“How did they manage to do that?” asked Patsy.

“Stopped the camera, cut off the piece of film showing her caught by the net, and substituted a strip on which was recorded Flo’s body lying among the jagged rocks, where it had been carefully and comfortably arranged.  We do a lot of deceptive tricks of that sort, and sometimes I myself marvel at the natural effects obtained.”

“It must be more interesting than stage acting.”

“I believe it is.  But we’ve never been on the stage,” said Maud.

“How did you happen to get started in such a queer business?” inquired Patsy.

“Well, after we found ourselves poor and without resources we began wondering what we could do to earn money.  A friend of Aunt Jane’s knew a motion picture maker who wanted fifty young girls for a certain picture and would pay each of them five dollars a day.  Flo and I applied for the job and earned thirty dollars between us; but then the manager thought he would like to employ us regularly, and with Auntie to chaperon us we accepted the engagement.  The first few weeks we merely appeared among the rabble—­something like chorus girls, you see—­but then we were given small parts and afterward more important ones.  When we discovered our own value to the film makers Auntie managed to get us better engagements, so we’ve acted for three different concerns during the past two years, while Aunt Jane has become noted as a clever judge of the merits of scenarios.”

“Do both of you girls play star parts?” Beth inquired.

“Usually.  Flo is considered the best ‘child actress’ in the business, but when there is no child part she makes herself useful in all sorts of ways.  To-day, for instance, you saw her among the dancing girls.  I do the ingenue, or young girl parts, which are very popular just now.  I did not want to act ‘Delilah,’ for I thought I was not old enough; but Mr. McNeil wanted me in the picture and so I made myself took as mature as possible.”

“You were ideal!” cried Patsy, admiringly.

The young girl blushed at this praise, but said deprecatingly: 

“I doubt if I could ever be a really great actress; but then, I do not intend to act for many more years.  Our salary is very liberal at present, as Goldstein grudgingly informed you, and we are saving money.  As soon as we think we have acquired enough to live on comfortably we shall abandon acting and live as other girls do.”

“The fact is,” added Flo, “no one will employ us when we have lost our youth.  So we are taking advantage of these few fleeting years to make hay while the sun shines.”

“Do many stage actresses go into the motion picture business?” asked Beth.

“A few, but all are not competent,” replied Maud.  “In the ‘silent drama’ facial expression and the art of conveying information by a gesture is of paramount importance.  In other words, action must do the talking and explain everything.  I am told that some comedians, like ‘Bunny’ and Sterling Mace, were failures on the stage, yet in motion pictures they are great favorites.  On the other hand, some famous stage actors can do nothing in motion pictures.”