“Now wait a minute,” protested the little director. “I don’t work on budgets that run up to half a million. I’ve got to watch my pay-roll.”
“I was only kidding, Billy. But honestly, the girls ought to be worth a hundred a week. You’ll only use them a couple of weeks and that’s pretty cheap.”
“I won’t make any promises about a hundred a week,” said Billy, “but you can count on another job if you want to join the company for my next western.”
“Then we’re in right now,” decided Helen, and Janet nodded her approval.
Chapter XXIV
“KINGS OF THE AIR”
The next morning Janet found an interesting paragraph in one of the morning papers, which had been written by a reporter who had attended the screening of “Broad Valley.”
“One of the pleasant surprises about this latest Billy Fenstow western was the work of Helen Thorne and Janet Hardy, two newcomers. Miss Thorne is the daughter of the famous director and Miss Hardy is a friend of hers from the middle west. Although playing minor rôles, both girls handled their parts well with Miss Hardy providing several of the best comedy touches seen in a western by this reviewer in some months. It is reported that both will be in the next western which the prolific Fenstow will produce.”
Janet read the brief comment three times, then clipped it out of the paper, wrote a brief note home, and sent the clipping to her folks.
Later in the day they received their final vouchers from the studio for work on “Broad Valley.” Altogether the two weeks work on the picture had netted them $100 apiece, more money than either of them had ever earned in a similar length of time.
“No wonder girls come to Hollywood,” said Helen as she looked at the check.