The Moving Picture Girls Snowbound | Page 7

Russ, make him--make him go!" begged Alice, half sobbing. "He
wants to see my father--it's some sort of unjust money claim--and he
wants to enforce it. Father has gone out----"
"And that's just where this person is going!" announced Russ,
advancing toward the man.
"What's that?" demanded Merley in an ugly tone.
"I said you were going out. It's your cue to move!"
"I don't move until I get my five hundred dollars," answered the visitor.
"I've waited for it long enough."
"My father paid you!" protested Ruth.
"I say he did not!" and again the man banged the table with his fist.
"Well, whether he did or not is a question for you and Mr. DeVere to
settle," said Russ, in firm tones. "You will kindly leave these young
ladies alone."
"I will; eh? Who says so?"
"I do!"
"And who are you?"
"A friend. I must ask you to leave."
"Not until I get my five hundred dollars!"

"Look here!" exclaimed Russ, and, though he spoke in low tones, there
was that in his voice which made it very determined. "You may have a
valid claim against Mr. DeVere, or you may not. I will not go into that.
But he is not at home, and you will have to come again. You have no
right in here. I must ask you to leave."
"Huh! You haven't any right here either. You can't give me orders."
"They are not my orders. This is a request from the young ladies
themselves, and I am merely seeing that it is carried out. You don't
want him here; do you?" he asked, of the two girls.
"Oh, no! Please go!" begged Ruth.
"I want my money!" cried the man.
"Look here!" exclaimed Russ, taking hold of Merley's shoulder. "You
will either leave quietly, or I'll summon a policeman and have you
arrested. Even if you have a claim against Mr. DeVere, and I don't
believe you have, that gives you no right to trespass here. Take your
claim to court!"
"I tell you I want my money now!"
"Well, you'll not get it. You have your remedy at law. Now leave at
once, do you hear?"
"Yes, I hear all right, and you'll hear from me later. I will go to law,
and I'll have my five hundred dollars. I'll bring suit against Mr. DeVere,
and then he'll wish he'd paid me, for he'll have to settle my claim and
costs besides. Oh, I'll sue all right!"
"I don't care what you do, as long as you get out of here!" cried Russ,
sharply, for he saw that the strain was telling on Ruth and Alice.
"Leave at once!"
"Suppose I don't go?"
"Then I'll put you out!"

Russ looked very brave as he said this. Ruth glanced at him, and
thought he had never appeared to better advantage. And between Russ
and Ruth there was--but there, I am getting ahead of my story.
"Are you going?" asked the young moving picture operator, again.
"Well, rather than have a row, I will. But I warn you I'll sue DeVere
and I'll get my money, too. It's all nonsense for him to say he paid me.
Where's his proof? I ask you that. Where's his proof?"
"Never mind about that," returned Russ, calmly. "It's your move, as I
said before. And you can give a good imitation of a moving picture
film showing a man getting out of a room."
With no good grace the man arose clumsily from his chair, and with
leers at Ruth and Alice, who were clinging to each other on the far side
of the room, the visitor started for the door.
"I'll see you again!" he called, coarsely. "Then maybe the laugh will be
on my side. I'm going to have my money, I tell you!"
Russ kept after the man, and walked behind him to the door. There Dan
Merley paused to exclaim, in loud tones:
"You wait--I'll get my money out of DeVere--you'll see!"
Then he stumbled on down the hallway, and Russ quickly closed and
locked the door.
"Oh, Russ!" exclaimed Ruth. Then she sank into a chair, and bent
forward with her head pillowed in her arms on the table.
"There, there," said the young man gently, as he put his hand on her
head. "It's all right--he's gone. Don't be afraid."
"Oh, but what a dreadful man!" cried Alice. "I could----"
"Don't, dear," begged her sister gently, as she raised her head. There
were tears in her eyes. Russ gently slipped his hand over her little rosy

palm.
CHAPTER IV
A FUNNY FILM
For a moment Ruth remained thus, while, Alice, with flashing eyes,
stood looking at the door leading into the hall, as if anticipating the
return of that unpleasant visitor. Then Ruth