Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

NOTHING BUT MONEY. ustal= give us the other half and waive his royalties entirely for four weeks.” __ What good is that if the show is rot- _ ten?” “Tt ain’t so rotten,” offered Bill. “‘ Score’s better than the other one. Book needs a little jazzing, but we can do it.” '“ And the leading role; how about that?” *€ Oh, it’s yours, kid. Don’t worry.” The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the angel. As Harry had not heard the name of the piece he had pur- chased the day before he was quite unaware of the shift, and his lawyer, who. was pre- pared for ordinary traps did not dream that his principal was so utterly careless as not to know what he had bought. Accordingly the contracts were quickly drawn, providing that one-half interest in @ musical comedy called ‘“‘ Lovely Laura” was sold to Henry Hilwin for $20,000 by Jacob Rubenstein, who bound himself to produce the piece, do whatever other financ- ing might be necessary and draw no salary for his labor. From a legal standpoint the contract was fair enough. Jake knew of a lot of ways of getting around it, but for once that gen- tleman felt inclined to be reasonably on the level. Harry was luckier than he realized in that respect. When the papers had been signed Millie hastened to appropriate the angel. “‘ Let’s go have tea, dear, and we can talk about the play.” “Don’t want to talk about it,” replied Hilwin. ‘“ Mr. Rubenstein, how long will it take you to produce this?” “Oh, about two or three weeks to cast it, five weeks’ rehearsals and open in New York after two or three nights out of town to knock it into shape.” “Tt will be two months before you can open?” “Don’t see how it can be done any quicker.” “Well, don’t delay any more than is nec- essary.” ‘“What’s your hurry, dear?’’ demanded Millie, playfully squeezing his hand as it SS lay on the table. ____ “Oh, just anxious to see what’s going to _ happen.” 205 Inwardly he was saying. “ Two months! ‘Where will I be in two months, and will they let me out of jail to see the first per- formance?” “Dinner, to-night?” asked Millie ten- derly. “Sorry, but I’ve got a dinner and theater engagement.” ‘To-morrow night?” “Maybe. I'll call you up.” CHAPTER V. A DIFFICULT BIRD TO HANDLE, JYHEN Hilwin had departed with his Jawyer, Jake looked after him, and shook his head in perplexity. “ He beats me. This cash is the best in the world, but what’s he trying to get out of it? Makes you the prima donna and ducks dates with you. Trusts me with the whole sheebang, and don’t even want to watch me work. Ain’t heard the words and music yet and don’t seem to want to. Well, all I hope is we get the show on be- fore the lunatic asylum finds out he got away.” “Tf he escaped from an asylum, he’s the best heeled lunatic I ever heard of,’’ com- mented Bill. ‘I think he’s deeper than we suspect. Watch your step, Jake.” “T’m in this thing to hand Broadway a wow. I'll think about gypping him out of his share if it’s a hit, maybe, though I al- ways said if a guy was square with me I'd be square with him.” “Huh?” grunted Millie. “If he makes an honest man out of you he’ll do more than the Lord did.” Millie had two sides to her; a bitter, cyn- ical one, developed by her tenement house origin and her experiences in vaudeville and musical comedy; and a society veneer which went well with strangers. Howland’s lawyer had been much im- pressed by her. “Some girl, that Miss Duroy. She seems quite taken with you,” he remarked to Hil- win. “If she ever asked me to make a date with her I wouldn’t turn her down, you can bet.” “ Pooh,” sniffed Harry. Shes fast he.