Read Ebook: Ruth Fielding in Alaska by Emerson Alice B

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Ebook has 1346 lines and 45325 words, and 27 pages

"Thanks, Tom," and then with a whimsical glance at Helen: "I wonder if this is another message from Bloomberg!"

The others stood by with interest while Ruth tore open the yellow envelope. There were so many changes and surprises in the life of this talented girl, who combined in one person director, author and screen actress, that her friends were kept continually agog with interest.

Ruth's eyes ran hastily through the message. She gave a little cry of amazement and thrust the telegram toward Tom.

"And he wants you to come to New York at once!" ejaculated Tom, looking up from the telegram. "Now, Ruth Fielding, what do you intend to do about that?"

ALL BUSINESS

Ruth Fielding sank to the grass and stared at the others, her forehead wrinkling in a puzzled frown.

"Oh, there always are, Ruthie," broke in Helen flippantly. "You are so busy all the time it makes me weary just to see you work. Why turn down a perfectly exciting trip to New York--especially when duty calls you?"

"Do you really think it is my duty to go, Tom?" Ruth's eyes appealed to Helen's twin brother as he stood thoughtfully reading over the telegram. Tom was Ruth's business partner in the Fielding Film Company, and since the young fellow claimed a strictly personal interest in her as well, the girl had formed the habit of consulting him in all things.

"I suppose you ought, really," replied Tom. "Mr. Hammond has been a very good friend of yours--of ours--Ruth, and I don't see how in the world you can ignore an appeal like this."

"You see!" cried Helen triumphantly. "I knew he'd agree with me! That's what twin brothers are for!"

"Just what does Mr. Hammond have to say about his financial embarrassments?" asked Chess Copley. "Does he go into any details?"

"He can't very well in a telegram," Ruth replied. "Here," taking the telegram from Tom and handing it over to Chess, "read for yourself and form your own conclusions."

This was the message Helen and Chess read together.

"Am in great difficulties concerning production of Girl of Gold. Can you come to New York immediately? Unable to leave city."

"J. A. HAMMOND."

"The Girl of Gold," Tom was ruminating aloud. "Wasn't that the Western picture there was such keen competition over?"

"Yes," returned Ruth eagerly. "The script was taken from the novel, you know, that made such a tremendous hit."

"And the scenes were laid in the gold fields of Alaska," Helen added as her contribution. "I remember the book. It certainly was a thriller."

"The picture ought to be just as good," said Ruth thoughtfully. "I know Mr. Hammond hoped great things from it."

"I wonder what the difficulties are he speaks about," said Tom.

Ruth shook her head.

"That we can only find out by a personal interview," she said. "But one thing I do know--that whatever his trouble is, it must be pretty bad or he would never have sent this hurried call to me. What shall I do, Tom?"

"I know what you'll do," said Helen, with decision. "You will pack your things and take the next train to New York. I know Ruth Fielding," with a fond little squeeze of Ruth's hand, "and my experience of her is, that she never deserts a friend in distress. How about it, Tommy-boy?"

Since Helen was one of the very first friends Ruth Fielding had ever had, her prophecy of Ruth's future action in regard to Mr. Hammond was apt to prove a fairly accurate one. For since Ruth, a little girl of twelve and an orphan, came to the house at the Red Mill to live with her Uncle Jabez Potter and his sweet-tempered housekeeper, Aunt Alvirah Boggs, Ruth Fielding and Helen Cameron had been the warmest and closest of friends.

In point of fact, Tom was probably Ruth's oldest friend, since she had met him first and through him, his twin sister, Helen.

The Red Mill was situated just outside the town of Cheslow. About a mile away in a handsome big house Helen and Tom Cameron lived with their father, who was a widower and wealthy. In the first volume of the series, entitled "Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill," is narrated the meeting of these young people and their subsequent adventures.

Uncle Jabez Potter was something of a miser and a crabbed old soul to boot. However, when Ruth contrived to save the old man a considerable amount of money, his heart relented to the extent of permitting Ruth to enter boarding school with Helen Cameron. Looking backward, Ruth always felt that all her good times and adventures dated from those good old days at Briarwood.

At school and college Ruth's friends were numerous, but none were ever quite as dear to her as Helen. While still engaged in school work, Ruth developed her talent for scenario writing, and from that small beginning commenced the steady climb that was to lead eventually to her present success.

Ruth's school and college friends, interested in the triumphs of their schoolmate and basking in reflected glory, continued to keep in touch with her even after the close association of school days was at an end. A group of them had come on to Cheslow to be present at the opening night of "Snow-blind," one of Ruth's recent pictures, which had proved a tremendous success.

It was Mr. Hammond, owner and director of the Alectrion Film Corporation, who had first given Ruth her chance and who had never afterward failed in kind encouragement and backing. Even when Ruth, realizing that she had unusual gifts not only in scenario writing but in directing as well, decided to break away from Mr. Hammond and organize her own company, the latter had backed her project whole-heartedly, evincing only sympathy and an inspiring belief in her ability.

Small wonder then that, upon receipt of this telegram from her old friend telling of his difficulties and soliciting her aid, Ruth found it practically impossible to refuse him.

In the volume directly preceding this, entitled, "Ruth Fielding at Golden Pass," it was Mr. Hammond himself who had suggested that Ruth take the lead when her leading lady, at the instigation of Bloomberg, deserted the company at the last minute.

So now her question to Tom, asking for his advice, was more a matter of form than anything else. Since the latter had secretly invested a considerable amount of money in her new and struggling little business just when she was most desperately in need of help, gratitude had been added to an already warm feeling for Helen's twin brother.

There had been an understanding between these two young people for some time. For Tom's sturdy liking for the girl from the Red Mill had developed into something more ardent as Ruth grew to womanhood. But as Ruth grew, her ambition grew also. The temptation to determine just how far her talent would carry her in the motion picture business was too great for Ruth to resist. So while returning Tom's affection, the girl put him off time and time again, pleading her career as an excuse.

Tom was very patient. He could appreciate Ruth's enthusiasm, since he himself had become so vitally interested in pictures. He had as well, a sincere regard for the girl's ability.

However, waiting is often very hard, and time and again it was only Ruth's appreciation of his patience and forbearance that kept Tom from open revolt.

So now it was just another example of this same patience and forbearance when, in reply to Ruth's question concerning Mr. Hammond, he said without hesitation:

"Of course you'll have to go, Ruth. Under the circumstances you couldn't do anything else."

Ruth gave him a grateful glance.

"But you will go, too, Tommy-boy? As my business partner I demand that you accompany me!"

Tom grinned.

"You don't need to demand," he assured her. "I was going anyway."

"And I'll be your chaperon, Ruthie," said Helen amiably. "I'm quite sure you need one."

Ruth chuckled.

"I don't know whether to take that as an insult or not," she said. "However, I'd love to have you come along if you care to."

So Ruth decided that she would send an answering telegram to Mr. Hammond, saying that she would pack that night and start early the following morning for New York.

Little did Ruth dream as she made the decision what that trip was destined to bring forth.

BREAKERS AHEAD

"It looks bad, Jim! Bad! Anyway you figure it, the result is the same. A financial smash and the sort of failure that doesn't do your reputation any good in the motion picture business!"

Mr. Hammond was seated in the offices of the Alectrion Film Corporation in conclave with one of his close business associates, James McCarty.

The latter was a jolly red-faced Irishman with an habitual smile wreathing his wide, good-humored mouth. Just now the smile was not in evidence, in consequence of which James McCarty bore a rather close resemblance to a sorrowing kewpie.

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