ou the public is getting more and more
critical. They won't stand for just pretty pictures. The actors In them
must express their thoughts and feelings as they do in real life."

"Exactly!" Ruth hastened to say. "That is what I mean. My 'Brighteyes'
is a full-blooded Indian maiden just like Wonota. Now, you talk with
Wonota--try to get to the very heart of the girl. Then you will see."

"See what?" he demanded, staring.

"What you will see," returned Ruth, with a laugh. "Go ahead and get
acquainted with Wonota. Meanwhile I will be getting this condensed plot
of the story into shape for us to talk over. I must rewrite that street
scene again, I fear. And, of course, we are in a hurry?"

"Always," grumbled the producer. "We must start for our Western location
as soon as possible; but the New York scenes must be shot first."

It was a fine day, and the shore of the Lumano River offered a pleasant
prospect for out-of-door exercise, and after he had spent more than an
hour walking about with Wonota, the canny Mr. Hammond obtained, he said,
a "good line" on the character and capabilities of the Indian girl.

"You had me guessing for a time, Miss Ruth," he laughingly said to the
girl of the Red Mill. "I did not know what you were hinting at I see it
now. Wonota is a true redskin. We read about the stoicism of her race,
but we do not realize what that means until we try to fathom an Indian's
deeper feelings.

"I talked with her about her father. She is very proud of him, this
Totantora, as she calls him. But only now and then does she express (and
that in a flash) her real love and admiration for him.

"She is deeply, and justly, angered at that Dakota Joe Fenbrook. But she
scarcely expresses that feeling in her face or voice. She speaks of his
cruelty to her with sadness in her voice merely, and scarcely a flicker
of expression in her countenance."

"Ah!" Ruth said. "Now you see what I see. It is impossible for her to
register changing expressions and feelings as a white girl would. Nor
would she be natural as 'Brighteyes' if she easily showed emotion. Yet
she mustn't be stolid, for if she does the audience will never get what
we are trying to put over."

"The director has got to have judgment--I agree to that," said Mr.
Hammond, nodding. "Wonota must be handled with care. But she's got it in
her to be a real star in time. She photographs like a million dollars!"
and he laughed. "Now if we can teach her to be express