t Dan Merley?" asked Russ.

"Oh, no!" exclaimed Ruth. "Listen Daddy, whom do you think we saw?"

"Not Dan Merley up here?" cried the actor.

"Yes, he was with two other men--those who were with him when he was
hurt by the street car."

"Dan Merley up here?" mused Mr. DeVere. "I wonder what he can want? Can
he be going to make trouble for me?"

"We won't let him, Daddy!" cried Alice. "If he walks over here to ask
for that five hundred dollars again, I'll----"

"You say he was walking around?" cried Mr. DeVere.

"Yes, on snowshoes," answered Ruth. "He was walking as well as anyone."

"And he was supposed to be seriously hurt!" murmured the actor. "Where
is that paper?" and he looked about him.

"What paper?" asked Ruth.

"That New York paper I was just reading. There is something in it I want
to show you. I begin to see through this."

The journal was found, and Mr. DeVere glanced through it rapidly,
looking for some item. Russ and the two girls watched him curiously.

"Here it is!" cried the actor. "It is headed 'Brings Damage Suit for Ten
Thousand Dollars.' Listen, I'll just give you the main facts. It says
Dan Merley had started an action in one of the courts demanding ten
thousand dollars' damages for being hurt by a street car. Merley claims
he will never be able to walk again, because his back is permanently
hurt. And yet you saw him walking?" he appealed to the two girls.

"We certainly saw him," declared Ruth.

"Then that is a bogus damage suit. He isn't hurt at all. The court
should know of this, and so should the street car company. I shall write
to them!"

"Wait!" cried Russ. "I have a better idea."

"What is it?" asked Mr. DeVere.

"I'll get some moving pictures of him," went on the young operator.
"I'll take a film, showing him tramping around, hunting, and when that
is shown to the street car company's lawyer I guess that will put an end
to Mr. Merley's suit. I'll film the faker!"

CHAPTER XXIV

THE PROOF ON THE FILM

Enthusiastic over his new idea, Russ gazed triumphantly at Mr. DeVere
and the two girls. They did not seem to comprehend.

"What--what was that you said?" asked Mr. DeVere.

"I said I was going to make a moving picture of that faker," repeated
Russ. "Excuse that word, but it's the only one that fits."

"Yes, he really is a faker and cheat," agreed the actor. "And, Russ,
your idea is most excellent. It will be the best kind of evidence
against the scoundrel,