〃What is it； then？〃 I shot back。 〃Money？〃
〃No。〃 She shook her head。 〃A man。 A real man。 I never could make it with boys。〃
That touched home。 〃Maybe I'll make it in time；〃 I said。
〃You just got married five days ago。〃
I stared at her for a moment。 I could feel all the old familiar excitement climbing up in me。 〃Let's go；〃 I said tersely。 〃I haven't got all night。〃
I sat in the darkened projection room with Rina on one side of me and Von Elster； the director； on the other。
Rina hadn't lied。 The picture was great； but for only one reason。 Nevada。 He held the picture together with an innate core of strength that somehow illuminated the screen。
It was the strength I had always felt in him but up there it was larger； more purposeful； and no one could escape it。 He started out on that screen as a sixteen…year…old boy and rode off into the hills in the end as a twenty…five…year…old man。 Not once during the whole picture was I ever aware of his real age。
I leaned back in my chair with a sigh as the lights came up。 I reached for a cigarette； still feeling the excitement of the screen。 I lit the cigarette and dragged on it。 The surging reached down into my loins。 There was still something missing； I felt vaguely。 Then I felt the heat in my thighs and I knew what it was。
I looked at Von Elster。 〃Outside of that small bit about the madam in New Orleans and the convict's daughter in the cow town； there aren't any women in the picture。〃
Von Elster smiled。 〃There are some things you don't do in a Western。 Women is one of them。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because the industry feels that the image of the clean； strong man must be preserved。 The hero can be guilty of any crime but fornication。〃
I laughed and got to my feet。 〃Forgive the question；〃 I said。 〃But why can't you just add voices the way you did the music？ Why make the whole thing over？〃
〃I wish we could；〃 Von Elster said。 〃But the projection speed of silent film is different from sound film。 Talking film is projected at the speed of speech； while silent film moves much faster； depending on dialogue cards and broader action to carry the story。〃
I nodded。 Mechanically； what he said made sense。 Like everything else in this world； there was a technology to this business and it was beginning to interest me。 Without mechanics； the whole thing would be impossible。
〃e back to the hotel with me。 I'd like to talk some more about this。〃
I saw a sudden look of caution e into Rina's eyes。 She glanced at Von Elster； then turned to me。 〃It's almost four o'clock；〃 she said quickly。 〃And I think we've gone about as far as we can without Nevada。〃
〃O。K。；〃 I said easily。 〃You bring him up to the hotel in the morning。 Eight o'clock； all right？〃
〃Eight o'clock will be fine。〃
〃I can drop you off at your hotel； Mr。 Cord；〃 Von Elster said eagerly。
I glanced at Rina。 She shook her head imperceptibly。 〃Thanks；〃 I said。 〃Rina can drop me on her way home。〃
Rina didn't speak until the car pulled to a stop in front of the hotel。 〃Von Elster is on the make；〃 she said。 〃He's worried。 He's never made a talking picture before and he wants to do this one。 It's a big picture and if it es off； he'll be in solid again。〃
〃You mean he's shaky？〃 I asked。
〃Everybody in Hollywood is。 From Garbo and Gilbert on down。 No one is sure just what talking pictures are going to do to their career。 I hear John Gilbert's voice is so bad that MGM won't even pencil him in for another picture。〃
〃What about Nevada's voice？〃
〃It's good；〃 she said。 〃Very good。 We made a sound test the other day。〃
〃Well； that's one less thing to worry about。〃
〃Are you going to do it？〃 she asked。
〃What's in it for me if I do？〃 I countered。
〃You could make a lot of money；〃 she said。
〃I don't need it；〃 I said。 〃I'll make a lot of money； anyway。〃
Her eyes turned to me； her voice was cold。 〃You haven't changed； have you？〃
I shook my head。 〃No。 Why should I？ Does anybody？ Did you？〃 I reached for her hand。 It was cold as ice。 〃Just how much are you willing to give to bail Nevada out？〃
Her eyes were steady on mine。 〃I'd give everything I've got if it would help。〃
I felt a kind of sadness creeping into me。 I wondered how many people would say that for me。 Right then； I couldn't think of one。 I let go of her hand and got out of the car。
She leaned toward me。 〃Well； Jonas； have you made up your mind？〃
〃Not yet；〃 I said slowly。 〃There's a lot more I have to know about。〃
〃Oh。〃 She leaned back disappointedly。
〃But don't you worry；〃 I said。 〃If I do it； you'll be the first one I e to for payment。〃
She signaled the chauffeur。 He put the car into gear。 〃Knowing you；〃 she said quietly； 〃I never expected anything else。〃
The limousine rolled away and I turned and walked into the hotel。 I went up to my room and opened up the script。 It took about an hour and a half to go through it。 It was almost six o'clock before I closed my eyes。
6
THE TELEPHONE KEPT BANGING AWAY AT MY HEAD。 I shook my head to clear it and looked at my watch。 It was a few minutes past seven。 I picked up the phone。
〃Mr。 Cord？ Von Elster here。 I'm sorry to bother you so early； but I'm down in the lobby with Mr。 Norman。 It's very important we see you before you meet with Nevada。〃
〃Who's Norman？〃 I asked； still trying to clear my head。
〃Bernard B。 Norman of Norman Pictures。 That's the pany releasing the picture。 Mr。 Norman feels he can be of help to you in making the right kind of deal with Nevada。〃
〃Why should I need any help？〃 I asked。 〃I've known Nevada all my life。〃
His voice grew confidential。 〃Nevada's all right； Mr。 Cord。 But his agent； Dan Pierce； is a very sharp man。 Mr。 Norman just wants to give you a few pointers before you tangle with him。〃
I reached for a cigarette。 Von Elster hadn't lost any time。 He'd run right back to his boss the minute he smelled my money。 I didn't know what they wanted but I was damn sure it boded no good for Nevada。
〃Wait down there until I can get dressed。 I'll call you。〃
I put down the phone and finished lighting the cigarette。 The blue cover of the script caught my eye。 I picked up the telephone again。 I gave the operator Tony Moroni's home number out in the valley。
〃Sorry to wake you up； Tony；〃 I said。 〃This is Jonas。〃
His soft voice chuckled over the phone。 〃That's all right； Jonas。 I get up early； anyway。 By the way； congratulations on your marriage。〃
〃Thanks；〃 I said automatically； suddenly remembering I hadn't even thought about Monica since I came to town。 〃Did you bank Nevada Smith's new picture？〃
〃The Renegade？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃Yes； we did；〃 he answered。
〃What's the story on it？〃 I asked。
〃Its a good picture；〃 he said。 〃It would have a bettor chance if it were a talkie； but it's a good picture。〃
〃If you think it's good； why are you calling your loan？〃
〃Let me ask a question first； Jonas；〃 he said。 〃Exactly what is your interest？〃
〃I don't know yet；〃 I said frankly。 〃Nevada's my friend。 I want to find out what's happening。 Why are you calling the loan？〃
〃You know how we work；〃 he explained。 〃We made the loan to Smith on his collateral plus the guarantee of the Norman Pictures pany。 Now Bernie Norman needs credit to remake some of his own pictures； so he's withdrawing his guarantee。 Automatically； that means we have to call in the loan。〃
No wonder Von Elster and Bernie Norman were down in the lobby waiting to see me。 They didn't want anybody to interfere with their fingering Nevada。
〃Exactly what happens to Nevada？〃 I asked。
〃If he can't pay the loan； we foreclose on the picture； then all his collateral goes into an escrow account。 Then we liquidate until we recover。〃
〃What do you do with the picture then？〃 I asked。 〃Junk it？〃
〃Oh； no。〃 He laughed softly。 〃Then we turn it over to Norman to release。 That gives Bernie a chance to get his money out。 He has about four hundred thousand in it。 After he recovers； the overage is paid to us。 When our loan is paid off； we turn over what's left to Smith。〃
The whole thing was beginning to make sense。 By the time any money got to Nevada； he'd have had it。 〃What's the chances on any overage？〃 I asked。
〃Not very good；〃 Tony answered。 〃Under the present deal； the distribution fees are very low and Nevada Smith's money es out first。 When we take over； the fees will triple and his share will e out last。〃
〃Who gets the fees … the bank？〃
He laughed again。 〃Of course not。 Bernie does。 He's the distributor。〃
Now I had it。 The boys downstairs were going to make it real big。 Screw Nevada。 That way； they could grab themselves off a big one for practically nothing。 I wondered just how smart Nevada's agent could be if he let him stick his head into a trap like that。
〃One more question； Tony；〃 I said； 〃and I'll stop bothering you。 How much more money should it take to make The Renegade over as a talkie？〃
He was silent for a moment。 〃Let's see；〃 he said。 〃The sets are still standing； they have all the costumes。 That's about half the cost。 Maybe another million； less； if they're lucky。〃
〃Is it worth it？〃
He hesitated。 〃I usually don't venture opinions on pictures。 Too many things can happen。〃
〃This time； venture；〃 I said。 〃I need an opinion fro