Part 22 (1/2)
”This is my aunt, Mrs Bess Ford,” announced Della, to Jessie ”I suppose you saw us acting just now?”
”We did,” answered Jessie ”It was quite interesting”
”I suppose it is, to an outsider,” responded the young actress ”It gets to be an old story with us; doesn't it, Aunt Bess?”
”Oh, I don't mind it,” returned the aunt ”I'd rather be up here in the woods acting for the movies than down in some stuffy theater in this eather”
”Did Mr Porter tell you what a grand hero he is, Miss Wadsworth?” asked Della Ford, turning to Jessie ”Oh, he's just the grandest hero I ever met!” and she beamed on Dave
”Coain,” expostulated Dave
”I didn't do so very ood deal?” de actress, archly
”Oh, I don't mean that What I mean is that anybody could have done what I did”
”But you did it, young ht to have credit for it,” put in Mrs Ford, bluntly ”It was certainly a brave thing to do”
”It was; and I shall never cease to thank Mr Porter for it,” went on Della Ford, and she gave Dave another warm look, at which he blushed more than ever
This look was not lost on Jessie; and she bit her lip in a way that showed she was not altogether pleased Then Mr Appleby, the -picture company, came forward, followed by several others
”This certainly is a surprise!” said the er ”First we meet on the Atlantic Ocean, and next in the heart of the Adirondacks”
”It's like so
”You show us a shi+pwreck, and then, presto! you transfer us to an office in Wall Street You et all the scenes of a drama”
”We don't take just one drama,” explained Mr Appleby ”We sometimes do half a dozen orto take the outdoor scenes to fifteen or twenty drao back to the city and finish up with a nu-picture actor, Mr Porter?” asked Della Ford, eagerly ”You could go into a nautical rescue scene very nicely”
”There you go again, Miss Ford!” returned Dave ”Just the sa picture”
”Oh, Dave, don't you go into anypicture,” interrupted Jessie, quickly
”Why, ould be the harm?” he questioned
”Oh, no particular harm, I suppose Only I shouldn't like it,” she answered, in a low tone
”YouJessie's re to have one that will show several canoes besides the motor-boat tied up at the dock around the bend”
”Well, I'll think about it,” answered Dave, hesitatingly; and then he went on to Mr Appleby: ”By the way, is Ward Porton still with you?”
”He is with my company, yes; but he is not here just noas the reply ”I expect him in a week or so”
”I met hiht he had gone to his old hoo where he pleases”