nd to the back of a spirited horse； she was raced down the steep slope of a rocky ravine in the Far West。 Alone in a foul den of the underworld she held at bay a dozen villainous Asiatics。 Down the fire escape of a great New York hotel she made a perilous way。 From the shrouds of a tossing ship she was about to plunge to a watery release from the persecutor who was almost upon her。 Upon the roof of the Fifth Avenue mansion of her scoundrelly guardian in the great city of New York she was gaining the friendly projection of a cornice from which she could leap and again escape deatheven a fate worse than death； for the girl was pursued from all sorts of base motives。 This time； friendless and alone in profligate New York； she would leap from the cornice to the branches of the great eucalyptus tree that grew hard by。 Unnerving performances like these were a constant inspiration to Merton Gill。 He knew that he was not yet fit to act in such scenesto appear opportunely in the last reel of each installment and save Hortense for the next one。 But he was confident a day would come。
On the same wall he faced also a series of photographs of himself。 These were stills to be one day shown to a director who would thereupon perceive his screen merits。 There was Merton in the natty belted coat； with his hair slicked back in the approved mode and a smile upon his face； a happy； careless college youth。 There was Merton in tennis flannels； his hair nicely disarranged； jauntily holding a borrowed racquet。 Here he was in a trench coat and the cap of a lieutenant； grim of face； the jaw set； holding a revolver upon someone unpictured； there in a wide…collared sport shirt lolling negligently upon a bench after a hard game of polo or something。 Again he appeared in evening dress； two straightened fingers resting against his left temple。 Underneath this was written in a running； angular； distinguished hand； 〃Very truly yours； Clifford Armytage。〃 This； and prints of it similarly inscribed； would one day go to unknown admirers who besought him for likenesses of himself。
But Merton lost no time in scanning these pictorial triumphs。 He was turning the pages of the magazines he had brought； his first hasty search being for new photographs of his heroine。 He was quickly rewarded。 Silver Screenings proffered some fresh views of Beulah Baxter； not in dangerous moments； but revealing certain quieter aspects of her wondrous life。 In her kitchen； apron clad； she stirred something。 In her lofty music room she was seated at her piano。 In her charming library she was shown 〃Among Her Books。〃 More charmingly she was portrayed with her beautiful arms about the shoulders of her dear old mother。 And these accompanied an interview with the actress。
The writer； one Esther Schwarz； professed the liveliest trepidation at first meeting the screen idol； but was swiftly reassured by the unaffected cordiality of her reception。 She found that success had not spoiled Miss Baxter。 A sincere artist； she yet absolutely lacked the usual temperament and mannerisms。 She seemed more determined than ever to give the public something better and finer。 Her splendid dignity； reserve； humanness； high ideals； and patient study of her art had but mellowed； not hardened； a gracious personality。 Merton Gill received these assurances without surprise。 He knew Beulah Baxter would prove to be these delightful things。 He read on for the more exciting bits。
〃I'm so interested in my work；〃 prettily observed Miss Baxter to the interviewer； 〃suppose we talk only of that。 Leave out all the rest my Beverly Hills home； my cars； my jewels； my Paris gowns； my dogs； my servants； my recreations。 It is work alone that counts； don't you think？ We must learn that success； all that is beautiful and fine； requires work； infinite work and struggle。 The beautiful comes only through suffering and sacrifice。 And of course dramatic work broadens a girl's viewpoint； helps her to get the real； the worthwhile things out of life； enriching her nature with the emotional experience of her roles。 It is through such pressure that we grow； and we must grow； must we not？ One must strive for the ideal； for the art which will be but the pictorial expression of that； and for the emotion which must be touched by the illuminating vision of a well…developed imagination if the vital message of the him is to be felt。
〃But of course I have my leisure moments from the grinding stress。 Then I turn to my booksI'm wild about history。 And how I love the great free out…of…doors！ I should prefer to be on a simple farm； were I a boy。 The public would not have me a boy； you say〃she shrugged prettily〃oh； of course； my beauty； as they are pleased to call it。 After all； why should one not speak of that？ Beauty is just a stock in trade； you know。 Why not acknowledge it frankly？ But do come to my delightful kitchen； where I spend many a spare moment； and see the lovely custard I have made for dear mamma's luncheon。〃
Merton Gill was entranced by this exposition of the quieter side of his idol's life。 Of course he had known she could not always be making narrow escapes； and it seemed that she was almost more delightful in this staid domestic life。 Here； away from her professional perils； she was； it seemed； 〃a slim little girl with sad eyes and a wistful mouth。〃
The picture moved him strongly。 More than ever he was persuaded that his day would come。 Even might come the day when it would be his lot to lighten the sorrow of those eyes and appease the wistfulness of that tender mouth。 He was less sure about this。 He had been unable to learn if Beulah Baxter was still unwed。 Silver Screenings； in reply to his question； had answered； 〃Perhaps。〃 Camera； in its answers to correspondents； had said； 〃Not now。〃 Then he had written to Photo Land： 〃Is Beulah Baxter unmarried？〃 The answer had come； 〃Twice。〃 He had been able to make little of these replies； enigmatic； ambiguous； at best。 But he felt that some day he would at least be chosen to act with this slim little girl with the sad eyes and wistful mouth。 He； it might be； would rescue her from the branches of the great eucalyptus tree growing hard by the Fifth Avenue mansion of the scoundrelly guardian。 This； if he remembered well her message about hard work。
He recalled now the wondrous occasion on which he had travelled the nearly hundred miles to Peoria to see his idol in the flesh。 Her personal appearance had been advertised。 It was on a Saturday night； but Merton had silenced old Gashwiler with the tale of a dying aunt in the distant city。 Even so； the old grouch had been none too considerate。 He had seemed to believe that Merton's aunt should have died nearer to Simsbury； or at least have chosen a dull Monday。
But Merton had held with dignity to the point； a dying aunt wasn't to be hustled about as to either time or place。 She died when her time cameeven on a Saturday nightand where she happened to be； though it were a hundred miles from some point more convenient to an utter stranger。 He had gone and thrillingly had beheld for five minutes his idol in the flesh； the slim little girl of the sorrowful eyes and wistful mouth； as she told the vast audienceit seemed to Merton that she spoke solely to himby what narrow chance she had been saved from disappointing it。 She had missed the train； but had at once leaped into her high…powered roadster and made the journey at an average of sixty…five miles an hour； braving death a dozen times。 For her public was dear to her； and she would not have it disappointed； and there she was before them in her trim driving suit； still breathless from the wild ride。
Then she told themMerton especiallyhow her directors had again and again besought her not to persist in risking her life in her dangerous exploits； but to allow a double to take her place at the more critical moments。 But she had never been able to bring herself to this deception； for deception； in a way； it would be。 The directors had entreated in vain。 She would keep faith with her public； though full well she knew that at any time one of her dare… devil acts might prove fatal。
Her public was very dear to her。 She was delighted to meet it here； face to face； heart to heart。 She clasped her own slender hands over her own heart as she said this； and there was a pathetic little catch in her voice as she waved farewell kisses to the throng。 Many a heart besides Merton's beat more quickly at knowing that she must rush out to the high…powered roadster and be off at eighty miles an hour to St。 Louis； where another vast audience would the next day be breathlessly awaiting her personal appearance。
Merton had felt abundantly repaid for his journey。 There had been inspiration in this contact。 Little he minded the acid greeting； on his return； of a mere Gashwiler； spawning in his low mind a monstrous suspicion that the dying aunt had never lived。
Now he read in his magazines other intimate interviews by other talented young women who had braved the presence of other screen idols of both sexes。 The interviewers approached them with trepidation； and invariably found that success had not spoiled them。 Fine artists though they were； applauded and richly rewarded； yet they remained simple； unaffected； and cordial to these daring reporters。 They spoke with quiet dignity of their work； their earnest efforts to give the public something better and finer。 They wished the countless readers of the interviews to comprehend that their triumphs had come only with infinite work and struggle； that the beautiful comes only through suffering and sacrifice。 At lighter moments they spoke gayly of their palatial homes； their domestic pets； their wives or husbands and their charming children。 They all loved the great out…of…doors； but their chief solace from toil was in this unruffled domesticity where they could forget the worries of an exacting profession and lead a simple home life。 All the husbands and wives were more than thatthey were good pals； and of course they read and studied a great deal。 Many of them were wild about books。
He was especially interested in the interview printed by Camera with that world favourite； Harold Parmalee。 For this was the screen artist whom Merton most envied； and whom he conceived himse