Part 9 (1/2)

Paul, who had risen to his feet, was talking vigorously to Ruth and Alice, as called for in the scenario. Now and then he would look back, as though to see if the other car was coming.

Suddenly, as the auto was das.h.i.+ng down hill, there came a snap as if some metal part had broken, and the car's speed was quickly increased.

”What is it? Oh, what has happened?” cried Ruth, springing to her feet.

But she was at once tossed back on the seat, owing to the swaying of the car, which was going very fast.

”Something's broken!” cried Paul.

”Yes, the foot brake. But I have the emergency one still!” the chauffeur yelled.

”Is there any danger? Shall we jump?” demanded Alice.

”No! Sit still!” the chauffeur cried. ”I'll stop her in time, I think.”

It was evident the car was beyond control. There was no need of pretending this.

”Look out!” warned Russ, who in his excitement did not forget to work the camera.

”Stop! Stop!” yelled Mr. Pertell. ”You're going too far--you'll go over the cliff!”

The chauffeur realized this as well as any one, and he was pulling with all his strength on the emergency brake lever.

”I've got to stop her!” he panted through his clenched teeth. ”I've got to stop her!”

Ruth and Alice were in a frenzy of fear now, and Paul, standing up in the swaying auto, and holding to the back of the front seat, was trying desperately to think of some plan whereby he could save the girls.

The car was now at the turn. Now it was beyond the marking stone specified by Mr. Pertell.

”They'll go over the cliff!” shouted Mr. Sneed, who was to take part in the play later.

Mr. Pertell rushed forward as though he would halt the auto by getting in front and pus.h.i.+ng it back, and for one wild moment it looked as though there would be a veritable tragedy. But with a last desperate pull on the brake lever, while the metal bands shrilly protested against such strenuous work, the car came to a slow stop.

And so near was it to the fence railing off the descent over the cliff--which fence was, later, to be crashed into by the make-believe auto--so near was the girls' car to this fence that the front wheels bent one of the rails.

”A close call!” said Russ, and his voice was unsteady as he stepped away from the camera.

Ruth and Alice were pale, and Paul, too, had lost some of his color. But it was Alice who first relieved the strain of the situation.

”A miss is as good as a mile,” she said, and tried to laugh, but it was not easy.

”There must be some defect in that brake connection,” the chauffeur said, as he got out to look at it.

”Well, as long as we're all right, the film will be so much the better,”

observed Paul, as he alighted from the car. ”It will look realistic enough; won't it, Russ?”

”Indeed it will. I thought sure you were goners; but I kept on grinding away. It will be realistic enough for even Mr. Pertell, I think,” and he glanced at the manager.

”I'm awfully sorry this occurred,” declared the latter. ”I a.s.sure you ladies that I never would willingly have let you run such a risk.”

”Oh, we know that,” responded Ruth, quickly. ”It was no one's fault.