THE OIL WELL
Mr. Pertell paused and looked back. There on the depot platform stood
the man he had caught in his testing room taking notes of the films of
the big drama.
"Those fellows mean business!" the manager commented. "They are trying
to get my best ideas, I think. It's a wonder they wouldn't originate
something themselves!"
"I'd like to have it out with him," declared Russ.
"It would only make trouble," responded the manager. "I think I can stop
them in another way. I'll try legal means first, and if they don't
work--well, perhaps we can put up some kind of a game on them."
"Let me have a hand in it," begged the young operator. "I want to pay my
respects to that fellow."
Wilson, for so it was, had by this time seen that he was observed, and
he slunk out of sight behind a pillar. Then, as Mr. Pertell and Russ
went to take their places in the coach with the others, a truck, piled
with the baggage of the company, came along.
The spy darted out from behind the pillar and with a quick glance noted
the destination as shown on the checks.
"So that was his game!" cried Russ. "I'll put a stop to that, all
right!"
"It's too late. He's seen, and, anyhow, he could have found out," called
Mr. Pertell. But Russ did not stay to hear, for he had made a rush
toward the fellow.
He was too late, however, and perhaps it was just as well, as Russ was a
bit hot-headed, and there might have been a scene. Wilson, seeing Russ
coming, hastily thrust into his pocket a card on which he had evidently
been copying the name of the place to which the trunks had been checked,
and ran away.
"Come back, Russ," called Mr. Pertell. "You'll miss the train!" for the
warning whistle had sounded.
"I wish I had caught him," panted the young operator as he returned. "I
never saw a fellow with such nerve."
"His company is in bad shape," said Mr. Pertell. "They have been losing
money, and their films are not taking well. They have not much of a
company of players, and I suppose they think they can use some of our
ideas, and maybe some of our actors and actresses."
"How do you mean--by hiring them away from you?" asked Russ.
"Well, they might do that, though I don't believe the International
people will pay the salaries my people are getting. So I think none of
them would leave. Even if more money were offered I think my friends
would stand by me. But what I meant was that we'll have to be on the
watch to see that they don't actually take some of our films."
"You mean after I have made the reels?"
"No, they might even try, on the sly, to film the action of our players
when we're going through some scene."
"Whew!" whistled Russ. "If they do that you could have them arrested."
"Well, be on the watch--that's all."
None of the other members of the company had seen the spy, and Russ and
the manager said nothing about him. The train pulled out of the station,
and thus the Western trip was begun.
Mr. Pertell planned to stop off with his company at several places and
make films along the way. This was in accord with his idea of showing a
big drama indicating the development of this country from East to West.
The rush of the gold seekers, and the advance of the farmers to take up
Government claims, were to be depicted, along with many other scenes.
One stop was made in the coal mining regions of Pennsylvania, near
Scranton, and there some fine films were obtained. In one scene Ruth and
Alice were shown in the interior of a mine, with the black coal all
about them. Powerful electric lights gave the necessary illumination.
"I'd like to get a scene showing an explosion," said Russ, as they left
the coal regions.
"Why, Russ Dalwood!" cried Ruth. "I'm surprised at you!"
"Oh, I don't mean by accident," he replied, quickly. "In fact, a little
one would do. And I don't want one to happen on my account. But if
there's going to be an accident I wish I could be on hand to film it."
"Oh, that's different," said Ruth, with a smile. "But I'm glad there is
no accident."
Three days had been spent in and around Scranton, and now the moving
picture players were ready to start off again. Mr. Pertell was
reconsidering some plans he and Russ had talked over, and it had not
been definitely decided what to do as yet.
"We'll just keep on," said the manager, "and perhaps something will
turn up to give me an idea for a novel film."
They had taken a train on a small branch line of the railroad to connect
with a through express, and about an hour after starting, and when about
half-way to the junction, they came to a sudden stop.
"Ha! An accident!" cried Russ, reaching for the small camera he kept for
emergencies.
"Wait, I'll come with you," said the manager. "We may be able to make it
into a film."
But when they got on the outside, followed by several of the members of
the company, they saw no signs of anything wrong. There was no other
train in sight, so there could have been no collision, and their own
train was safely on the track. Off to one side, however, gathered about
a tall structure of wood, was a knot of people.
"What's the matter?" asked Russ of one of the trainmen.
"They're going to shoot an oil well over there," was the answer, "and
it's so close to the track that they signalled us to stop."
"Why didn't they wait until we got past?" asked Mr. DeVere who, with his
daughters, had gone out to see what caused the delay.
"Why, they had already lowered the charge of nitro-glycerine into the
well," the brakeman explained, "and something has gone wrong. The shot
didn't go off, and they're afraid it may at any minute. So they're
holding us back a little while."
"Is that an oil well?" asked Alice, pointing to the tall, wooden
structure.
"That's the derrick, by which the drill is worked--yes, Miss," the
brakeman said. "They bore down through the sand and rock until they
think they're close to the oil. Then they blow out what rock and earth
remains, with nitro-glycerine. The well may be a 'spouter,' or they may
have to pump. Can't tell until after they fire the shot. I guess she's
going off!" he added quickly. "Look at 'em run!"
"I've got my idea!" exclaimed Mr. Pertell. "We'll have a film of boring
for oil. That will fit in well with my big drama. Get the company
together, Pop," he said to the property man. "And, Russ, get ready to
film the shooting of the oil well."