Photoplay (Sep - Dec 1918)

Ph The Forbidden City (Continued from page 52) spoke to her courteously. Soon Toy's shyness was gone. Mary Smith, nurse, became a familiar figure around the hospital in Manila. Toy had never presented her letter to the Consul General, so no one guessed her history. Phillip Halbert least of all was worried about her parentage. One afternoon he lifted her face to his and told her that he loved her. Toy sobbed out her happiness in his arms. No sooner had this happiness come, than Toy knew she must cast it away. The wise men had said that East and West could not be one. Tragedy had followed her father's and mother's disregard of the law of the ages. Not trusting herself to go to him in person, Toy wrote a note. "It is you only I love," she wrote between sobs, "but it is best that I go." She went to Phillip's office to leave the note, and met him on the threshold as she departed. He stretched out his arms, but Toy only shook her head. Toy's mother had faced the Lane of Flashing Spears unflinchingly for the man she loved. And now Toy faced the crisis which meant life's happiness or her heart's death. When she was done talking, Phillip laughed loud in his relief. "I don't love you because you are an American," he said between kisses, "I love you because you are the woman God made for me, and I ask you to marry me." The Governor General of the Philippine Islands was Phillip Halbert's legal guardian. On hearing of Phillip's engagement he invited the young officer and his fiancee to his home. The older man received Toy kindly. He was charmed with her quaint loveliness, though it haunted him with an illusive suggestiveness that did not altogether please him. Finally it came to him. The girl his ward was to marry had Chinese blood. The governor's heart ached for Phillip and for Mary Smith, nurse. His heart ached, too, for memories of its own, memories of a Chinese girl it had loved and lost, and whose place had never been supplanted. For the governor was none other than John Worden. In the library after dinner the two men talked. John Worden, made wise and old by hurts that had come to him, denied his consent to Phillip's marriage. "I shall marry her," Halbert shouted. John Worden picked up a pen, wrote, and thrust the paper into Phillip's hand. "Your orders as Captain of Troop M are to proceed this instant to the province of Mindano and search for the outlaw chieftan, Gomez," it read. . "I'll resign first," said Phillip. "You can't resign without permission of the Secretary of War. It will take a. month to get a hearing on your application. Meanwhile, these are your orders. A state of war exists, and disobedience of orders means court martial and death!" Just then Maty Smith stepped in. "I heard," she said to Phillip. "He is right, dear. I shall not marry you. You go to your duty and I shall go to mine.' When ■ ■ V Hi m ■1 Thos. H. I nee. head of the Famous luce Studios: "I will he glad at all times to read and consider all scenarios written by yourself, or your students of the Palmer Plan." Olive Thomas, Triangle star: "It is good to know that so well-known an author as Frederick Palmer is endeavoring to educate the lesser writers." Directors and producers now realize that they must look to the masses for new ideas. For the few able scenarioists of today cannot begin to supply the demand. So an opportunity to sell scenarios is open to everyone with ideas. To write scenarios, you must have ideas. You must also know how to put them into proper form for screen production. What the Palmer Plan Brings You And now a plan — the first to be indorsed by the leading stars and producers — has been designed to teach you how to prepare your ideas for the screen. The plan was created by Frederick Palmer, formerly of Universal — the man who wrote fifty-two scenarios in nine months — more than one a week — all accepted. Mr. Palmer furnishes you .with a handbook and cross references to scenarios that have been PRODUCED. Both drama and comedy are represented. The scenarios come to you in exactly the forms used by the studio directors. You also receive a glossary of the meaning of motion picture terms, such as "truck-up," "iris," "lap-dissolve," etc. The Palmer Plan is NOT a school. Indorsed by Stars, Producers, Directors and Writers Under this plan Mr. Palmer gives you six months of free advisory service. He keeps you advised of the leading companies with the names of their scenario editors and the kinds of plots they need. Note the pictures of the movie stars in this advertisement. All of them encourage the Palmer Plan of Scenario Writing. These and dozens of others you will find in Mr. Palmer's new booklet, "The Secret of Successful Scenario Writing." Read in this book our money-hack guarantee ; 3.0 fairer guarantee has ever been offered.