Part 10 (1/2)
”How should I know?” was the cool response. ”I suppose Mr. Dalwood knows what he is doing, though.”
”Oh, how very formal we are all of a sudden,” mocked Alice. ”You two haven't quarreled, have you?”
”Silly,” returned Ruth, blus.h.i.+ng.
”Are you really going to jump your horse down a cliff?” asked Alice.
”I really am,” was the smiling answer. ”There is to be no fake about this. But really there is little danger. I am so used to horses.”
”Yes, and I marvel at you,” put in Ruth. ”Where did you learn it all?”
”I don't know. It seems to come natural to me.”
”You must have lived on a ranch a long time,” ventured Ruth.
”Did I? Well, perhaps I did. Say, lace this up the back for me, that's a dear,” and she turned around so that Alice or Ruth could fasten a corset-like pad that covered a large part of her body. It would not show under her dress, but would be a protection in case of a fall.
Alice and Ruth were so greatly interested in the coming perilous leap of Estelle's that they did not pursue their inquiries about her life on a ranch, though Alice casually remarked that it was strange she did not speak more about it.
The two DeVere girls had no part in this one scene, and they went to watch it, safely out of range of the cameras. For there were to be two snapping this jump, to avoid the necessity of a retake in case one film failed.
”All ready now!” called Mr. Pertell, when there had been several rehearsals up to the actual point of making the jump. Estelle had raced out of the woods bearing the message. The Confederate guerrillas had pursued her, and she had found the bridge burned--one built for the purpose and set fire to.
”All ready for the jump?” asked the director.
”All ready,” Estelle answered, looking to saddle girths and stirrups.
”Then come on!” yelled the director through his megaphone.
Estelle urged her horse forward. With shouts and yells, which, of course, had no part in the picture, yet which served to aid them in their acting, the players who were portraying the Confederates came after her, spurring their horses and firing wildly. On and on rushed the steed bearing the daring girl rider.
She reached the place of the burned bridge, halted a moment, made a gesture of despair, and then raced for the bank, down which she would leap her horse to the ford.
”Come on! Come on!” yelled Mr. Pertell. ”That's fine! Come on! You men there put a little more pep in your riding. Turn and fire at them, Miss Brown! Fire one shot, and one of you men reel in his saddle. That's the idea!”
Estelle had quickly turned and fired, and one man had most realistically showed that he was. .h.i.t, afterward slumping from his seat.
Now the girl was at the edge of the bank. She was to make a flying jump over its edge and come down in the soft sand, sliding to the bottom--in the saddle if she could keep her seat, rolling over and over if, perchance, she left it.
”That's the idea! Get every bit of that, Russ! That's fine!” yelled Mr.
Pertell.
”There she goes!” cried Alice, grasping her sister's arm, and as she spoke Estelle spurred her horse and it leaped full and fair over the edge of the embankment. Estelle had made her big jump. Would she come safely out of it?
CHAPTER VIII
A Ma.s.sED ATTACK