But the independent companies, now beginning to loom on the horizon, were looking with envying eyes on the rich harvest the licensed companies were reaping, and they figured that all they’d need, to do as well, would be some of their well-trained actors, especially those of Mr. Griffith’s quite famous little organization. Surely D. W. Griffith had less to do with Mary Pickford’s success than Mary Pickford herself! She it was the public came to see; so they were out, red-hot for Mary, and offering publicity and more money. The little war was started. Actors in the companies that comprised the General Film Company could not be bargained for except by the Independents. For instance, if an actor of the Biograph Company were discovered offering his services to Lubin or Edison or any of the General Film, that company promptly reported the matter to Biograph and the ambitious actor found himself not only turned down by Edison or Lubin or any other but his nice little Biograph job would be gone as well. That had happened to Harry Salter and Florence Lawrence. An actor in one of the General Film group would have to resign his job before he could open negotiations with any other company in that group. * * * * * We did grind out the work this fall and early winter. The promise of California again was a big incentive. We might stay longer and have a new studio, a regular place. While there was no more excitement pervading the studio than there had been the year before, a more general willingness was noticed among the leading people and more tears and anguish on the part of the beseeching extras. Jeanie Macpherson sat on the steps leading to the basement of the studio, and cried, until Mr. Griffith felt remorseful and took her. But such conduct hadn’t availed pink-cheeked lanky “Beau,” the year before, when he was the one property boy left behind. Then that unhappy youth’s tearful parting shot, “All I ask, Mr. Griffith, is that some day you take me to California,” kept intruding and spoiling the complete satisfaction of our days. Another year Mr. Griffith harkened to his pleading. For nearly ten years now “Beau” as William Beaudine has been directing pictures in Los Angeles. And so, while some of the old guard would not be with us, a goodly number would. To the “Imp” had gone Mary and Owen; and while Ma fussed terribly about it, there was nothing for her and Lottie and Jack to do but follow suit. David Miles and Anita Hendry, his wife, were already with “Imp”; and they, with King Baggott and George Loane Tucker, Joe Smiley, Tom Ince, Hayward Mack, and Isabel Rae, made a fair number of capable people. But even so, Mary’s “Imp” pictures fell far short of her Biograph pictures, and she wasn’t very happy and she didn’t stay so very long.