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〃Oh； that's the thing that Dumont was kicking around before the war。 It doesn't work。〃
〃Does now；〃 Mac said。 〃It's the next big thing。 All the radio and electronics panies are going into it。 RCA； Columbia； Emerson； IT&T； GE； Philco。 All of them。 Want to see how it works？〃
〃Sure。〃
He walked over and picked up the phone。 〃Get me the lab。〃 He covered the mouthpiece。 〃I'll have them put something on；〃 he said。
A moment later； he went over to the set and turned a knob。 A light flashed behind the window； then settled into a series of circles and lines。 Gradually； letters came into view。
CORD ELECTRONICS PRESENTS…
Suddenly； the card was replaced by a picture； a Western scene with a man riding a horse toward the camera。 The camera dollied in real close on the face and I saw it was Nevada。 I recognized the scene； too。 It was the chase scene from The Renegade。 For five minutes； we watched the scene in silence。
〃Well； I'll be damned；〃 Nevada said； when it was over。
I looked across at Robair。 There was an expression of rapt wonder on his face。 He looked at me。 〃There's what I call a miracle； Mr。 Jonas；〃 he said softly。 〃Now I can watch a movie in my own home without goin' to sit in no nigger heaven。〃
〃So that's why they all want to buy my old pictures；〃 Nevada said。
I looked up at him。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃You know those ninety…odd pictures we made and I own now？〃
I nodded。
〃People been after me to sell 'em。 Offered me good money for 'em； too。 Five thousand dollars each。〃
I stared at him。 〃One thing I learned in the picture business；〃 I said。 〃Never sell outright what you can get a percentage on。〃
〃You mean rent it to 'em like I do to a theater？〃
〃That's right；〃 I said。 〃I know those broadcasting panies。 If they'll buy it for five； they plan to make fifty out of it。〃
〃I'm no good at big deals like that；〃 Nevada said。 〃Would you be willin' to handle it for me； Mac？〃
〃I don't know； Nevada。 I'm no agent。〃
〃Go ahead and do it； Mac；〃 I said。 〃Remember what you told me about making a point where it counts？〃
He smiled suddenly。 〃O。K。； Nevada。〃
Suddenly； I was tired。 I slumped back in my chair。 Robair was at my side instantly。 〃You all right； Mr。 Jonas？〃
〃I'm just tired；〃 I said。
〃Maybe you better stay at the apartment tonight。 We can go on out to the ranch in the morning。〃
I looked at Robair。 The idea of getting into a bed was very appealing。 My ass was sore from the wheel chair。
〃I'll order a car；〃 Mac said； picking up the phone。 〃You can drop me at the studio on your way into town。 I've got some work to finish up there。〃
My mind kept working all the time we rode toward the studio。 When the car stopped at the gates； suddenly everything was clear to me。
〃We'll have to do something about a replacement for Bonner；〃 Mac said； getting out。 〃It isn't good business having a lawyer run a studio。 I don't know anything about motion pictures。〃
I stared at him thoughtfully。 He was right； of course。 But then； who did？ Only David； and he was gone。 I didn't care any more。 There were no pictures left in me； no one I wanted to place up there on the screen for all the world to see。 And back in the office I'd just left； there was a little box with a picture window and soon it would be in every home。 Rich or poor。 That little box was really going to chew up film； like the theaters had never been able to。 But I still didn't care。
Even when I was a kid； when I was through with a toy； I was through with it。 And I'd never go back to it。 〃Sell the theaters；〃 I whispered to Mac。
〃What？〃 he shouted； as if he couldn't believe his ears。 〃They're the only end of this business that's making any money。〃
〃Sell the theaters；〃 I repeated。 〃In ten years； no one will want to e to them； anyway。 At least； not the way they have up to now。 Not when they can see movies right in their own home。〃
Mac stared at me。 〃And what do you want me to do about the studio？〃 he asked； a tinge of sarcasm ing into his voice。 〃Sell that； too？〃
〃Yes；〃 I said quietly。 〃But not now。 Ten years from now； maybe。 When the people who are making pictures for that little box are squeezed and hungry for space。 Sell it then。〃
〃What will we do with it in the meantime？ Let it rot while we pay taxes on it？〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃Turn it into a rental studio like the old Goldwyn lot。 If we break even or lose a little； I won't plain。〃
He stared at me。 〃You really mean it？〃
〃I mean it；〃 I said； looking away from him up at the roof over the stages。 For the first time； I really saw it。 It was black and ugly with tar。 〃Mac； see that roof？〃
He turned and looked； squinting against the setting sun。
〃Before you do anything else；〃 I said softly； 〃have them paint it white。〃
I pulled my head back into the car。 Nevada looked at me strangely。 His voice was almost sad。 〃Nothing's changed； has it； Junior？〃
〃No；〃 I said wearily。 〃Nothing's changed。〃
8
I SAT ON THE PORCH； SQUINTING OUT INTO THE AFTERNOON SUN。 Nevada came out of the house behind me and dropped into a chair。 He pulled a plug out of his pocket and biting off a hunk； put the plug back。 Then from his other pocket； he took a piece of wood and a penknife and began to whittle。
I looked at him。 He was wearing a pair of faded blue levis。 A sweat…stained old buckskin shirt； that had seen better days； clung to his deep chest and broad shoulders and he had a red…and…white kerchief tied around his neck to catch the perspiration。 Except for his white hair； he looked as I always remembered him when I was a boy； his hands quick and brown and strong。
He looked up at me out of his light eyes。 〃Two lost arts；〃 he said。
〃What？〃
〃Chewin' an' whittlin'；〃 he said。
I didn't answer。
He looked down at the piece of wood in his hands。 〃Many's the evenin' I spent on the porch with your pa； chewin' an' whittlin'。〃
〃Yeah？〃
He turned and let fly a stream of tobacco juice over the porch rail into the dust below。 He turned back to me。 〃I recall one night；〃 he said。 〃Your pa an' me； we were settin' here； just like now。 It'd been a real bitcheroo of a day。 One of them scorchers that make your balls feel like they're drownin' in their own sweat。 Suddenly he looks up at me an' says； 'Nevada； anything should happen to me； you look after my boy； hear？ Jonas is a good boy。 Sometimes his ass gets too much for his britches but he's a good boy an' he's got the makin's in him to be a better man than his daddy； someday。 I love that boy； Nevada。 He's all I got。' 〃
〃He never told me that；〃 I said； looking at Nevada。 〃Not ever。 Not once！〃
Nevada's eyes flashed up at me。 〃Men like your daddy ain't given much to talkin' about things like that。〃
I laughed。 〃He not only didn't talk it；〃 I said。 〃He never showed it。 He was always chewing on my ass for one thing or another。〃
Nevada's eyes bore straight into mine。 〃He was always there whenever you were in trouble。 He might have hollered but he never turned you down。〃
〃He married my girl away from me；〃 I said bitterly。
〃Maybe it was for your own good。 Maybe it was because he knew she never really was for you。〃
I let that one go。 〃Why are you telling me this now？〃 I asked。
I couldn't read those Indian eyes of his。 〃Because your father asked me once to look after you。 I made one mistake already。 I seen how smart you was in business； I figured you to be growed up。 But you wasn't。 An' I wouldn' like to fail a man like your father twice。〃
We sat there in silence for a few minutes； then Martha came out with my tea。 She told Nevada to spit out the chaw and stop dirtying up the porch。 He looked at me almost shyly； got up and went down to get rid of the chaw behind the bushes。
We heard a car turn up our road as he came back to the porch。 〃I wonder who that is？〃 Martha asked。
〃Maybe it's the doctor；〃 I said。 Old Doc Hanley was supposed to e out and check me over once a week。
By that time； the car was in the driveway and I knew who it was。 I got to my feet； leaning on my cane； as Monica and Jo…Ann approached us。 〃Hello；〃 I called。
They'd e back to California to close up their apartment； Monica explained； and since she wanted to talk to me about Amos； they'd stopped off in Reno on their way back to New