"Not a bit too enthusiastic!" Russ assured her. "That's what I like to see, and I guess the manager does, too. It would be a good thing if some of the others were a little more enthusiastic. They'd do better acting. Say!" he broke in, "what do you say to an ice cream soda? It's warm this evening," and he paused before a brilliantly lighted drug store. "Shall we, Ruth?" asked Alice, with a queer little look at her sister. "Oh, I don't know," began Ruth, hesitatingly. "Which means--yes!" Alice cried, gaily. "Come on!" Mr. DeVere looked up inquiringly from his bundle of manuscript as the girls and Russ entered the little apartment later. "Oh, Daddy! It was just fine!" cried Alice, going over to him, and covering his eyes with her hands. "We saw ourselves--and you, too, as others see us!" added Ruth. "I--er--I don't understand," their father whispered. "The moving pictures," explained Alice. "It was that play, 'A False Count,' you know. Oh, it made a great hit, I can tell you!" "Ah, I'm glad to hear it," he said. "Sit down, Russ." "No, I can't stay," answered the visitor from across the hall. "I've brought your daughters safely home, and now I have to get back. I've got a little work to do yet." "Not at the studio; have you--so late?" asked Ruth. "Oh, it isn't late," he laughed. "But I want to do a little work on my invention. I've sort of struck a snag, and it's bothering me. I want it as nearly perfect as I can get it, and I've thought of an improvement I can put on it. So I'll say good-night." "Thank you, ever so much, for taking us!" said Alice, warmly. "Yes, indeed, it was fine!" added Ruth, her eyes sparkling. "To think of seeing ourselves! It was a great surprise." "Oh, you'll get used to it after a while," returned Russ. And then he went to his own room to labor ambitiously over his patent. "No more work to-night, Dad!" announced Ruth, firmly, as she saw her father preparing to resume the study of the manuscript containing his part in a new moving picture drama. "Your eyes must be tired, and you must save them. It won't do to have them spoiled, as well as your voice." "No, I suppose not," he answered, somewhat wearily. "This work is rather trying. I believe I would like to get out in the open for a change. Though I always said I never would do open-air parts in the movies." "I'd like to get out, too," said Alice. "I enjoyed what little we did in the Brooklyn garden very much." "I heard something at the studio about a prospect of the whole company being given a chance to do some outdoor dramas," observed Ruth, musingly. "I wonder what was meant?" "Mr. Pertell will probably tell us when he has his plans perfected," Alice returned. "You know, though, that he promised if this 'A False Count' play should be a success he'd give us a chance in a more pretentious drama. I'm counting on that." "And so am I," said Ruth. "Come, now, Daddy. No more work to-night."