ne of my feathers get into your eye?
Foolish styles; aren't they?"

"No--nothing like that; only you looked--say, Alice, has anything
happened?"

"Yes, Russ, there is something the matter," replied Alice, frankly.
"Do you know of anybody who wants a young lady to do anything--that
a young lady, such as I, could do?"

He laughed.

"I'm serious," she said, and a glance at her pretty face confirmed
this. There was a resolute look in her brown eyes.

"Are you looking for work?" Russ asked.

"I am. I was thinking of trying to be a manicurist----"

He made a gesture of disapproval.

"Well, what can I do? I must do something. Poor daddy's voice has
failed utterly. He can't take his new part in the play unless he does
it in pantomime, and I'm afraid that would hardly be the thing. He
simply can't speak his lines, though he can act them."

"That's too bad," said Russ, sympathetically.

"So they had to get another actor in his place," went on Alice, "and
poor father has started out to look for something else to do. That's
my errand this morning, also."

Russ was in deep thought for a moment. Then he exclaimed:

"I have it!"

"What? A place for me?" demanded Alice. "Tell me at once, and I'll
hurry there."

"No, Alice, not a place for you; but a place for your father. You
say he can't speak, but he can act?"

"Yes."

"Then the movies is the very place for him! He won't have to say a
word--just move his lips. He can act parts in photoplays as well as
if he never had a voice. I just thought of it. It will be the very
thing he can do. Say, I'm glad I met you. We must get busy with this
at once.

"Come on! I'm on my way now to see about my new patent, and I can
take you to the manager of the film company. I know him well. I'm
sure he'll give your father a place in the company, and it pays well.
If Mr. DeVere can't act at the New Columbia he can in the movies!
Come on!"

CHAPTER VII

ALICE CHANGES HER MIND

Filled with enthusiasm over his new project for aiding Mr. DeVere,
Russ Dalwood caught Alice by the hand, and guided her steps with his.
She had been about to turn off at a corner, to carry out her
intention of seeking employment in one of the many manicure parlors
on a certain street. Now she hesitated.

"Well," asked Russ, impatiently, "don't you like the idea?"

"Oh, it's fine--it's splendid of you!" Alice replied, with fervor,
"but you know----"

She hesitated, her cheeks taking on a more