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Moving Picture Girls, The

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<h2>CHAPTER XXV</h2> <h3>THE CAPTURE</h3> Mr. DeVere was rather worried when he reached home, and found his daughters' note. He puzzled over what could have taken them out with Russ, and went across the hall to inquire. By this time Mrs. Dalwood had returned, and found the note her son had left. There was not much information in it—Russ had not had time for that—and the mystery seemed all the deeper. "I wonder what I had better do?" asked Mr. DeVere of Mrs. Dalwood. "Just don't do anything—and don't worry," she advised. "I know your daughters are able to take care of themselves—especially Miss Alice." "Yes, she seems very capable—of late," he agreed, remembering how she had worked to get him into the moving picture business. "And with Russ no harm will come to them," went on Mrs. Dalwood. "He's a good boy." "Indeed he is! But I wish I knew what it was all about." There was the honk of an auto horn in the street below, and as they looked out, they saw, in the gleam of a street lamp, Ruth and Alice alighting. "There they are now!" exclaimed Mr. DeVere, with a note of relief in his voice. "But Russ isn't with them!" said Mrs. Dalwood, in surprise. "I wonder what can have happened to him?" Anxiously the two parents waited until the girls came up. "Oh, such a time!" cried Alice, breathlessly. "Where's Russ?" demanded his mother. "After the men—Simp Wolley and Bud Brisket!" "Oh, those horrid men!" "He's all right," said Ruth, gently. "He is going to get Mr. Pertell and an officer to go with him." "But what is it all about?" asked Mr. DeVere. Then, rather disjointedly, and with many interruptions, the girls told the story of the afternoon and evening, for it was now nearly nine o'clock. Of course Mr. DeVere and Mrs. Dalwood were much worried when they learned what had happened, and the widow was not at her ease when she thought of her son still not out of danger. "But I'm sure he will soon be back," declared Alice, confidently. She was a great comfort in trouble—a real optimist. Then followed a period of anxious waiting. It was broken by the return of Russ, rather disheveled, tired and excited, but with his precious model safe in the taxicab with him and Mr. Pertell. "Why, Russ, where have you been?" cried Mrs. Dalwood. "I just wish I'd been there!" exclaimed Billy. "Was there a fight, Russ?" "A—little one," he admitted, with a glance at the girls. "But it was soon over." "And where are the men now?" asked Alice. "Safe in jail." Then he told what had happened. After Alice and Ruth had gone home in the taxicab he had called for Mr. Pertell, explaining what had occurred. A special officer was engaged, and the three went to the address in Jersey City, where Wolley and Brisket had gone with the model. The place was in a rather disreputable neighborhood. In a back room, which was approached with caution, the two plotters were found with a draughtsman whom they had hired to make drawings of the model. The two scoundrels were taken by surprise and easily overpowered, after a short resistance. The draughtsman was an innocent party, and was allowed to go, after promising to give evidence against Wolley and Brisket. The latter were put under arrest, and with his precious model safe in his possession Russ started for home. "They didn't have time to do a thing!" exclaimed the young inventor, enthusiastically. "Thanks to you girls." "Oh, we didn't do anything," said Ruth, modestly. "I think you did!" cried Russ, looking at her admiringly. "It was all Alice!" she said. "'Twas you who thought of the most practical plans!" insisted the younger girl. "Oh, Russ! I'm so glad!" "And so am I," said Ruth, softly. "Well, I must say, for two girls who haven't been much in public life, you two are coming on," said Mr. DeVere, in his hoarse tones. "But I am glad of it!" The prompt action of Alice and Ruth, enabling Russ to recover his invention, worked against the plans of the plotters. They were easily convicted of fraud, and sent to prison. As for the invention of Russ, he soon perfected it, and put it out on royalty. Many moving picture machine men agreed to use it on their projectors, and to pay him a sum each year for the privilege. So Russ was assured of a goodly income for some time. <hr /> "Well," said Ruth the next morning, as she and Alice arose late after their evening of excitement, "now that is over, the next matter to be considered is: What are we going to do from now on?" "Act in moving pictures, I should say," replied Alice. "We seem to be committed to it now. I wonder how that big drama came out? I hope it's a success. For I do so want to go on the rural circuit; don't you?" "I think I do," answered Ruth. "Russ is going along to make the pictures, I believe," added Alice, softly. "Is he?" asked Ruth, with an air of indifference. "And I suppose Paul Ardite will be one of the company," she added. "How'd you guess?" laughed Alice. "A little bird told me." Two days later the entire company who had taken part in the making of the big film, scenes of which were laid on the yacht, were invited to see the pictures projected. From the very first it was seen that the play was going to be a success—at least from a mechanical standpoint and some time later it was demonstrated to be a success from a popular one also. 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 assured 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. <h3>  THE END</h3> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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