CHAPTER IX
MR. DEVERE DECIDES
Mr. DeVere sank into a chair. Ruth looked distressed as her fatherglanced over the dispossess notice, for such it was. But on the faceof Alice there was a triumphant smile. For she saw that this was thevery thing needed to arouse her father to action. Despite thedistastefulness of the work, she felt sure he would come finally tolike acting before the camera.
The collector's call had been very opportune, though it wasembarrassing.
"This--this," said Mr. DeVere, haltingly--"this is very--er--veryunfortunate. Then we are behind with the rent, Ruth?"
"Yes, Dad. You know I told you----"
"Yes, I suppose so," he added, with a sigh. "I had forgotten. Therehave been so many things----"
He was lost in thought for a moment.
"Do we owe much more, Ruth?" he asked.
"Quite some, Daddy. But don't worry. You are not well, and----"
"No, I am not well. I feel very poorly, but it is mainly mental, andnot physical--except for my throat. And even that does not reallyhurt. It is only--only that I cannot speak."
His voice trailed off into a hoarse whisper, which the girls couldbarely distinguish.
"I--I must find something to do," went on the stricken actor. "I'llgo out again this afternoon. Let us have a little lunch and I willtry again. I'll do anything----"
"Then, Daddy, why don't you let me tell about the moving pictures?"broke in Alice. "I'm sure----"
"Alice, dear, you know that isn't in my line," replied her father."It is very good of you to suggest it; but it will not do. I couldnot bring myself to it----"
He paused, and looked dejectedly at the dispossess notice in hishand.
"I--I could not do it," he added with a sigh. "I must try to getsomething in the line of my profession. Perhaps I might get a placein some dramatic school. I have trained you girls in the rudiments ofacting, and I'm sure I could do it with a larger class. I did notthink of it before. Get me some lunch, Ruth, and I'll go out again."
"But what about the rent?" asked Alice. "We can't be put out on thestreet, Dad."
"No, I suppose not. I'll see Mr. Cross, and get another loan. I'llpay him back out of my first salary. We must have a roof over us. Oh,girls, I am so sorry for you!"
"Don't worry about us, Daddy! You just get better and take care ofyour throat!" urged Alice. "You might try the movies, just for alittle while, and then----"
"Never! Never!" he interrupted with vigor. "I could not think of it!"
Again there came a knock at the door.
"I'll go," offered Alice.
"No, let me," said Ruth, quickly.
She slipped out into the hall, and closed the door after her. Therewas a low murmur of voices, gradually growing louder on the part ofthe unseen caller. Ruth seemed pleading. Then Mr. DeVere and Aliceheard:
"It's no use. The boss says he won't send around any more meat untilthe bill is paid. He told me to tell you he couldn't wait anylonger--that's all there is to it!"
"Oh!" 'said Alice, in a low voice.
"What does that mean?" asked Mr. DeVere, from the reverie into whichhe had fallen.
"I think it means," replied Alice, with a laugh in which there waslittle mirth, "think it means that we won't have any meat for lunch,Dad."
"Bless my soul!" exclaimed the actor.
Ruth came in with flushed face.
"Who was it?" asked her father, though there was no need.
"Only the butcher's boy. He said----"
"We heard," interrupted Alice, significantly. "Have we any eggs?" sheasked, grimly.
"This--this is positively too much!" said Mr. DeVere. "I shall tellthat meat man----"
"I'm afraid he wouldn't listen to you, Daddy," interposed Ruth,gently. "We do owe him quite a bill. I suppose we can't blame him,"and she sighed.
"I--I'll go at once and see Mr. Cross, my former manager," exclaimedMr. DeVere. "He will make me a loan, I'm sure. Then I'll pay thisbutcher bill, and tell the insulting fellow that we shall seek a newtradesman."
"Then there's the rent, Daddy," said Ruth, in a low voice.
"Oh, yes--the rent. I forgot about that." The dispossess noticerustled in his hand. "The rent--Oh, yes. That must be paid first.I--I will have to get a larger loan. Well, get me what lunch you can,Ruth, my dear, and I'll go out at once."
Alice did not say "movies" again, not even when the very modest andfrugal lunch was set. And it was about the "slimmest" meal, from ahousekeeper's standpoint, that had ever graced the DeVere table, usedas they had become to scanty rations of late. Mr. DeVere said little,but he appeared to be doing considerable thinking and Alice allowedhim to do it without interruption. She seemed to know how, and when,to hold her tongue.
When he had gone out Ruth and Alice talked matters over. First theycounted up what money they had, and figured how far it would go. Ifthey paid the rent they would not have enough to live on for a week,and food was almost as vital a necessity as was a place to stay.There were other pressing bills, in addition to those of the butcherand the landlord.
"Don't you see, Ruth, that daddy's going into the movies will be ouronly salvation?" asked Alice.
"It does seem so. Yet could he do it?"
"He could--if he would. I saw some very poor actors there to-day."
"But is the pay sufficient?"
"It is very good, Russ says. And it increases with the fame of theactor. I wish I could get into the movies myself."
"Alice DeVere!"
"I don't care; I do! It's just lovely, I think. You don't have to actbefore a whole big audience that is staring at you. Just some nicemen, in their shirt sleeves, turning cranks----"
"In their shirt sleeves?"
"Why, yes. It's quite warm, with all those arc lights glowing, youknow. And besides, what are shirt sleeves? Didn't dad act in hisduring the duel scene in "Lord Graham's Secret?" Of course he did!Shirt sleeves are no disgrace. Oh, Ruth, what are we to do, anyhow?What is to become of us?"
Alice put her head down on the table.
"There, dear, don't cry," urged her sister. "There must be a way out.Father will get a loan--his voice will come back, and----"
"It will be too late," replied Alice, in a low voice. "We will be putout--disgraced before all the neighbors! I can't stand it. I'm goingto do something!"
She arose quickly, and there was a look on her face that caused Ruthto give start and to cry out:
"Alice! What do you mean?"
"I mean I'm going to see Russ Dalwood and ask him if I can't get workin the movies. If father won't, I will! And I'll ask Russ for theloan of some money. I can pay him back when I get my salary!"
"Alice, I'll never let you do that!" and Ruth planted herself beforethe door.
For a tense moment the sisters confronted each other.
"But we--we must do something," faltered Alice.
"Yes, but not that--at least, not yet. We have some pride left.Wait--wait until father comes back."
With a gesture Alice consented. She sank wearily into a chair.
It was tedious waiting. The girls talked but little--they had noheart for it. Around them hummed the noise of the apartment house.Noises came to them through the thin, cheap walls. The crying ofbabies, the quarrels of a couple in the flat back of them, the wheezeof a rusty phonograph, and the thump-thump of a playerpiano, operatedwith every violation of the musical code, added to the nerve-rackingdin.
Ruth made a gesture of despair.
"Beautiful!" murmured Alice as the paper roll in the mechanical pianogot a "kink," and played a crash of discords. Ruth covered her earswith her hands.
There was a step in the corridor.
"There's father!" exclaimed Ruth.
"I wonder what success he had negotiating a loan?" observed Alice.
Mr. DeVere entered wearily.
The girls waited for him to speak, and it was with an obvious effortthat he croaked:
"I--I didn't get it. Mr. Cross wouldn't even see me. He sent
out wordthat he was too busy. He is getting ready for the first performanceof 'A Matter of Friendship,' to-night."
"A matter of friendship," repeated Alice. "What a play on the words!"
"I sent in my card," explained Mr. DeVere, "and told him I must havea little money. He sent back word that he was sorry, but that he hadinvested so much in the play that he could spare none."
There was a period of silence. The girls looked pityingly at theirfather.
"Something must be done," he declared, finally. "I can try elsewhere.I will go see----"
A knock at the door interrupted him. Before Alice could speak Ruthhad gained it. She tried to close it, but was not in time to preventthe caller from being heard.
"The boss says there's no use orderin' any more groceries, untilyouse has paid for what youse has got," said a coarse voice. "Takeit from me--nothin' doin'!"
"Oh!" Ruth was heard to murmur.
Mr. DeVere started from his chair.
"The insulting----" he began.
Alice touched him on the arm.
"Don't!" she begged, softly.
Mr. DeVere turned aside. He slipped his arm around Alice, and, asRuth came in, with tears in her eyes, she, too, found a haven in herfather's embrace. Then the actor spoke.
"Alice, dear," he faltered, "What is the address of that--that movingpicture manager?"