Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 167: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

MYRA’S MIRACLE, As a result of these altered plans the work took longer than they had anticipated. It consumed the next four days. It was on Saturday that Mallory heard a conversa- tion that ultimately was to affect his whole future. Alice Brooke was bantering Vail. “You'll break the heart of that little girl,” she said. : “Not I,” laughed the tall author. “Then she’ll break yours.” “Still less likely. I try experiments on girls of various types, and by watching the results I get a lot of valuable pointers for my stories. But there she is. I fly.” “To acquire some more local color—or the fun of flirting with an unsophisticated pretty girl,” laughed the leading lady as Vail started toward the house. Mallory looked round and saw the author take hold of Myra’s arm in a familiar way and with an air of ownership, drawing her toward the covert of an old grape arbor. Just then Mrs. Duncan appeared in the doorway, watched them a moment and then called Myra to her. Vail returned to the scene which was being taken, with a shrug of his lean shoulders. To Mallory two things became suddenly clear; Myra was a very pretty girl and because of that Mrs. Duncan’s kindness to them was being abused by one of his own party. He had always tried scrupulously to leave every “ location ’’ so that he would be welcome to come again. He called Vail to him and said softly, “ Hands off, Vail.” ‘Your property?” ¢¢ No.”’ “ Morality stuff, then?” “No. These people are decent and I don’t want their hospitality abused.” “Suppose you attend to your own affairs.”’ “We won’t argue this. Either do as I say or you will not be one of this party when it comes out to-morrow.” ‘My contract calls for—”’ “So does mine. Which will the manage- ment back up? A new author or a director whose work they vow gets them the money? Think it over.” And Mallory calmly returned to his rehearsal. The incident served to center the direc- tor’s attention on Myra and made him 957 realize that she was distinctly pleasing to the eye. Before it he had hardly noticed her. He was later to get a glimpse at the girl’s soul and to be surprised at its beauty and clearness. It was on Monday that he accepted Myra’s invitation to lunch, while the rest of the company was sent to the nearest village for theirs, and tasted a broiled trout from the little brook among other good things. Myra and her mother both enjoyed the meal as well as he did, for Craig Mal- lory had a quiet appreciation of every- thing about the little farm that won their interest and warmed it to a veritable glow of cordiality before the hour was over. They found this movie man knew many things beside motion picture technique. In fact he talked more of world politics, books and celebrities that any one they had ever met. For one belonging to the world of make-believe he seemed strangely interested in what Myra called the real things of life, beauty, ideals and things that poets love. When Mrs. Duncan spoke of Myra’s annoy- ing habit of holding out for what she called the truth, no matter what appearances seemed to show, Mallory fairly beamed. It interested him immensely. He had found something original and new. Having been many years in the business of making motion pictures, he warily kept the conversation away from them, for Myra was so sweet and pretty that he felt sure she would have aspirations for movie fame. Once when she spoke of having written something for a school paper he shivered; she was getting ready to offer him an ama- teur scenario. Everybody did, these days. But Myra somehow failed to take advan- tage of her opportunities and aiter lunch Mallory allowed himself the luxury of talk- ing with her while awaiting the company’s return, without fear or even reservations. She had a quaint air of living in a world apart, where the so-called actualities of life were of little value because of the beauty and truth that she saw through and _ be- hind them. Mallory found himself thinking of her and of her original point of view as he worked. He began to wonder how his handling of a certain scene would strike COMIC OOOKS (CO) in