who could know what might happen？ The boy might go far。
He smiled to himself as he picked up the report。 His sister had been right。
Blood was thicker than water。
8
HARRY RICHARDS； CHIEF OF THE STUDIO POLICE； was in the booth when Nevada drove into the main gate of the studio。 He came out of the booth； his hand outstretched。 〃Mr。 Smith。 It's great to see you again。〃
Nevada returned his smile； pleased by the man's obvious warmth。 He shook his hand。 〃Good to see you again； Harry。〃
〃It's been a long time；〃 Richards said。
〃Yeah。〃 Nevada smiled。 〃Seven years。〃 The last time he'd been at the studio was just after The Renegade had been released； in 1930。 〃I've got an appointment with Dan Pierce。〃
〃He's expecting you；〃 Richards said。 〃He's in Norman's old office。〃
Nevada nodded。 He shifted into gear and Richards stepped back from the car。 〃I hope everything works out； Mr。 Smith。 It would be like old times having you back。〃
Nevada smiled and turned the car down the road to the executive building。 One thing； at least； hadn't changed around the studio。 There were no secrets。 Everybody knew what was going on。 They obviously knew more than he did。 All he knew was what he'd read in Dan's telegram。
He'd e in from the range and found it lying on the table in the entranceway。 He picked it up and ripped it open quickly。
HAVE IMPORTANT PICTURE DEAL FOR YOU。 WOULD APPRECIATE YOU CONTACT ME RIGHT AWAY。
DAN PIERCE。
Martha came into the hall while he was reading it。 She had an apron on over her dress； having just e from the kitchen。 〃Lunch is about ready；〃 she said。
He handed her the telegram。 〃Dan Pierce has a picture deal for me。〃
〃They must be in trouble；〃 she said quietly。 〃Why else would they call you after all these years？〃
He shrugged his shoulders； pretending a casualness he didn't feel。 〃It doesn't have to be that；〃 he said。 〃Jonas ain't like Bernie Norman。 Maybe things have changed since he took over the studio。〃
〃I hope so；〃 she said。 Her voice took on a little spirit。 〃I just don't want them using you again。〃 She turned and went back into the kitchen。
He stared after her for a moment。 That was what he liked about her。 She was solid and dependable。 She was for him and nobody else； not even herself。 Somehow； he had known it would be like that when they were married two years ago。 Charlie Dobbs's widow was the kind of woman he should have married a long time ago。
He followed her into the kitchen。 〃I've got to go up to Los Angeles； to see the bank about the thousand acres I'm buying from Murchison；〃 he said。 〃It wouldn't do any harm to drop by and see what Dan has on his mind。〃
〃No； it wouldn't；〃 she said； putting the coffeepot on the table。
He straddled a chair and filled his cup。 〃Tell yuh what；〃 he said suddenly。 〃We'll drive up there。 We'll stay at the Ambassador an' have ourselves a high old time。〃
She turned to look at him。 There was a sparkling excitement hidden deep in his eyes。 It was then she knew he'd go back if there was anything for him。 It wasn't that they needed the money。 Nevada was a rich man now by any standards。 Everything was paying off … the Wild…West show； which still used his name； the dude ranch in Reno in which he and her late husband had been partners； and the cattle ranch here in Texas； where they were living。
No； it wasn't the money。 He'd turned down an offer of a million dollars' down payment against royalties for the mineral rights to the north quarter。 Oil had been found on the land adjoining it。 But he wanted to keep the range the way it was； didn't want oil derricks lousing up his land。
It was the excitement； the recognition that came when he walked down the street。 The kids clamoring and shouting after him。 But they had other heroes now。 That was what he missed。 That … and Jonas。
In the end； it was probably Jonas。 Jonas was the son he'd never had。 Everything else was a substitute … even herself。 For a moment； she felt sorry for him。
〃How about it？〃 he asked； looking up at her。
A feeling of tenderness welled up inside her。 It had always been like that。 Even years ago； when they'd been very young and he'd e up from Texas to the ranch in Reno where she and Charlie had settled。 Weary and beaten and hiding from the law； he'd had a haunted； lonely look in his eyes。 Even then she'd felt the essential goodness in him。
She smiled。 〃I think that would be real nice；〃 she said； almost shyly。
〃It's a rat race；〃 Dan said。 〃We don't make pictures any more。 We're a factory。 We have to grind out a quota of film each month。〃
Nevada slid back in his chair and smiled。 〃It seems to agree with you； Dan。 You don't look none the worse for it。〃
〃The responsibilities are killin' me。 But it's a job。〃
Nevada looked at him shrewdly。 Pierce had put on weight。 〃But it beats the hell out of workin' for a livin'； don't it？〃
Dan held up his hands。 〃I knew there'd be no point in looking for sympathy from you； Nevada。〃 They both laughed and Dan looked down at his desk。 When he looked up again； his face was serious。 〃I suppose you'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