them on the screen. Mr. Pertell has
promised to give me a chance. He's organizing some new companies.

"Just as soon as I get my patent perfected he's promised to put it on
his machines. Then I'm going with his company."

"Did you hear any more about that man you say tried to steal your
invention?" asked Alice.

"Who, Simp Wolley? Oh, yes, he's been sneaking around after me, and I
told him what I thought of him. He's got another fellow in with
him--Bud Brisket--and he's about the same type. But I'm not going to
worry about it."

"Don't be too confident," warned Alice. "I've heard of many inventors
whose patents were gotten away from them."

"Thanks, I'll be careful. But just now I'm interested in getting your
father to take up this work. I know he'll like it, once he tries it.
Won't you come and see the manager? I'm sure he'll give your father a
trial."

Alice stood in deep thought for a moment. Then with a little gesture,
as though putting the past behind her, she exclaimed:

"Yes, Russ, I will, and I thank you! I told Ruth I was going to do
something, and I am. If father can get an engagement I won't have to
go to work. Not that I'm ashamed to work--I love it!" she added
hastily. "But I wouldn't like to be a public manicurist, and that's
the only situation that seemed open to me. I will go see your
manager, Russ, and I'll do my best to get father to take up this
work. It's quite different from what I thought it was."

"I knew you'd say that," chuckled Russ. "Come on."

"What would Ruth say if she saw me now?" Alice asked, as she and Russ
walked off together. "She would certainly think I was defying all
conventionality."

"Don't worry." Russ advised her. "It's the sensible thing to do. And
I'll explain to Ruth, too."

"Oh, I believe you could explain to anyone!" Alice declared with
enthusiasm. "You've made it so clear and different to me. But how do
they make moving pictures?"

"You'll soon see," he answered. "We're going to one of the film
studios now. This is about the time they begin to make the scenes.
It's very interesting."

Soon they found themselves before a rather bare brick building. It
had nothing of the look of a theater about it. There were no gaudy
lithographs out in front, no big frames with the pictures of the
actors and actresses, or of scenes from the plays. There was no box
office--no tiled foyer. It might have been a factory. Alice's face
must have shown the surprise she felt, for