THE MOVING PICTURE
The last drama of the backwoods had been filmed. The unexposed reels
were sent in to New York, together with the one made of Dan Merley,
showing a supposedly injured man walking vigorously about.
"And now good-bye to Elk Lodge," sighed Alice, when they were packing up
to go back to New York. "I'm sorry to leave it."
"So am I!" added Ruth. "We have had some lovely times here."
"And strenuous ones, too," spoke Alice.
"Oh, but won't I be glad to see dear old Broadway again!" cried Miss
Pennington, affectedly.
"And won't I!" sighed Miss Dixon. "I want to see the sights."
"As if there weren't finer ones here than any in New York!" murmured
Alice.
"Everyone to their notion, my dear," remarked Miss Pennington, in a pert
manner.
The last days at Elk Lodge were ones of delight. For the weather was
good, and there was plenty of snow, which made fine coasting. There was
also skating, with a number of straw rides.
The members of the picture company gave themselves up to pleasure, and
Russ put away his cameras and joined in the fun with the others.
"I don't care what happens now!" he cried. "I don't have to film it."
Paul and Russ, with the two girls, paid another visit to the vicinity of
the two cabins. There was a deserted look about the larger one, and a
cautious examination revealed the fact that the occupants had gone.
"I suppose he has returned to New York to prosecute his suit against the
street car company," said Ruth.
"And also his one against daddy," added Alice.
Three days later the moving picture company returned to New York.
"And what are the next plans--I mean what sort of pictures are you going
to make next?" asked Mr. DeVere of Mr. Pertell.
"I haven't quite made up my mind. I'll let you all know a little later,"
the manager answered.
"I hope it isn't any more snow and ice," remarked Mr. Bunn.
Mr. Pertell only smiled.
Mr. DeVere and his daughters went to their apartment, Russ accompanying
them. His mother and brother were glad, not only to see the young
operator but the DeVere family as well.
The next day Mr. DeVere received a call from a lawyer who said he
represented Dan Merley.
"I have come to see if you are ready to pay that five hundred dollars
before we go to court, Mr. DeVere," the lawyer said, stiffly.
"I haven't got it," answered the actor.
"Very well then, we shall sue and you will have to pay heavy costs and
fees, in addition to the principal."
Mr. DeVere was very much worried, and spoke of the matter to Russ. The
young operator laughed.
"Dan Merley will never collect that money," he said.
"What makes you think so?"
"I don't think--I know. Give me that lawyer's address, and then don't do
anything until you hear from me."
It was two days later that Russ said to the actor:
"Can you make it convenient to be at our film studio this evening?"
"I think so--why?" asked Mr. DeVere.
"You'll see when you get there."
"May we come?" asked Ruth.
"Surely," Russ answered. "I think you'll enjoy it, too!"
Rather mystified, but somehow suspecting what was afoot, the two girls
accompanied their father to the studio at the appointed hour. Russ met
them and took them into the room where the films were first shown after
being prepared for the projector. It was a sort of testing room.
"I think you have met this gentleman before," said Russ, as he nodded at
one sitting in a corner. It was Dan Merley's lawyer.
"Oh, yes, I guess Mr. DeVere knows me," returned the latter. "I
understand you have come here for a settlement," he went on.
"Yes," said Russ, smiling.
"A--a settlement!" murmured Mr. DeVere. "I--I am not prepared to settle.
I have not the money!"
"You don't need the money," declared Russ. "You have brought Mr.
DeVere's promissory note with you; have you not?" he asked the lawyer.
"I brought it, at your request," was the answer. "But I tell you, here
and now, that it will not be surrendered until the five hundred dollars
is paid."
"Oh yes," said Russ gently, "I think it will. Look! Ready!"
As he spoke the room was suddenly darkened, and then, on the big white
screen, there sprang into prominence life-size moving pictures of Dan
Merley, showing him walking about the backwoods cabin, and shoveling
snow. The likeness was perfect.
"I--er--I--what does this mean?" stammered the lawyer, springing to his
feet.
"It means that Dan Merley is a faker!" cried Russ, as the lights were
turned up again, and Mr. Pertell came up from the booth where he had
been working the moving picture machine.
"It means that he is a faker when he says he was injured by the street
car," cried Russ, "and we're going to show these pictures in court if he
persists in the suit. And it means he's a faker when he says Mr. DeVere
owes him five hundred dollars. It means he's a faker from beginning to
end! We've got the proof on the film!" and his voice rang out.
"Oh, Russ!" cried Ruth, and she clasped his hand in delight.
"I--er--I--" stammered Mr. DeVere as he sank into a chair.
"Daddy, you won't have to pay!" exclaimed Alice, joyfully.
"How about that, Mr. Black?" asked Russ of the lawyer. "Do you think
your client will go on with the street car suit?"
"Well, my dear young man, in view of what you have shown me, I--er--I
think not. In fact I know not." The lawyer was beaten and he realized
it.
"And about Mr. DeVere's note?" asked Russ.
The lawyer took out his pocketbook.
"Here is the note," he muttered. "You have beaten us. I presume if we
drop both suits that you will not show these pictures in court?"
"It won't be necessary," said Russ. "If the suits are withdrawn the
pictures will not be shown. But they will be kept--for future
reference," he added significantly.
"I understand," spoke the lawyer. "You are a very clever young man."
"Oh, the young ladies helped me," laughed Russ.
"Good-night," said the lawyer, bowing himself out.
"There you are, Mr. DeVere!" cried Russ, as they were on their way from
the studio. "You'd better destroy that note. It's the only evidence
Merley had, and now you have it back. Tear it up--burn it!"
"I will indeed! I never can thank you enough for securing it for me.
Those moving pictures were a clever idea."
The next day formal notice was sent to Mr. DeVere that the suit against
him had been withdrawn, and Merley had to pay all advance court
charges. The actor would not again be made to pay the five hundred
dollars. The suit against the street car company was also taken out of
court. And Dan Merley and his confederates disappeared for a time. It
seems that Merley went to the woods to hunt as a sort of relief from
having to pose all the while in New York as an injured man. He felt at
home up in that locality, having been there many times before.
"Well," said Mr. Pertell to Mr. DeVere and the girls one day, when he
had called to see them, "I suppose you are ready for more camera work by
this time?"
"What now?" asked Ruth. "Can't you give us something different from what
we have been having?"
"Indeed I can," was his answer. "How would you like to go to Florida?"
"Florida!" the girls cried together. "Oh, how lovely."
"That's answer enough," said the manager. "We leave in a week!"
"I wonder what will happen down there?" asked Alice.
And my readers may learn by perusing the next volume of this series, to
be entitled "The Moving Picture Girls Under the Palms; Or, Lost in the
Wilds of Florida."
"It seems too good to be true," spoke Alice that night, as she and Ruth
were talking over what dresses they would take.
"Doesn't it! Oh, I am just wild to go down South!"
"So am I. I'd like to know what part we're going to."
"Why?"
"Oh, you know those two girls we met in the train. They were going
somewhere near Lake Kissimmee. We might meet them."
"We might," answered Ruth sleepily. "Put out the light, dear, and come
to bed. We will have some busy times, getting ready to go to Florida."
And thus we will take leave of the moving picture girls.
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors corrected.
Page 3, "dissappointed" changed to "disappointed". (he never
disappointed)
Page 13, "roles" changed to "rôles". (played minor rôles)
Page 13, "felt" changed to "left". (left her father's)
Page 22, "went" changed to "want". (want to pay me)
Page 31, "handful" changed to "handful". (handful of snow)
Page 37, "wildy" changed to "wildly". (pawed about wildly)
Page 44, "dollares" changed to "dollars". (hundred dollars means)
Page 45, "seem" changed to "seen". (seen that he)
Page 66, "colonge" changed to "cologne". (spirits of cologne)
Page 101, "Dicken's" changed to "Dickens'". (In Dickens' story)
Page 103, "your" changed to "you". (his coat you)
Page 105, the word "have" was inserted into the text. (could have
happened)
Page 108, "accidently" changed to "accidentally". (accidentally
hit you)
Page 148, "temperment" changed to "temperament". (a different
temperament)
Page 180, "We" changed to "we". (we can't go)
Page 185, "fugutive" changed to "fugitive". (were fugitive slaves)
Page 204, "lense" changed to "lens". (a lens that)
Page 212, the word "spoke" is presumed as the original is smudged.
(spoke the lawyer)