What the hell is the matter with you? Didn’t I tell you “all right”? DAVIS Yes, sir—what I mean is—I—er—I was wondering if—if you’d mind very much if I was to read you my play? HILL If I keep on in this game I suppose I may have to come to that, but right now I wouldn’t know anything about it. I’m looking for a play and you say you’ve got one—what’s the answer? DAVIS Yes, sir—er—what I mean is—I came here—that is I’d very much like to have you produce my play. HILL ——! If you keep on talking long enough I’m ——! ——! sure I won’t, let’s fix it up quick. How much do you want for it? DAVIS Well—er—as a matter of fact I don’t quite know. You see, to tell you the truth, this—er—er—this is the first time I ever sold a play if—if this is a time. HILL Don’t you know what they sell for? DAVIS Er—No, sir. HILL You’re a hell of an author. DAVIS Er—yes, sir. HILL I tell you what, I’ll give you fifty dollars a week and put up all the money. Then, after I got it back, if and when, I’ll give you one-third of all the play makes. What do you think of that? DAVIS I don’t believe it. HILL [_Thoughtfully_] I’ve heard it said that some guys could write pretty good plays when to look at ’em you’d wonder how they did it! When we do our play who’s going to hire the actors and get the scenery and rehearse it? DAVIS [_Calmly_] I am. HILL Do you know how? DAVIS Er—er—I—I hope so. HILL [_Sadly_] Yes—so do I. END OF SCENE This was my introduction to Gus Hill and a true account of how my first play was placed for production. The play was a melodrama called THROUGH THE BREAKERS and it ran for five years in the popular-priced theaters of America and was produced in England, Australia and South Africa with real success. In spite of Mr. Hill’s quite natural doubts, I did all of the things I told him I would do, and by some kind of luck or fate, or by the aid of a really tremendous enthusiasm that has always been my one claim to anything unusual in the way of talent, I got the play on the stage and gave a really good performance.