“Take them in when they come,” he said. “Latch the door when you leave — unless Mr. Ballantyne is there. No; latch it anyway. He won’t want to be disturbed.”
About twenty minutes later, the usher saw Ballantyne walking from the office. He did not have his hat and coat. He was carrying a letter which he evidently intended to mail.
Ten minutes went by. The packages arrived. The usher took them into the office and left them in a corner. He hesitated at the door.
He had noticed Ballantyne’s hat and coat on the chair. Probably the executive had gone out for supper. He would be coming back. Ballantyne had a key, the usher knew, so he latched the door.
He went toward the lobby and saw Ballantyne come in a short time afterward. Ballantyne was headed for the office.
THE feature picture was on at the time. It was a Western subject that reached its climax in a barroom scene where shots were exchanged.
The usher grinned when he saw the two detectives come in from the lobby. They liked that scene, and were here to see it again. They leaned over the rail behind the back row, and awaited the dramatic moments.
The usher, too, was interested. He stood close by. The sound effects were good in this feature.
Now it came. The screen actors were in view, amidst the hubbub of a Western building that combined barroom and dance floor.
“Get these shots, Bill,” said one of the detectives, in a low voice. “Sounds like they’re coming right out of the picture. Real, I call it.”