。 Once in a while； if we're lucky； he'll talk to us on the telephone。 Sometimes he es here。 But it's always late at night； when there's nobody around。 We know he's been here by the messages he leaves。〃
〃But what if something important es up？〃
〃We call McAllister； who lets Jonas know we want to talk to him。 Sometimes he calls us back。 Most of the time； he just tells Mac how he wants it handled。〃
Suddenly； Nevada had the feeling that Jonas needed him。 He looked across the room at Dan。 〃Well； I can't make up my mind about this until I talk to Jonas。〃
〃But I just got through telling you； nobody sees him。〃
〃You want me to do the pictures？〃 Nevada asked。
Pierce stared at him。 〃He may not even be in this country。 We might not hear from him for a month。〃
Nevada opened the door。 〃I can wait；〃 he said。
9
〃ARE YOU STAYING FOR SUPPER； DUVIDELE？〃
〃I can't； Mama；〃 David said。 〃I just came by to see how you were。〃
〃How am I？ I'm the way I always am。 My arthritis is bothering me。 Not too much； not too little。 Like always。〃
〃You should get out in the sun more often。 For all the sun you get； you might as well be living back in New York。〃
〃A son I got；〃 Mrs。 Woolf said； 〃even if I never see him。 Even if he stays in a hotel。 Once every three months； maybe； he es。 I suppose I should be glad he es at all。〃
〃Cut it out； Mama。 You know how busy I am。〃
〃Your Uncle Bernie found time to e home every night；〃 his mother said。
〃Times were different then； Mama；〃 he said lamely。 He couldn't tell her that her brother had been known all over Hollywood as the matinee man。 Besides； Aunt May would have killed him if he stayed out。 She kept a closer guard on him than the government kept on Fort Knox。
〃One week you're here already and this is only the second time you've been to see me。 And not even once for supper！〃
〃I'll make it for supper soon； Mama。 I promise。〃
She fixed him with a piercing glance。 〃Thursday night；〃 she said suddenly。
He looked at her in surprise。 〃Thursday night？ Why Thursday night； all of a sudden？〃
A mysterious smile came over her face。 〃I got someone I want you should meet；〃 she said。 〃Someone very nice。〃
〃Aw； Mama；〃 he groaned。 〃Not another girl？〃
〃So what's wrong with meeting a nice girl？〃 his mother asked in hurt innocence。 〃She's a very nice girl； David； believe me。 Money her family's got。 A college girl； too。〃
〃But； Mama； I don't want to meet any girls。 I haven't the time。〃
〃Time you haven't got？〃 his mother demanded。 〃Already thirty years old。 It's time you should get ma