he could not accept her as leading lady in his next picture
because she lacked experience. The wager of a kiss was laughingly made
as she promised that within ten days she would convince him of her
talent.

Later she herself, in an effective scene, became the grimfaced Buck
Benson and held the actor up at the point of her two guns. Then,
when she had convinced him that she was Benson, she appeared after an
interval as her own father; the fiery beard, the derby hat with its
dents, the chaps, the bicycle, and golf bag. In this scene she seemed to
demand the actor's intentions toward the daughter, and again overwhelmed
him with confusion, as Parmalee had been overwhelmed when she revealed
her true self under the baffling disguise. The wager of a kiss was
prettily paid. This much of the drama he knew. And there was an
affecting final scene on a hillside.

The actor, arrayed in chaps, spurs, and boots below the waist was, above
this, in faultless evening dress. "You see, it's a masquerade party at
the ranche," Baird explained, "and you've thought up this costume to
sort of puzzle the little lady."

The girl herself was in the short, fringed buckskin skirt, with knife
and revolvers in her belt. Off in the hills day after day she had worn
this costume in those active scenes he had not witnessed. Now she was
merely coy. He followed her out on the hillside with only a little
trouble from the spurs--indeed he fell but once as he approached
her--and the little drama of the lovers, at last united, was touchingly
shown.

In the background, as they stood entwined, the poor demented old mother
was seen. With mop and bucket she was cleansing the side of a cliff, but
there was a happier look on the worn old face.

"Glance around and see her," railed Baird. "Then explain to the girl
that you will always protect your mother, no matter what happens. That's
it. Now the clench--kiss her--slow! That's it. Cut!"

Merton's part in the drama was ended. He knew that the company worked
in the hills another week and there were more close-ups to take in the
dance-hall, but he was not needed in these. Baird congratulated him
warmly.

"Fine work, my boy! You've done your first picture, and with Miss
Montague as your leading lady I feel that you're going to land ace-high
with your public. Now all you got to do for a couple of weeks is to take
it easy while we finish up some rough ends of this piece. Then we'll be
ready to start on the new one