"Traced in the Sands" is the title of an interesting play that is being filmed by the Santa Cruz moving picture producing company at the beach, where the settings and the scenes are ideal because the story deals with life at the seaside. This story is written by Lester LeMay of this city, who is a member of the local troupe of movie actors, and put in scenario form by Leon D. Kent, under whose direction it is being filmed.

Our summer visitors are very much interested in the filming of this little play, which will probably extend into two full reels. They follow the players and watch their work with much interest.

Russell and Pennington operate on the stock exchange and Pennington ruins Russell financially. On the beach at the resort the son of Russell and the daughter of Pennington are cast into each other's company through the kindness of young Russell, who cranks Miss Pennington's auto while her admirer sits in the machine indifferent, but very much angered over the courtesy of the young man whom Miss Pennington seems to be attracted to at the outset.

Young Russell returns to his aged father, who is taking a nap on the beach. In the sand he traces a heart in which he places his initials. Young bathing girls are sporting in the surf and they induce Miss Pennington to enter. As she does so she stops to trace a heart on the sands, and in this she places her initials.

The young heiress and society belle is drowning and a call comes for help. Russell goes to the rescue. On coming out of the surf he discovers the heart drawn in the sand. It strikes him as being very strange. He stoops and picks up a locket, which his father on opening and beholding the picture recognizes it as that of the man who had ruined him. Through the rescue and the finding and returning of the locket to its owner, the two old gents are finally made friends again because of the affection of the young couple for each other.

Miss Pennington has just about completely spurned her former lover. There is a tragic end to their friendship when during a quarrel the young lady is cast from the pleasure pier by Blake, and rescued by Russell, who dives in after her. It might be said right here that Nan Christy is playing the part of Miss Pennington and her act in permitting herself to be thrown from the pier is remarkable, when it is taken into consideration that the young lady does not swim. But she is going to learn this summer at the beach.

As the play progresses Russell is seen strolling down the beach; he stops to draw in the sand another heart. Along comes Miss Pennington and she also draws a heart that inter-links with the first. Russell completes the work by tracing an arrow through the center and then cupid fades into the film.

The play is going to be real fascinating when screened and promises to be one of the finest turned out by the local company. Leading parts in the play were taken by the following; Jack Russell, Lester LeMay; Frank Russell, Jack Connolly; Grace Pennington, Nan Christy; Bruce Pennington, Horsey; Blake, Mr. Unger. "