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Page 96
At the entrance which had first admitted us to the negative room,
however, Kennedy stooped suddenly. At the very moment he bent
forward I caught the glint of something bright behind the heavy
steel door, and in the shadow so that it had escaped us before.
As he rose I leaned over. It was a cigarette case, a very
handsome one with large initials engraved with deep skillful
flourish.
"Who is 'J. G.'?" Kennedy asked.
I felt a quiver of excitement. "Jack Gordon, the leading man."
"What's an actor doing down in the film vaults?" he muttered.
Slipping the case into his pocket, he glanced about on the floor
and something just within the negative room caught his eye. Once
more he bent down. With a speculative expression he picked up the
cork-tipped stub of a cigarette.
At this instant Manton returned, breathing hard as though his
pursuit of the missing Wagnalls had been very determined. The
butt in Kennedy's fingers attracted his attention at once.
"Did--did you find that here?" he demanded.
Kennedy pointed. "Right there on the floor."
"The devil!" Manton flushed red. "This is no place to smoke. By--
by all the wives of Goodwin and all the stars of Griffith I'm
going to start firing a few people!" he sputtered. "Here, sonny!"
He jumped at the boy, frightening him. "Close all these doors and
turn the combinations. Tell Wagnalls if he opens them before he
sees me I'll commit battery on his nose."
Kennedy continued to hold the stub, and as Manton preceded us up
the stairs he hung back, comparing it with the few cigarettes
left in the case. Unquestionably they were of the same brand.
On the studio floor Mackay was waiting for us. Under his arm was
a reel of film in a can. He clutched it almost fondly.
"All ready!" he remarked, to Kennedy.
Kennedy's face was unrevealing as he faced Manton. "This bit of
film is valuable evidence also. I think perhaps it would be safer
in that locker."
"Anything at all we can do to help," stated Manton, promptly.
"Shall I show you the way again?"
I produced the key, handing it to Kennedy as the four of us
arrived in the corridor by the property room. Kennedy slipped the
bit of metal into the lock; then simulated surprise very well
indeed.
"The lock is broken!" he exclaimed. "Some one has been here."
Apparently the traveling bag had been undisturbed as we took it
out. Nevertheless, the paper containing the towel was gone.
"This is no joke, Mr. Kennedy," protested Manton, in indignation.
"Where can I hire about a dozen good men to hang around and
watch--and--and help you get to the bottom of this?"
Mackay, without releasing his grasp of the film, had been
inspecting the broken lock.
"Look at the way this was done!" he murmured, almost in
admiration. "This wasn't the work of any roughneck. It--it was a
dainty job!"
XXVII
THE FILM FIRE
The bag lay open at my feet. The microscope and other
paraphernalia brought by Kennedy were untouched. Taking the film
from Mackay and placing the can in with the other things, Kennedy
snapped the catch and turned to me as he straightened.
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