The office lived up to the reputation of the corridor outside.
A girl looked up at him from a littered desk. Her hair bore traces of its last henna rinse, the gum cracked in her mouth as she asked, almost hostilely,
"What d'ya want?"
"Dan Pierce in?" he asked.
She studied Nevada for a moment, her eyes taking in his worn leather jacket, the faded Levi's, the wide-brimmed cowboy hat.
"If you're lookin' for a job," she said, "there ain't any."
"I'm not lookin' for a job," he said quickly. "I’m lookin' for Mr. Pierce."
"You got an appointment?"
Nevada shook his head. "No."
"He don't see nobody without an appointment," she said brusquely.
"I'm from the Wild-West show," Nevada said.
"He’ll see me."
A spark of interest appeared on her face.
"The Buffalo Bill show?"
Nevada shook his head.
"No.
The Great Southwest Rodeo."
"Oh." The interest vanished from her face. "The other one."
Nevada nodded. "Yeah, the other one."
"Well, he ain't here," she said.
"Where can I find him?" he asked.
"I don't know. He went out to a meeting."
Nevada's voice was insistent. "Where?"
Something in his eyes made her answer.
"He went over to Norman Pictures.
He's on the back lot trying to sell them some client for a Western."
"How do I get there?"
"It's out on Lankershim Boulevard, past Universal, past Warner's."
"Thanks," he said and walked out.
He saw the big billboard in front of Universal as soon as he turned onto Lankershim.
UNIVERSAL PICTURES THE HOME OF TOM MIX AND TONY SEE RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE A UNIVERSAL PICTURE
A few minutes later, he passed another sign in front of Warner Bros.
WARNER BROS. PRESENT MILTON SELLS IN THE SEA HAWK A VITAGRAPH PICTURE
The Norman studio was about five miles farther down the road.
The usual billboard was out in front.
BERNARD B. NORMAN PRODUCTIONS PRESENT THE SHERIFF OF PEACEFUL VILLAGE WITH AN ALL-STAR CAST
He turned in at the big gate where a gateman stopped him.
"Is Dan Pierce here?" Nevada asked.
"Just a moment. I’ll see." The guard went back into his booth and checked a sheet of paper. "You must be the man he's expecting," he said.
"He's on the back lot.
Follow the road there right out. You can't miss it."
Nevada thanked him and put the car into gear.
He drove slowly, for the road was filled with people.
Some were actors in varying costumes but most seemed ordinary working men, wearing overalls and work clothes.
He rolled past some very large buildings and after a few minutes was out in the clear. Here there was nothing but scrub grass and hills.
He came to another sign as he reached the foot of the first hill.
PEACEFUL SET PARK CARS HERE
He followed the arrow. Just off the side of the road were a number of cars and trucks.
He pulled in next to one of them and got out.
"Dan Pierce up there?" Nevada asked a man sitting in one of the trucks.