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"Yes, out on what prairies are left, in some rather wild sections, and I think we will make the best views we have yet had," responded Mr. Pertell. "Now, if you please, ladies and gentlemen, take your places, and go on with your acts. I am sorry this interruption distracted you." "Oh, Ruth, did you hear? We are to go out West!" "Are you glad, Alice?" "Indeed I am.
Pertell," said Alice, when they got back to the studio, and instructions had been given out for the indoor rehearsals next day, "excuse me, but I could not help overhearing what you said about the possibility of some farm dramas. Do you intend to film some of those?" "Indeed I do," he answered, with a smile. "Why, would you and your sister like to be in them?" "Very much!"
Pertell at the conclusion. "We'll film the scene to-morrow." The arrangements were carefully made, and in a big open place the tall dry grass was set on fire. The flames crackled, and great clouds of black smoke rolled upward. "Go ahead now, Russ!" called the manager. "That ought to make a fine film! Come on, you people Mr. DeVere, Ruth, Alice get in the picture. Register fear!"
As the day advanced, the storm lulled slightly, but it was still rough. Those of the moving picture company who ventured up on deck went below again with white, scared faces at the sight of the wreckage of the mainmast. For it did look doleful. "This shipwreck comes pretty near being real," said Mr. Pertell. "If we could only photograph it now, it would make a fine film."
Then, as he passed on to the dining room, he saw, through a window, a man hurry up to the bench and remove the camera. Russ could not recall ever having seen this man. "There's something queer about this," said Mr. Pertell to his operator. "What would a cowboy be doing with a moving picture camera?"
"Well, I'm not going to slip," declared Alice. It was not easy work getting out to the group of rocks on the narrow path of black stone, made slippery by the spray. But they managed it, and finally Ruth, Alice and Paul took their places. "All ready," called Mr. Pertell, who, with a copy of the scenario in his hand stood back of Russ to direct matters.
"Get ready, Russ!" called Mr. Pertell. "All ready," answered the young operator, as he took his place with his camera focused. The steers, startled by the shots and shouts of the cowboys, began a mad rush. "There's your stampede!" called Mr. Norton to Mr. Pertell. "Is that realistic enough for you?" "Quite so, and thank you very much."
"I think I shall not go into the interior." "Oh, I think you will," retorted Mr. Pertell, easily. "Your contract calls for it." "What about alligators?" asked Mr. Sneed. "You know my offer a thousand dollars a big bite," laughed the manager. "But I don't fancy we shall see half as many as you saw out at the alligator farm.
"There, I guess we can use this film in some sort of a play, if I have to write it myself!" exclaimed Mr. Pertell, as he finished grinding away at the camera crank. "I can call it 'Caught in The Ice, or something like that," he went on, "We can make some preliminary scenes, and some others to follow, and get quite a play out of it." "I'm glad you thought to bring the camera," said Russ.
"I'll be ready whenever you are. But where are you going to get the auto that goes to smash, Mr. Pertell?" "Oh, I bought a second-hand one cheap. It's now being painted and fixed up to look as much like the good one as possible." A few days later all was in readiness for taking the auto smash film. The story to be depicted was part of the big "East and West" drama.
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