ry picturesque, and Mr. Pertell planned to make
it the scene of several little plays.

Three days after the arrival at Oak Farm, matters were in readiness
for filming the first play. It was a simple little drama, concerning
a country girl and boy, and Alice and Paul Ardite were the chief
characters.

This was something of a blow to Miss Laura Dixon, who had counted on
being with Paul in the play. Miss Dixon rather liked Paul, but since
the advent of Alice he had become more and more interested in the
latter.

"I don't care!" exclaimed Miss Dixon, as she flounced into the room
she shared with Miss Pennington. "I'm not going to stay with this
company any more, with those two amateurs taking all the best parts."

"It is a shame," agreed Miss Pennington. "I just can't bear that Ruth
DeVere, with her blue eyes. She can use them very effectively, too."

"Indeed she can! What do you say if we look for another engagement? I
just hate the country."

"So do I, with all the bugs and things. But, really, I can't go. I
got Mr. Pertell to give me an advance on my salary, and I can't leave
him now. Besides, other places aren't so easy to get. Look here," and
she held out a copy of a dramatic paper which contained an unusual
number of "cards" of performers who were "at liberty." That is, they
had no work, but were anxious for some.

"Summer is a bad time for quitting a sure place," went on Miss
Pennington. "We'll just have to stick, Laura."

"I suppose so. But I can't bear those two girls!"

"Neither can I!"

But Alice and Ruth concerned themselves very little with their
jealous rivals, though they were aware of the feeling against them.
Alice and Paul acquitted themselves well in the little play.

There was only one difficulty--Mr. Bunn, as usual.

He and Mr. Sneed had been cast as farm hands to fill in the
background of the play. When the former Shakespearean player learned
that he was to wear overalls and carry a hoe over his shoulder, he
rebelled.

"What! I play that character?" he cried. "A clod--a country bumpkin?
Never! I will go back to New York first!"

"Very well; go!" exclaimed Mr. Pertell, who occasionally became
exasperated over the actor's objections. "Only don't come back
looking for an engagement with this company."

Wellington Bunn, striking a tragic attitude, was silent a moment.
Then he said, very quietly:

"Where is that hoe?"

With Mr. Sneed it was different. He did not so much care what
cha