he man.

"No, sir."

"My card!" said the man, with a flourish.

Jennie whispered to the others: "Look at him! He draws and presents that
card as though it were a sword at his enemy's throat! I hope he won't
impale her upon it."

Ruth, much bewildered, and not a little troubled, accepted the card. On it
was printed:

AMASA FARRINGTON
Criterion Films

"Goodness!" thought Ruth. "More moving picture people?"

"I had the happiness," stated Mr. Farrington, "of being present when the
censors saw the first run of your eminently successful picture, 'The Heart
of a Schoolgirl,' Miss Fielding, and through a mutual friend I learned
where you were to be found. I may say that from your appearance on the
screen I was enabled to recognize you just now."

Ruth said nothing, but waited for him to explain. There really did not
seem to be anything she could say.

"I see in that film, Miss Fielding," pursued Mr. Farrington, "the promise
of better work--in time, of course, in time. You are young yet. I believe
you attend this boarding school?"

"Yes," said Ruth, simply.

"From the maturity of your treatment of the scenario I fancied you might
be a teacher here at Briarwood," pursued the man, smirking. "But I find
you a young person--extremely young, if I may be allowed the observation,
to have written a scenario of the character of 'The Heart of a
Schoolgirl.'"

"I wrote it," said Ruth, for she thought the remark was a question. "I had
written one before."

"Yes, yes, yes!" exclaimed Mr. Farrington. "So I understand. In fact, I
have seen your 'Curiosity.' A very ingeniously thought out reel. And well
acted by the Alectrion Company. Rather good acting, indeed, for _them_."

"I have not seen it myself," Ruth said, not knowing what the man wanted or
how she ought to speak to him. "Did you wish to talk to me on any matter
of importance?"

"I may say, Yes, very important--to yourself, Miss Fielding," he said,
with a wide smile. "This is a most important matter. It affects your
entire career as--- I may say--one of our most ingenious young writers for
the screen."

Ruth stared at him in amazement. Just because she had written two moving
picture scenarios she was quite sure that she was neither famous nor a
genius. Mr. Amasa Farrington's enthusiasm was more amazing than his
appearance.

"I am sure I do not understand you," Ruth confessed. "Is it something that
you would better talk to Mrs. Tellingham about? I will in