Ruth Fielding in Alaska OR THE GIRL MINERS OF SNOW MOUNTAIN

BY ALICE B. EMERSON

Author of “Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill,” “Ruth Fielding at Golden Pass,” “Betty Gordon Series,” etc.

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY PUBLISHERS

Books for Girls

BY ALICE B. EMERSON

12mo. Cloth. Illustrated.

RUTH FIELDING SERIES

RUTH FIELDING OF THE RED MILL RUTH FIELDING AT BRIARWOOD HALL RUTH FIELDING AT SNOW CAMP RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE POINT RUTH FIELDING AT SILVER RANCH RUTH FIELDING ON CLIFF ISLAND RUTH FIELDING AT SUNRISE FARM RUTH FIELDING AMONG THE GYPSIES RUTH FIELDING IN MOVING PICTURES RUTH FIELDING DOWN IN DIXIE RUTH FIELDING AT COLLEGE RUTH FIELDING IN THE SADDLE RUTH FIELDING IN THE RED CROSS RUTH FIELDING AT THE WAR FRONT RUTH FIELDING HOMEWARD BOUND RUTH FIELDING DOWN EAST RUTH FIELDING IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST RUTH FIELDING ON THE ST. LAWRENCE RUTH FIELDING TREASURE HUNTING RUTH FIELDING IN THE FAR NORTH RUTH FIELDING AT GOLDEN PASS RUTH FIELDING IN ALASKA

BETTY GORDON SERIES

BETTY GORDON AT BRAMBLE FARM BETTY GORDON IN WASHINGTON BETTY GORDON IN THE LAND OF OIL BETTY GORDON AT BOARDING SCHOOL BETTY GORDON AT MOUNTAIN CAMP BETTY GORDON AT OCEAN PARK BETTY GORDON AND HER SCHOOL CHUMS BETTY GORDON AT RAINBOW RANCH BETTY GORDON IN MEXICAN WILDS

Cupples & Leon Co., Publishers, New York

Copyright, 1926, by Cupples & Leon Company

Ruth Fielding in Alaska

Printed in U. S. A.

CHAPTER I THE THREAT

“The contents of the missive appear to worry you, Ruth, my love. If that scowl should freeze on your face, your beauty would be marred forever.”

Stretched full length on the grass beneath a tree whose branches spread a grateful shade, Helen Cameron regarded her friend with an amused and interested smile. As the latter appeared not to notice her sally, she tried again.

“Can’t you tell me what dreadful news the letter contains?”

Ruth Fielding thus questioned, looked up slowly and sighed. She gestured with the hand that held her letter.

“It’s from that horrid Bloomberg, Helen,” she said.

“Sol Bloomberg!” Immediately interested, Helen sat up with a jerk and hugged her knees, gazing expectantly at her chum. “Don’t tell me[Pg 2] he, too, has fallen a victim to your charms, Ruthie Fielding!”

“Don’t be silly.” Ruth spoke in a vague, preoccupied voice. “As a matter of fact,” she added ruefully, “I imagine whatever feeling Sol Bloomberg has for me is far from a tender one.”

“Then, what on earth is he writing to you about?” Helen was genuinely curious. “You aren’t thinking of entering into a business deal with him, are you?”

Ruth chuckled.

“That deduction is even more absurd than the first one, Helen Cameron. The mere idea of doing business with——”

“That hard-boiled cheat?” suggested Helen amiably.

“Such language! Nevertheless, Sol Bloomberg is all of that——”

“And then some!” murmured Helen irrepressibly.

“Do you know what he says in this letter?”

“I’ve been trying for some time to find out.”

“He threatens me!” Ruth, sitting cross-legged on the ground, waved the offending letter for further emphasis. “He actually has the nerve to threaten me!”

“So you said before.”

“Well, if you are going to be tiresome——”

“I’m not, Ruthie darling. Honest, I’m not.[Pg 3] I’m only furiously interested. What is our old friend Sol threatening you for?”

“Spite mostly, I suppose,” returned Ruth, relapsing once more into her thoughtful mood. “He wants to frighten me and spoil my pleasure in the new picture that we filmed at Golden Pass.”

“I hear he has been practically run out of the pictures,” observed Helen, absently chewing on a bit of grass.

Ruth nodded.

“And of course he blames that all on me.”

“But how can he?” Helen swept back her pretty hair in a puzzled gesture. “Surely all his troubles have been caused by his own cheating and double-dealing.”

“Of course they have,” Ruth agreed. “It was Bloomberg, you remember, who lured Viola Callahan away from the lead in my picture when he knew to do such a thing at that time would almost certainly ruin the whole thing——”

“And you fooled him by taking the lead yourself and making a better leading lady than Viola Callahan ever could,” chuckled Helen.

Ruth tried to bow, which in her cross-legged position was rather a hard thing to do. Then she frowned and fell silent while she reviewed the details of her quarrel with Bloomberg.

It all began when she engaged Layton Boardman, an ex-star of Bloomberg’s, to play the lead[Pg 4] in her new Western picture. Though Bloomberg and Boardman had quarreled, Bloomberg really wanted to renew the actor’s contract, though at a salary that no actor of Boardman’s reputation would care to accept.

When the Fielding Film Company signed up Bloomberg’s ex-star at a good salary, the producer was furious. In retaliation he later tempted Viola Callahan, Ruth’s leading lady, to come over to him at a time when Miss Callahan’s desertion would almost certainly ruin Ruth’s picture.

The fact that Ruth’s picture was not ruined and to avert the catastrophe she had taken the lead herself—and successfully—had only served to increase Bloomberg’s dislike of her.

Bloomberg’s own picture, featuring Viola Callahan, was a failure. This, coupled with the unsavory story of his treachery to the Fielding Film Company, Ruth’s producing company, served to ruin what shreds of fortune and reputation he had and practically forced him out of the producing end of the business.

Ruth supposed, ruefully, that Bloomberg blamed all his misfortunes upon her because she had dared to sign up Layton Boardman when the latter was not under contract to Bloomberg or any one else and was absolutely free to accept any offer that was made him.

“I observed,” drawled Helen, after a considerable[Pg 5] silence, “that you made a love of a leading lady, Ruthie.”

“Thanks, whether I deserve the compliment or not!” was Ruth’s laughing reply to Helen’s remark. “Anyway, the fact remains that despite all Bloomberg’s crooked schemes and double-crossing we managed to triumph in the end, while he——”

“Broke his professional neck,” finished Helen. “I wish it had been his real one!” she added, with a fierce look that brought a laugh from Ruth.

“You are getting quite bloodthirsty, Helen Cameron,” she said. “But at the risk of appearing bloodthirsty myself, I don’t mind saying that I wish that something not too dreadful would befall our rascally friend; enough, at any rate, to remove him gently from my life at present. I have quite enough problems to face without worrying about Sol Bloomberg!”

“Don’t let it bother you, honey,” said Helen, stretching out lazily again upon the soft grass. “Just how does he threaten you?” she added, with a gesture toward the crumpled letter in Ruth’s hand.

“He says he may bring suit against me,” Ruth replied.

“Humph! For what?” Helen retorted. “If anybody ought to bring suit, it’s you, Ruthie. The man must be crazy.”

[Pg 6]

“I believe he is—with fury,” said Ruth thoughtfully. “It’s natural for a man down and out, as Bloomberg is, to rail at the successful, and in this case he chooses me to vent his spite on.”

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t lie awake nights worrying about him,” counseled Helen. “What could a failure like Bloomberg do to you whose reputation is so well established?”

“I don’t know,” said Ruth, playing absently with the letter. “But this much I can see. I have made a bitter, vindictive enemy of this man, and I feel that he will leave no stone unturned to do me an injury. Anyway,” she added, in a lighter tone, “I don’t intend to worry until I have something more substantial to go on than this letter. It would be a shame to spoil a day like this—and our ride.”

“Looks as if we weren’t going to get a ride,” grumbled Helen. She propped herself up on one elbow and scanned the dusty road that wound along near the Red Mill. “We appear to be forgotten, Ruth Fielding. Jilted!”

“Not as bad as that, I guess,” laughed Ruth. “It really is barely time for the boys, you know.”

Tom Cameron, Helen’s twin brother, and Chess Copley, Helen’s fiancé, had suggested an auto ride to the two girls. Since the day was sultry and hot, the girls had readily accepted the invitation.

[Pg 7]

Helen had lunched with Ruth, and now the chums had repaired to the shaded grounds about the old house to await the arrival of the boys.

Ruth had decided to peruse her morning mail, and among the letters had found the annoying one from Sol Bloomberg.

The letter reminded the girls forcibly of Ruth’s last venture in motion picture-making in which the latter had forced her way to success despite the machinations of this same Bloomberg, and in so doing had made of the unsuccessful producer a bitter and revengeful enemy.

Now she tore the paper into tiny bits and with a challenging little flirt of her fingers scattered the pieces to the four winds. This accomplished, Ruth felt better, as though, in the act of tearing up the letter, she had destroyed the potency of Bloomberg’s threat as well.

But Sol Bloomberg was not a scrap of paper to be so easily disposed of. His enmity was something to be reckoned with, as Ruth was to learn full well and to her cost in the days to follow.

But now, as Helen called out that the boys were coming, Ruth put all premonition of trouble from her mind. For that afternoon at least, she was determined to leave “shop” behind her.

Tom Cameron had no sooner stepped from the car than she saw there was some news of an important[Pg 8] nature for her. He came to her directly and held out a yellow envelope.

“Telegram,” he said laconically. “They were just sending it out from the office when I came along and thought I’d save them the trouble.”

“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.

“It’s from Mr. Hammond,” she said in explanation to Chess Copley and Helen. “He is in business difficulties of some sort——”

“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?”

[Pg 9]

CHAPTER II ALL BUSINESS

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

“I don’t know,” she said, in response to Tom’s question. “There are really a hundred things I ought to do right here——”

“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.[Pg 10] “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[Pg 11] 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[Pg 12] 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[Pg 13] 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[Pg 14] 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.”

[Pg 15]

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.

[Pg 16]

CHAPTER III 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.

Mr. Hammond’s own usually cheerful ruddy countenance was grave and he puffed absently at his cigar, now and then beating a nervous tattoo with his fingers on the edge of his desk. Even without the confirmation of his words it could be seen that the head of the Alectrion Film Corporation was in a state of extreme agitation.

[Pg 17]

“Anyway you figure it the thing looks bad,” he repeated unhappily.

“Wish I could disagree with you,” said McCarty, with a rueful shake of his head. “But I can’t and still keep my reputation for tellin’ the truth. You’ve had a streak of bad luck that’s uncanny, that’s what I call it.”