"

The little section, from what was to be a two-reel play of the
movies, was under way. Though a bit nervous Ruth and Alice did very
well, and soon they were in the swing of it.

When it came time for Alice to act the part of a hoydenish character,
she was exceedingly natural in it, and her laugh at the simulated
discomfiture of Mr. Harrison was so spontaneous that even some of the
others joined in.

Ruth, too, who had a more demure part, acquitted herself well. The
camera clicked on, Russ turning the handle steadily. He nodded
reassuringly at Ruth when she had a moment's respite.

Then came a slight change of scene, and a change of costume on the
part of the girls, Mrs. Maguire finding just what was needed in the
wardrobe of the studio.

Then, just as the final strip of film had been exposed, and the
emergency work of Ruth and Alice had ended, in came the two tardy
actresses.

"You're too late!" exclaimed Mr. Pertell. "We couldn't wait for you."

"What!" exclaimed Miss Parker. "Do you mean to tell us you went and
filmed our parts with somebody else in the cast?"

"That's what we did," replied the manager, coolly. "Maybe you'll
learn after this that four o'clock means four o'clock, and not half
past."

"Well, what do you know about that?" gasped Miss Dengon, sinking into
a plush chair, and dabbing at her nose with a chamois skin, which
gave off puffs of powder like a miniature gun.

"An' us tryin' as hard as ever we could to get here!" went on Miss
Parker, vigorously chewing gum. "The nerve of some people is suttinly
amazin'! Come on, Ruby, I never did care much for movies anyhow, an'
how some folks can stay in 'em is suttinly a mystery to me!"

Then, with heads held high, and with meaning glances at Miss
Pennington and Miss Dixon, who were busy in another drama, the two
young ladies went out, looking superciliously at Ruth and Alice.

"Business is business--in the movies the same as anywhere else,"
chuckled Mr. Pertell, as he gave Ruth and Alice each a crisp
five-dollar bill. "I am very much obliged to you, in the bargain," he
went on.

"So am I!" added Mr. Harrison. "I can get my train now, and it's a
satisfaction to know that the scenes are completed."

"Oh, it was fun!" laughed Alice.

"I liked it, too," confessed Ruth.

"And I want to tell you that you both did most excellently," said the
manager. "You have a very good grasp of what is wanted, and you put
in the 'business' very naturally. I c