elve, a rather nervous,
delicate lad, liked by everyone.

There was a rattle as the chain fell from the slotted slide on the
door, and Alice opened the portal, to disclose the smiling and yet
rather worried face of Russ. The girls had come to know him well
enough to call him by his first name, and he did the same to them. It
might not be out of place to say that Russ admired Ruth very much.

"I'm awfully sorry about what happened," began Russ. "You see I
didn't mean to shove that fellow so hard. But he was awfully
persistent, and I just lost my temper. I was afraid I'd shoved him
downstairs."

"So were we," admitted Ruth, with a smile.

"Did he try to come in here, to escape from you?" asked Alice, with a
frank laugh.

"Indeed he did not," replied Russ. "He caught at your door to save
himself from falling. I guess he thought I was going to hit him; but
I wasn't. I just shoved him away to keep him from coming back into
our rooms again. Mother was a little afraid of him."

"Was he--was he a----" Alice balked at the word "collector."

"He was a fellow who's trying to steal a patent I'm working on!"
exclaimed Russ, rather fiercely. "He's as unscrupulous as they come,
and I didn't want him to get a foothold. So I just sent him about
his business in a way I think he won't forget."

"Oh, are you working on a patent?" cried Ruth. "How nice! What's it
about? Oh, I forgot! Perhaps you can't tell. It's a secret, I
suppose. All patents are."

"Well, it isn't a secret from you folks," returned Russ. "I don't
mind telling you, even though I haven't perfected it yet."

"Especially as you can be sure we girls wouldn't understand the least
thing about it--if it has anything to do with machinery," put in
Alice, laughing.

"Well, it is something about machinery," admitted Russ. "It is
something new to go on moving picture machines, to steady the film as
it moves behind the lens. You've often noticed how jerky the pictures
are at times?" he asked.

"Yes; though we don't go very often," responded Ruth.

"Well, I've made a simple little device that fits on the machine. I
needn't go into all details--to tell you the truth I haven't got 'em
all worked out yet; but I think it will be a good thing, and bring me
in some money.

"I've spoken to Mr. Frank Pertell, manager of the Comet Film Company,
about it. I have done some work for him, you know. He says it will
be a good thing, and, while it may not make me a millionaire, it w