"I tell you what," Chess said, quite as eagerly as Helen, "I was coming over to take you all for a sail on the river to-night. Let's get Tom and just us four keep watch on that island. I believe there is something going on there that ought to be looked into."

"I--I don't know that it is our business to look into it," suggested Ruth, doubtfully.

But for once Helen agreed with Chess, and against Ruth's better judgment it was determined to come back to this locality after dinner and lurk about the mysterious island in the Copley launch.

CHAPTER XVIII

BILBY'S TRUMP CARD

Naturally, Ruth went in search of Mr. Hammond the moment she landed on the island where the moving picture company was established. But, as she saw that the _Gem_ was not at the dock, she scarcely expected to find the president of the company at hand--and in that expectation she was not mistaken.

Mr. Hooley, the director, however, told her what he knew about the occurrence that had started Totantora so madly from the island in the canoe. Bilby and whoever it was that backed him in his enterprise were evidently determined to obtain the services of Wonota, the Osage princess, if it could be brought about.

"Looks to me," said the director, "as though we were going to have some trouble finishing this picture, Miss Fielding."

"We can't finish it without Wonota!" cried the girl.

"You don't think you could rewrite the remaining scenes so that we can keep on to the conclusion?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Why, Mr. Hooley! How about the throne-room scene? Wonota must appear in that. You say yourself that we cannot use anybody in her place."

"How about cutting out that scene? Finish the play on this side of the water. Don't go to France at all."

"Then the picture is spoiled!"

"No picture is spoiled until it goes out of our hands, you know," and Mr.

Hooley smiled satirically. "You know how it is in the picture business, Miss Fielding. Some unfortunate producer buys a script or a story. The scenario writer 'saves' the story by his work on the script. Then the continuity man 'saves' it a second time. Then the director 'saves' it after he gets it into his hands. We know that the star performer always 'saves' it again. And then the film cutter and the t.i.tle writer each 'save' it.

"Most pictures are 'saved' in this way by the omniscience of all who work on it so that, when it is finally produced, the writer seldom recognizes more than a glimmer of his original idea in the final product.

"You are much better treated than most picture writers, you know very well. And here you have a chance to 'save' your own work," and Mr. Hooley finished with a laugh.

"It is no laughing matter," she told him. "I wanted this to be a really big picture. And I do not want to cut out Wonota. Without that throne-room scene it will fall flat."

"We should have taken it in New York," grumbled Mr. Hooley. "I felt it at the time. But Mr. Hammond contracted for so many weeks' use of this island and the time is running out already."

"And Wonota and Totantora are gone!"

"Exactly."

"Do you know where they have gone?"

"Haven't the least idea. But Mr. Hammond knows."

"He went to town?" asked Ruth thoughtfully.

"He has gone to confer with the lawyers and see if they can get the court to vacate the injunction issued against our use of Wonota. Bilby and the sheriff came again. They had a warrant this time. It called for the production of Wonota. Luckily you had her off the island at the time.

They searched every nook and cranny, and meanwhile Totantora got away.

They wanted him too."

"I think that Bilby is too mean for words!"

"Well, I take it that it was his trump card. He must have some powerful influence behind him. But--"

"But what, Mr. Hooley?" asked Ruth eagerly.

"I can see how we might get over the difficulty if the courts will not listen to reason."

"Oh! Do tell me!"

"We can move the whole company over the Canadian border, and before Bilby can do anything over there we'll have finished 'The Long Lane's Turning.'

That's the only way I see out of the mess."

"But think of the expense!"

"Sure! I'm thinking of that all the time," grumbled Hooley. "And don't you forget that the boss never allows me to lose sight of it. Your interest in this picture is greater than mine, Miss Fielding; but my job is sort of tangled up in it, too. Mr. Hammond is a good man; but he is a good business man first of all. I am afraid that you will be obliged to make some changes in the remaining scenes so as to overcome the difficulty of losing Wonota."

"I will not do it!" cried the girl, this time in anger.

"Better read your contract. If you won't do it, somebody else will have to. You know, we've got a man at the studio who could change Hamlet into a slap-stick comedy over night, if the emergency arose."

"I will not agree to have my picture ruined," said Ruth, almost in tears.

"That isn't the way to look at it," Hooley observed more kindly. "Just see that you save your story yourself instead of letting some other person do it for you. That's the answer, I fear."

Ruth had no appet.i.te for dinner that evening, but she was obliged to meet her friends and the actors and actresses who ate at her table with at least an appearance of cheerfulness.

It was impressed upon her mind more deeply than ever before, however, that her arrangement with the Alectrion Film Corporation was not wholly satisfactory. She had learned so much now about the making of a screen picture that often her advice in the directing of the action was accepted with admiration by Mr. Hooley. Mr. Hammond was not afraid to go away and leave the two to film the most important scenes in a script.

And why should she be tied to certain agreements that cramped her?

Especially in a case of this kind. For the sake of saving expense Mr.

Hammond was likely to insist that the artistic part of "The Long Lane's Turning" should be sacrificed.

Ruth felt that on her part she would spend twenty-five thousand dollars more (if she had it to spend) in shipping the whole company over the border and making the remainder of the picture in Canada.

"I am going to be in a position some time where I shall have the say as to every detail of the picture," she told herself. "I want to be my own manager and my own producer. Otherwise I shall never be happy--nor will I ever be sure of making worth-while pictures."

For Ruth took this career of hers very seriously indeed. Because she did so, perhaps, the fact that Tom Cameron seemed to consider his work so lightly caused Ruth to criticise the young man harshly. That could only be expected.

Tom did not return for dinner. Nor did Mr. Hammond come back to headquarters. Chess Copley was eager to get the girls out in his _Lauriette_ again.

"Pooh! it's nothing much, I guess," said Helen, seemingly having lost her first interest in the smugglers and the King of the Pipes. "And, anyway, I shall not go unless Tom is with us."

"Why, Helen!" cried Ruth, "I thought you were so eager."