这一天，斯坦顿姐妹陷入了种种窘境。刚刚到达大陆电影公司，莫德就扭伤了脚，弗洛则被制片人要求拍摄从飞机上坠落的画面。愤怒的莫德来找戈尔茨坦经理，却被拒之门外。然而，琼斯先生的到来却使这一切有了戏剧性的转变。琼斯先生真的能使斯坦顿姐妹摆脱困境吗？
The day had not started auspiciouslya for the Stanton sisters.Soon after they arrived at the Continental Film Company's plant Maud had wrenched her ankle by stumbling over some loose planks which had been carelessly left on the open—air stage，and she was now lying upon a sofa in the manager's room with her limb bandaged and soaked with liniment.
Flo was having troubles，too.A girl who had been selected by the producer to fall from an aeroplane in mid—air had sent word she was ill and could not work to—day，and the producer had ordered Flo to prepare for the part.Indignantly she sought the manager，to file a protest，and while she waited in the anteroom for an audience，Mr.A.Jones of Sangoa came in and greeted her with a bow and a smile.
"Good gracious！Where did you come from？"she inquired.
"My hotel.I've just driven over to see Goldstein，"he replied.
"You'll have to wait，I'm afraid，"she warned him."Themanager is busy just now.I've been wiggling on this bench half an hour，and haven't seen him yet—and my business is very important.""So is mine，Miss Flo，"he rejoined，looking at herwith an odd expression.Then，as a stenographerb came hurrying from the inner room，he stopped the girl and said：
"Please take my card to Mr.Goldstein.""Oh，he won't see anybody now，for he's busy talking with one of our producers.You'll have to call again，"she said flippantlya.But even as she spoke she glanced at the card，started and turned red."Oh，pardon me ！"she added hastily and ？ed back to the managerial sanctum.
"That's funny！"muttered Flo，half to herself.
"Yes，"he said，laughing，"my cards are charged with electricity，and they're bound to galvanizeb anyone in this establishment.Come in，Miss Flo，"he added，as Goldstein rushed out of his office to greet the boy effusivelyc；"your business takes precedence to mine，you know."The manager ushered them into his office，a big room with a busy aspect.At one end were two or three girls industriously thumping typewriters；McNeil，the producer，was sorting manu on Goldstein's own desk；a young man who served as the manager's private secretary was poring over a voluminous record—book，wherein were listed all the films ever made by the manufacturers of the world.On a sofa in a far corner reclined the injured "star"of the company，Maud Stanton，who—being half asleep at the moment—did not notice the entrance of her sister and young Jones.
"Sit down，Mr.Jones；pray sit down！"exclaimedGoldstein eagerly，pointing to his own chair."Would you like me to clear the room，so that our conversation may beprivate ？""Not yet，"replied the boy，refusing the seat of honor and taking a vacant chair."Miss Stanton has precedence，and I believe she wishes to speak with you."Goldstein took his seat at the desk and cast an inquiring glance at Flo.
"Well？"he demanded，impatiently.
"Mr.Werner has ordered me to do the airship stunt for his picture，because Nance Holden isn't here to—day，"began the girl.
"Well，why annoy me with such tri？es ？Werner knowswhat he wants，and you'll do as well as the Holden girl.""But I don't want to tumble out of that airship，"she protested.
"There's no danger.Life nets will be spread underneath the aeroplane，"said the manager."The camera merely catches you as you are falling，so the thing won't be more than twenty or thirty feet from the ground.Now run away and don't bother.I must speak with Mr.Jones.""But I'm afraid，Mr.Goldstein！"pleaded the girl."I don'twant to go up in the aeroplane，and these stunts are not in my line，or what I was engaged to do.""You'll do what I tell you ！"asserted the manager，with marked irritation."I won't stand for any rebellion among my actors，and you'll do as Werner orders or you'll forfeita yourweek's pay."Here Maud half rose from her sofa to address her employer.
"Please，Mr.Goldstein，"she said，"don't make Flo dothat fall.There are plenty of other girls to take her place，and she—""Silence，Miss Stanton！"roared the manager."You'll disrupt all discipline if you interfere.A nice time we'd have here，if we allowed our actors to choose their own parts ！I insist that your sister obey my producer's orders.""Quite right，Goldstein，"remarked young Jones，inhis quiet voice."You've carried your point and maintained discipline.I like that.Miss Flo Stanton will do exactly what you request her to do.But you're going to change your mind and think better of her protest.I'm almost sure，Goldstein，from the expression of your face，that you intend to issue prompt orders that another girl must take her place."Goldstein looked at him steadily a moment and the arrogant expression changed to one of meek subservience.
