Pierce had put on weight.
"But it beats the hell out of workin' for a livin', don't it?"
Dan held up his hands.
"I knew there'd be no point in looking for sympathy from you, Nevada."
They both laughed and Dan looked down at his desk.
When he looked up again, his face was serious.
"I suppose you're wondering why I sent you that telegram?"
Nevada nodded. "That's why I'm here."
"I appreciate your coming," Pierce said. "When this deal came up, you were the first one I thought about."
"Thanks," Nevada said dryly. "What's the hitch?"
Dan's eyes grew round and large and pretended hurt.
"Nevada, baby," he protested. "Is that the way to talk to an old friend?
I used to be your agent.
Who got you your first job in pictures?"
Nevada smiled. "Who sold my show down the river when he found he could get more money for the Buffalo Bill show?"
Pierce dismissed it with a wave of his hand.
"That was a long time ago, Nevada. I’m surprised you even brought it up."
"Only to keep the record straight, Dan," Nevada said.
"Now, what's on your mind?"
"You know how pictures are being sold nowadays?" Pierce asked, then went on without waiting for Nevada to answer. "We sell a whole year in advance.
So many A pictures, so many B's, so many action-adventures, so many mystery-horrors and so many Westerns.
Maybe ten per cent of the program is filmed when the sale's made, the rest as we go along.
That's what I meant by rat race.
We're lucky if we can keep ahead of our contracts."
"Why don't you accumulate a backlog for release?" Nevada asked. "That ought to solve your problem."
Dan smiled.
"It would but we haven't the cash reserve.
We're always waiting for the buck to come in from the current release so we can produce the next one.
It's a vicious cycle."
"I still haven't heard your proposition," Nevada said.
"I’m going to lay it right on the line.
I feel I can speak frankly to you." Nevada nodded. "Jonas has us on a short budget," Dan said. "I’m not complaining; maybe Jonas is right.
At least, we didn't lose any money last year and it's the first time in almost five years we broke even.
Now, this year, the sales department thinks they can sell fourteen Westerns."
"Sounds fine," Nevada said.
"We haven't got the money to make them.
But the bank will lend us the money if you'll star in them."
"You know?" Nevada asked.
Fierce nodded.
"I spoke to Moroni myself.
He thought it was a great idea."
"How much will they advance you?" Nevada asked.
"Forty thousand a picture."
Nevada laughed. "For the entire negative cost?"
Dan nodded.
Nevada got to his feet. "Thanks, pal."
"Hold on a minute, Nevada," Dan said. "Wait until I finish.
You didn't think I'd get you up here unless I thought you could make a buck, did you?" Nevada sank back into his seat silently. "I know how you feel about quickies," Dan said. "But believe me, these will be different.
We still have the sets we used for The Renegade, out on the back lot. Dress them up a little and they'll be good as new.
I’ll use my top production staff.