when told of the incident
afterward. "I wish more performers would do exactly as they are told. Of
course, I don't mean to say a player must slavishly do just as I tell
him. But in some cases a dead man's coming to life might spoil a big
scene."

Matters were now in readiness for the preliminary hospital scene. A ward
had been fitted up in a shed where electric lights could be used to get
the necessary illumination, the current being brought from town. In the
shed were ranged white beds, in which a number of wounded men were
reposing. Other men were in wheeled chairs, while still others sat up as
if recovering from a long and dangerous siege from wounds. All were
picturesquely bandaged.

The preliminary scenes had been taken. The doctor had made his rounds of
the wounded on the cots. He had taken their temperature and had felt
their pulses, while the other women of the company, as nurses,
accompanied the surgeon on his journey. Other wounded were brought in.

Night settled down in the hospital. The big, hissing electric lights
were turned off, and from outside a window "moonlight" streamed in. The
moonlight, of course was made by another electric light, properly
shaded.

"Now, I think we're ready for you, Ruth," said the director. "You are on
duty alone in the ward when the emergency occurs."

In the glow of the beams of light from the window Ruth, on duty alone,
took her place.

"All ready now!" called Mr. Pertell, from where he was standing behind
Russ, who was grinding away at the camera. "You start from your
half-doze, Ruth, and listen. Then you approach one of the cots and
discover that the bandage has slipped and that the man is bleeding to
death. You press on the artery, and finally rouse another of the
hospital patients--one not badly wounded--and send him for the surgeon."

Ruth carried out the instructions perfectly. Her acting was so very
natural that afterward, when the film was shown, more than one person
found himself holding his breath lest Ruth should remove her thumb from
the severed artery.

The slightly wounded man limped out to get the surgeon, who came rushing
in, and the artery was tied. Then followed words of praise for Ruth.
This laid the foundation for her summons to a larger hospital when the
proper time came.

The next day more battle views were the order of the day. In one of
these Estelle had to do some fast riding, to leap her horse across a
ditch and speed away from pursuing t