Part 36 (1/2)

The girls looked on while the pictures of themselves, their father and others of the company were thrown on the white screen. They saw the scene at the gang-plank, where the runaway had almost spoiled it, but there was no sign of the horse in the pictures. Sandy Apgar had taken care of that.

”I really must go out to see his farm,” said Mr. Pertell. ”I believe it may be just the place for us. But I wonder what made Sandy so sad, and so much in need of money? Perhaps I can help him.”

There came the incident of Pepper Sneed falling down with the lifeboat.

”Look! Look!” cried the grouchy actor. ”I don't like that! It makes me ridiculous. I demand that it be taken out, Mr. Pertell!”

”Can't do it! That's the best part of the play!” laughed the manager.

”And as for me--I positively refuse to act again, if I am to be shown as a sailor, in those ridiculous white trousers!” cried Wellington Bunn.

”Very well, then, I suppose you don't care to go on the rural circuit with us,” said Mr. Pertell.

”Oh--er--ah! Um! Well, you may with-hold my resignation for a time,”

said the Shakespearean actor, stiffly. ”But it is against my principles.”

”Then we are going on the rural circuit?” asked Alice, eagerly.

”Yes,” the manager a.s.sured her. ”This play is going to be a big success, I'm sure. I want to try a new kind now--outdoor scenes.”

And that the play was a success was soon evidenced by the receipts which poured into the treasury of the Comet Film Company.

”Oh, what do you imagine it will be like--in the country?” asked Ruth of Alice, a little later, when it was definitely decided that they were to go.

”I don't know,” answered Alice. ”It depends on what happens.”

And what did happen may be learned by reading the next volume of this series, to be called: ”The Moving Picture Girls at Oak Farm; Or, Queer Happenings While Taking Rural Plays.”

”Well, I'll be glad of a little rest,” said Alice, one day, when they were coming from the studio, after having posed in some scenes for a little parlor drama.

”So will I,” agreed Ruth. ”We have been very busy these last two weeks.”

”Especially since we helped Russ to get back his patent,” added her sister. ”And now for Oak Farm!”

”Oh, then it's been definitely decided that we are to go there?”

”Yes, Mr. Pertell said he went out there, met Sandy Apgar and arranged to use the place. We're to board there, too. I guess it will be a help to the Apgars. Mr. Pertell said they needed money. And, Ruth, he said there was some sort of a mystery out there, too.”

”A mystery? What sort?”

”I don't know. We'll have to wait until we get there. Come on, let's hurry home and tell daddy.”

And now, for a time, we will take leave of the Moving Picture Girls.