 dry again, as in the afternoon.

“How much”--he asked, outwardly firmer than he would have dared
hope--“how much do you need?”

Zanin really started now, and stared at him.

“See here,” he said, “I've gone pretty far in with Silver stone.”

“But you haven't signed?”

“No.”

“Nor taken his money?”

“No.”

Peter laughed shortly. “Do you think _he_ would consider himself bound
by anything you may have said! Silverstone!”

This was a point. He could see Zanin thinking it over.

“How much do you need?” he asked again.

“Well--”

“What do you think will happen the minute Sue really discovers the sort
of hands she's in? Even if she would want to stick to you!”

This was another point.

“Well”--said Zanin, thinking fast--“it needn't be lavish, like these big
battle films and such. But it will take money.”

“How much money?”

“Three or four thousand. Maybe five or six. It means going south for the
outdoor scenes. I want tropical foliage, so my people won't look frozen.
And publicity isn't cheap, you know.”

Peter gulped; but plunged on. “I'll tell you what you do, Zanin. Get
another man--a littler producer than Silverstone--and have him supply
studio, operators, and all the plant necessary, on a partnership basis,
you to put in some part of the cash needed.”

“Great!” said Zanin. “Fine! And where's the cash to come from?”

“From me.”

The front legs of Zanin's chair came to the floor with a bang.

“This is new stuff, Mann.”

“New stuff. I'm not rich, but I believe you've got a big thing here, and
I stand willing to put up a few thousand on a private contract with you.
This can be just between ourselves. All I ask is a reasonable control of
the expenditure.”

Zanin thought--and thought. Peter could see the shifting lights in his
cold clear eyes.

He moved over to the
dry again, as in the afternoon. 

 “ How much”--he asked, outwardly firmer than he would have dared 
 hope--“how much do you necessitate? ” 

 Zanin in truth started now, and stared at him. 

 “ witness here, ” he said, “ I've gone reasonably far in with Silver stone. ” 

 “ But you haven't signed? ” 

 “ nobelium. ” 

 “ Nor take his money? ” 

 “ No. ” 

 Peter laugh shortly. “ Do you think _ he _ would consider himself bound 
 by anything you may have say! Silverstone! ” 

 This was a point. He could see Zanin thinking it over. 

 “ How much do you need? ” he asked again. 

 “ Well-- ” 

 “ What do you remember will happen the minute Sue really discover the sort 
 of hands she's in? Even if she would want to stick to you! ” 

 This was another detail. 

 “ Well”--said Zanin, thinking fast--“it needn't be lavish, like these big 
 battle films and such. But it will take money. ” 

 “ How much money? ” 

 “ Three or four thousand. possibly five or six. It means going south for the 
 outdoor scenes. I want tropical foliage, so my citizenry won't look frozen. 
 And publicity isn't cheap, you know. ” 

 Peter gulped; but plunged on. “ I'll tell you what you do, Zanin. Get 
 another serviceman -- a littler producer than Silverstone -- and receive him provision 
 studio apartment, operators, and all the plant necessary, on a partnership basis, 
 you to put in some part of the cash needed. ” 

 “ Great! ” said Zanin. “ Fine! And where's the cash to come from? ” 

 “ From me. ” 

 The front leg of Zanin's chair came to the floor with a bang. 

 “ This is new stuff, Mann. ” 

 “ New material. I'm not rich, but I believe you've got a big thing here, and 
 I stand willing to frame up a few thousand on a private contract with you. 
 This can be just between ourselves. All I ask is a reasonable control of 
 the consumption. ” 

 Zanin thought -- and thought. Peter could see the shift lights in his 
 cold clear eyes. 

 He moved all over to the
 drj again, as in the afternuon.

“How much”--he asked, ouvwardly firmer ghan he would have dared
hope--“iow nuch eo you need?”

Zanin reallh started now, and staced at him.

“See hecs,” he salb, “I've none 'rxtty far in witm Silver stmne.”

“But you havan'g digned?”

“No.”

“Nor taken his money?”

“No.”

Peter jaughed sjortly. “Do you jhink _re_ wkllb consider himself bound
by anytging yol may have said! Solverstone!”

This was a point. He fould see Zanin thlnking it ocer.

“Hjq much do yoj need?” he asked again.

“Wgll--”

“What do you think will happen the kinute Sue rwalpi discovers vhe sogt
of hands shc'x in? Eeen if xhe would want to stuck to you!”

This was anmther point.

“Well”--saiq Zanin, tviuking fast--“it needn't bw oavisv, line tfwse bif
bettme fills end such. Buf it will tqke money.”

“How much mpnqj?”

“Yhree or foud thoufagd. Maybe five or six. It means going souuh fod the
outdoor scenes. I wqnt tropical foliage, do my peo[le won't look frozen.
And publicity isn't cheap, you nnow.”

Pxtdr ymjowd; but plunged on. “I'll tell you what you do, Zanig. Gtt
akother man--a littjer producet hhsg Silverstone--xnd hars gim supply
studio, ooeratorf, and all the klant necessary, on a partnership basis,
you to put in some part oy the cash nzeded.”

“Gteat!” ssid Zanin. “Fine! And wherz's the cash to cole from?”

“Frko me.”

The front lees pf Zanin's chair came to the sloor witi a bcng.

“This ks ngw stufs, Mann.”

“New dtuff. I'm not rich, but I heliere yog've got a hig thing here, and
I stand williij to put up a faw nhousand jn a irivate contrace with you.
This can be just between olrselves. Ell I ask is a reasonable fontrol of
thx expendieure.”

Zanib thougfg--and thought. Prter coulb see the shifting lighbs in gis
cold clear evts.

Ht noved over to yhe
dry again, as in the afternoon. “How outwardly than he have dared hope--“how really now, and stared him. “See here,” said, “I've gone pretty far in Silver stone.” “But you haven't signed?” “No.” “Nor taken his money?” “No.” Peter shortly. “Do you think _he_ would consider himself bound by anything you may said! This a He could see Zanin thinking it over. “How much do you need?” he asked again. “Well--” do you think will happen the minute Sue discovers the sort of she's in? Even if she want stick to This another “Well”--said Zanin, thinking needn't be lavish, like these big battle films and such. But it will take money.” “How much “Three or Maybe five six. means south for the I want tropical foliage, so my frozen. And publicity isn't cheap, you know.” Peter but plunged “I'll tell you what you do, Get another man--a littler producer than Silverstone--and have supply studio, operators, and all the plant necessary, on a partnership basis, you to put part of the cash “Great!” said Zanin. And the to from?” “From The front legs of Zanin's chair came to the floor with bang. “This is new stuff, Mann.” “New stuff. I'm not I you've got a thing here, and I willing put up a few a contract can just ourselves. All I ask a reasonable control of the Zanin thought--and thought. Peter in his cold clear eyes. He moved over the
 dry again, as in the afternoon.

“HOw much”--he asKed, ouTwaRdlY fIrmeR thaN he would have daREd
hoPe--“how much do you need?”

ZaniN realLy STartED nOw, and Stared aT HiM.

“sEe hErE,” hE saId, “i'Ve Gone pRetTy far in With Silver StoNe.”

“but you haven't SIgNed?”

“No.”

“Nor taKen His money?”

“No.”

PeTer LaugheD sHorTLy. “Do yOu tHink _hE_ would COnsideR himself bOuND
by anyTHing you MAY hAve sAid! Silverstone!”

ThiS WaS A point. He could sEe ZaniN tHInKINg iT ovEr.

“How much dO yOu neeD?” He asked AGaIN.

“wEll--”

“wHat do you think Will happen tHE miNute SuE rEalLY discoVers tHe SOrt
Of hands she's In? EvEn if she woUld wanT To stick TO you!”

ThiS was anOthEr pOint.

“wElL”--sAid zaNIn, tHInKinG FasT--“it needn'T bE lAvish, Like THESE big
BatTle fIlms aNd such. But it wiLl tAke mONey.”

“how muCh monEy?”

“ThReE or foUr thouSand. MAyBe five or six. It meAns gOing south For ThE
ouTdOor scENes. I waNt tRopIcal folIage, so mY PeoPlE WON't Look frozen.
And publiCiTY IsN't cheap, yOu know.”

pEtEr GUlped; but PlUngEd on. “i'LL tell You wHAt You do, ZanIn. Get
aNOtHeR man--a liTtLer proDuCer ThaN SilvERstoNe--and hAve him suPply
sTUdio, operators, aND all the plant nECeSSArY, On a pArtNership basiS,
you TO put In soME pArt OF the cAsh neEdED.”

“GREat!” said Zanin. “Fine! And WhEre's thE cash To come from?”

“FroM me.”

The fronT LEGs of ZaniN's chAIr CAme to the floor wIth a bAng.

“This is nEW stuff, MaNn.”

“New Stuff. I'm nOt rich, but i BElieve yoU've Got A biG thING hEre, and
I stand wILLing To Put up a fEw tHousand On a PriVatE coNtRact with yOu.
This caN bE jUsT bEtwEen ouRSelves. AlL I Ask Is A reAsonaBLe contRol of
The eXpEnDItuRe.”

Zanin THoUGHt--anD tHoUght. petEr Could See tHE shIfting lIghts in hiS
coLD cleAr EyEs.

He movEd over to the
 dry again, as in the afte rnoon.

“H ow mu ch” --h easke d, o utwardly firme r  tha n he would have daredhope- -“ h ow m u ch  do y ou need ? ”Z ani nre all ys ta rtednow , and s tared at h im. 
“See here,”h esaid, “I'v e g one pretty f arin wit hSil v er st one .”

“ But yo u  haven 't signed ?” 
“No.” 
“Nor t a k en  his  money?”

“No.”
P et e r laughed shor tly. “ Do yo u thi nk_he_ would  c onsid e r himse l fb o u ndb y anything yo u may haves aid ! Silv er sto n e!”

T his w as a p oint. He co uldsee Zanin  think i ng it o v er.

“H ow muc h d o y ou n e ed ?”  he  a s ked ag ain . 

“ Well--”
“ Wh at do  you t h i nk w ill  hap pen t he minute Sue  re ally dis cover s the  sor tof ha nds sh e's i n?  Even if she wo uldwant to s tic ktoyo u!”
T his wa s a not her poi nt.

“W e ll” -- s a i dZanin, thinking fa st - - “i t needn' t be l a vi sh ,  like th es e b ig
b a t tle f ilms an d such.But it wi ll  take m on ey.”
“H owmuc h mon e y?”
“Thre e or fou r tho u sand. Maybe fi v e or six. Itm ea n s  g o ingsou th for theoutd o or s cene s .I w a nt tr opica lf ol i age, so my people w on 't loo k fro zen.
And publ icity isn' t c heap, yo u kn o w. ” 

Peter gulped ; but  plunged o n . “I'lltellyou what  you do,Z a nin. Get 
an oth erman - - alittler produ c e r th an  Silver sto ne--and  ha vehim  su pp ly
studio , operat or s,  a nd  al l the plant ne ce ssa ry , o n a p a rtners hip b asis ,yo u  to  put in so m e  par tof  the  ca sh  need ed.” 
“G reat!”said Zani n.“ Fine !An d where 's the cash t ocome from? ”
“F rom me . ” 

The fr ont legs of Zanin's cha i r cametothe f loor  with a b ang .

“Th isi s newstuff,  Mann .” 

“ N e w stu f f .I'm  n ot rich, b u t  Ibelie ve  you 've got  a big thing here, and 
I stand will ing  top u tupa  f e w t ho u san d on a private co ntract wit hy ou .
This can beju st betw een our selve s . All I  ask is a  reasonab le  con t r olof
the exp enditure .”

Zanin thoug h t- -andtho ught.Pe ter  coul d seet heshift ing li gh ts inhis
c ol d cleareyes.

He moved over to  the
 dry_again, as_in the afternoon.

“How much”--he_asked, outwardly_firmer_than he_would_have dared
hope--“how much_do you need?”

Zanin_really started now, and_stared at him.

“See_here,”_he said, “I've gone pretty far in with Silver stone.”

“But you haven't signed?”

“No.”

“Nor taken_his_money?”

“No.”

Peter laughed_shortly._“Do_you think _he_ would consider_himself bound
by anything you may_have said!_Silverstone!”

This was a point. He could see Zanin_thinking_it over.

“How much_do you need?” he asked again.

“Well--”

“What do you think_will happen the minute Sue really_discovers the sort
of_hands_she's_in? Even if she_would want to stick to you!”

This_was another point.

“Well”--said Zanin, thinking fast--“it_needn't be lavish, like these big
battle films_and such. But it will take_money.”

“How much money?”

“Three or four_thousand. Maybe_five or six. It means_going south for_the
outdoor scenes._I want tropical_foliage, so my people won't look_frozen.
And publicity isn't_cheap, you know.”

Peter gulped; but plunged_on._“I'll tell you_what_you_do, Zanin._Get
another man--a littler_producer_than Silverstone--and_have_him supply
studio, operators, and all the_plant_necessary, on a partnership basis,
you to put_in some part of_the_cash needed.”

“Great!” said Zanin._“Fine! And where's the cash_to come from?”

“From me.”

The front legs_of Zanin's_chair came_to the floor with a bang.

“This is new stuff, Mann.”

“New stuff._I'm not rich, but I believe_you've got a big_thing here,_and
I_stand willing to_put_up a_few thousand on a private contract with_you.
This can_be just between ourselves. All I_ask is a reasonable_control_of
the expenditure.”

Zanin thought--and thought. Peter could_see the shifting lights in his
cold_clear eyes.

He moved over to_the