f it wasn't for the films at
all. Paul got on the platform, and a porter took someone else's grip
to make it look as though he were going on a journey.

"That porter enjoyed it more than anyone else. He grinned so much
that Paul had to tell him to stop, or the top of his head might come
off. And laugh! I wish you could have heard him laugh at that. It
took us a little longer to get those films, for there was such a
crowd. But it was all right. I've had a lovely time!" cried Alice,
her brown eyes brilliant with excitement, and her cheeks flushed.

"And what happened next?" asked Ruth, after a pause.

"Oh, Miss Fillmore had an engagement, so Paul and I went and had
lunch together. He's an awfully nice boy!"

"Alice!"

"I don't care; he is! And he's in papa's company, so I don't see any
harm--especially as it was in daylight, and it was only in one of
those dairy lunches, you know. Paul wanted to take me to a better
place, but I know he doesn't earn much yet, and I wasn't going to
have him waste his money."

"Thoughtful of you," murmured Ruth.

"Wasn't it. Where's daddy?"

"Oh, he went back to the studio. There was some mistake in one of his
acts and he wanted to have it corrected so he could study over it
to-night."

"Oh, hasn't it been a day!" exclaimed Alice, as she laid aside her
hat. "Do you know, I think outdoor pictures are better, and more
interesting. I'd like to be in some myself."

"It is interesting," agreed Ruth. "And really it doesn't seem like
acting when you don't have any audience except a camera. But I
suppose that makes it all the more difficult. Russ was in a little
while ago."

"What did he want?" asked Alice with a quick glance at her sister.

"Oh, he just called to say that all the films in which dad appears
came out fine. He mentioned that his patent was coming on all right,
and he expects soon to have it out on royalty."

"That's nice. I do hope those horrid men won't get it away from him.
What have we to eat? I'm nearly starved."

"Why, I thought you had lunch."

"I did, but we--we took a walk afterward, and my appetite came back."

Ruth looked curiously at Alice, sighed and then went out to the
kitchen.

As the days went on Mr. DeVere grew to like his new occupation more
and more. At first he had talked and mused over the coming time when
he could go back to the regular theatre. But his voice showed no
tendency to lose its whispering hoarseness, and he was, perforce,
compe