oor of the main corridor. "Come right in!"

They were glad enough to do it.

"I don't know any of you, except Russ and Mr. Pertell," she said, for
the manager and his helper had paid a visit to the place sometime before
to make arrangements about using it.

"You'll soon know all of 'em," declared Mr. Pertell with a laugh. "I'll
introduce you," which he quickly did.

"Now then, I expect you'll want to wash up," went on the hunter's wife.
"I'll have the girl show you to your different rooms, and then you can
come down to supper. It's been waiting. What kept you? I'll have to ask
you folks because it's like pulling teeth to get any news out of my
husband. What happened?"

"A breakdown," explained Ruth, who took an instant liking to motherly
Mrs. Macksey. "Oh, we had such a time!"

"Such a glorious time!" supplemented Alice.

"Here's a girl who evidently likes outdoors," laughed the hunter's wife.

"Indeed I do!" cried Alice.

There was some little confusion, getting the players to their rooms,
because of the lateness of the arrival, but finally each one was in his
or her appointed apartment, and trying to get settled. The rooms were
small but comfortable, and the hunters who had built the lodge for
themselves had provided many comforts.

"There ought to be a private bath for each one," declared Miss
Pennington, as she surveyed her room.

"Indeed there ought," agreed her friend Miss Dixon. "I think this place
is horrid!"

"How thoughtless and selfish they are," said Ruth, who shared a room
with Alice.

"Aren't they! I think it's lovely here. Oh, but I am so hungry!"

"So am I, dear."

"Glad to hear it for once, Ruth. Usually you have so little appetite
that one would think you were in love."

"Silly! I'm going to eat to-night anyhow."

"Does that mean you are _not_ in love?"

"Silly!" cried Ruth again, but that was all she answered.

What a glorious and home-like place Elk Lodge was! Yes, even better than
the best home the moving picture girls had known most of their lives,
for they had spent part of the time boarding, as their father traveled
about with his theatrical company, and who can compare a home to a
boarding house?

Down in the big living room a fire burned and crackled, and gave out
spicy odors on the great hearth that took in logs six feet long. And how
cheerfully and ruddily the blaze shone out! It mellowed and cheered
everyone. Even Mr. Sneed smiled, and stretched out his hands to the