The Moving Picture Girls Snowbound | Page 3

the studio?"
"Yes, and we had a hard day of it. I forget how many thousand feet of
film I reeled off."
"Was my father there?"
"Yes, he was with Mr. Pertell when I came out."
"I wonder what makes him so late?"
"Oh, there's a rush of work on. But I think he'll be along soon, for I
heard Mr. Pertell say he wouldn't keep him five minutes."
"That's good. Oh, dear! Isn't it slippery!" she cried, as she barely saved
herself from falling.
"Take my arm," invited Russ.
"Thanks, I will. I came out in a hurry to do a little shopping. Ruth is at
home. There, I told you after all. I'm of a forgiving spirit, you see."
"I see," he laughed.
They stepped along lightly together, laughing and talking, for Russ was
almost like a brother to the DeVere girls, though the two families had
only known each other since both had come to the Fenmore Apartment,
about a year before.

"Did they film any big plays to-day?" asked Alice. "I know Mr. Pertell
said he wouldn't need Ruth and myself, so of course they didn't do
anything really good. Not at all conceited; am I?" she asked, with a
rippling laugh.
"Well, you're right this time--there wasn't much of importance doing,"
Russ replied. "Miss Pennington and Miss Dixon had some pretty good
parts, but the stuff was mostly comic to-day."
"That suited Mr. Switzer, then. I think he is the nicest German
comedian I ever knew, and I met quite a number when father was
appearing in real plays."
"Yes, Switzer is a good sort. But you should have seen Mr. Sneed
to-day!"
"Found fault with everything; eh?"
"I should say so, and then some, as the boys say. He said something
was sure to happen before the day was over, and it did--a stone wall fell
on him."
"Really?"
"Really, but not real stone. It was one of Pop Snooks's scenic creations.
One of the pieces of wood hit Mr. Sneed on the head, so something
happened. And what a fuss he made! He's the real grouch of the
company, all right. Well, here we are!" and the young man guided his
companion into the hallway of the Fenmore.
"See you again!" called Alice, as she went into her door and Russ into
his.
"Is that you, Alice?" called Ruth, from an inner room.
"Yes, dear. Has daddy come home?"
"Not yet. I wonder if we'd better telephone?"

"No, I just met Russ, and he said daddy would be right along. He's
planning something with Mr. Pertell."
The table was nearly prepared when a step was heard in the hall.
"There he is now!" cried Alice, as she flew to open the door before her
father could get out his key. But as he entered, and Alice reached up to
kiss him, she cried out in amazement at the look on his face.
"Why, Daddy! Has anything happened?" she asked.
"Yes," he said in his hoarse voice--a hoarseness caused by a throat
affection. "Yes, something has happened, or is going to. I'm in serious
trouble!"
CHAPTER II
AN UNPLEASANT VISITOR
Ruth overheard the question asked by Alice, and her father's answer.
She came in swiftly, and put her arms about him, as her sister had done.
"Oh, Daddy dear, what is it?" she asked, anxiously.
"I--I'll tell you--presently," he replied, chokingly. "I am a little out of
breath. I am getting too--too stout. And my throat has bothered me a
good deal of late. Would you mind getting me that throat spray and
medicine Dr. Rathby left? That always helps me."
"I'll get it," offered Alice, quickly, as her father sank into a chair, and
while she searched in the medicine closet for it, there was a dull ache in
her heart. More trouble! And there had been so much of it of late. The
sun had seemed to break through the clouds, and now it had gone
behind again.
And while the girls are thus preparing to minister to their father, I will
tell my new readers something of the previous books of this series, and
a little about the main characters.

In the initial volume, entitled "The Moving Picture Girls; Or, First
Appearances in Photo Dramas," I related how Mr. Hosmer DeVere, a
talented actor, suddenly lost his voice, by the return of an old throat
affection. He had just been "cast" for an important part in a new play,
but had to give it up, as he could not speak distinctly enough to be
heard across the footlights.
The DeVere family fortunes were at low ebb, and money was much
needed. By accident Russ Dalwood, a moving picture operator,
suggested to one of the girls that their father might act for a moving
picture