The Photo-Play Journal (May 1916-Apr 1917)

PAGE 50. THE PHOTO-PLAY JOURNAL FOR APRIL, 1917. The Money Mill {Continued from page 12) llilllililllinin nil: tnililn i it ' win i 11:11 11:1111: 1111: will I Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll "Then I must help you, and I must forget my own selfishness," he assured her gallantly. This welded the mutual love of the pair, hut neither mentioned inward feelings. They were both brave. Helen took Jack into an adjoining room where Rev. Granger was chatting with Aunt Margaret. "Here is a recruit," Helen announced as she rested her hand tenderly on Jack's arm. "He will help us if he can to get back the mine." ^ * * * The very next day Jack began his investigation of the case. He went straight to the offices of the Montana Investing Company, and his interest was first arrested by the following placard posted in the reception room : With the Acquisition the Mont Beanc Mine, Can Announce a Great Bonus to Aee Who Invest Before January 1, 1917 A suave clerk approached Jack, and taking him to be a prospective customer, began explaining the proposition. Jack feigned keen interest, and after promising to return to give the matter further consideration, he left the office. He had made a plan which required some careful preparation, and some further investigation. He went drectly to Rev. Granger's room, where he reported to Granger and Helen. "I have a hunch that the same chaps who got your mine are running a crooked game," he announced. "If I can prove it, why it will be some scoop for my paper, and it will mean you get your mine back." Helen was greatly interested in Jack's account of what he saw in the offices of the Montana Investment Company, to which he referred as "the money mill." After being fully assured of j every possible co-operation ~" from botb Rev. Granger and Helen, the ambitious Jack hastened back to the rendezvous of the get-rich-quick promoters. The same clerk who had approached him before again greeted him, and settled down to a serious effort to sell him stock. Jack assumed an alternating attitude. First he was dubious, and then he seemed on the verge of "falling" for the scheme. When he began to fear letting the prospect get away from him, the clerk begged him to wait a moment. Hastily he went to Carter and told him of the case. The result was that Jack was in Carter's private office within a minute. Jack permitted Carter to persuade him to buy some of the stock, and the latter ordered a sten ographer to bring him some blanks. She obeyed promptly, but Carter frowned as he handed the papers back to her. "This is the third mistake you've made today," he thundered sternly. "Can't you do anything right?" The young woman became irate and resigned her position, leaving the room in a huff. Jack completed his transaction hurriedly and was just leaving when he overheard Carter telephone Green's Employment Agency for a new secretary. Jack's mind worked swiftly, and he lost no time in reaching Green's. "Will you hold that Montana secretary job a bit?" he asked the man in charge. "I have a friend who needs it." "Sure ; but don't be long in getting her there," the other replied. ovie Maud" Maud Midler, on a summer's day, Raked the meadows, sweet with hay. She often looked at the distant town And drew her plans for a gingham gown. She raked and raked while over the hill Came a picture-man with a ten-spot bill. "Good morning, Maud; if you long for fame, Get into the moving picture game. "Just rake your hay, not an awful lot, And I'll fill your fist with this new ten-spot." Miss Maud looked down at her feet so bare, She draped them under her flowing hair. She grabbed the rake and she raked like sin, The reel rolled out and Miss Maud rolled in. The man rode off to the distant town, Maud spent her ten for a brand new gown. No more she rakes in the burning hay, She goes to the movies every day. And there she sees on the screen so bright, The way she looked when she looked a sight. Anonymous. tive instincts. She just naturally knew what to do, and how to do it cleverly enough to divert all suspicion from herself. She learned the combination on Carter's safe. She forced herself to be impassive and calm through all her experiences. Then as soon as Richard left the room and joined Carter, she dropped to her knees and, after desperate struggling, succeeded in opening the safe. She was in quest of evidence which might help her, and she was rewarded, for she found the little old document her father had written. She secreted this in her waist, closed and locked the safe, and it being lunch time she was soon out of the offices and building and was met by Jack Burton. The couple hurried away from the vicinity and Helen excitedly apprised him of her accomplishment. On the following day Helen's lawyer had a handwriting expert on the job of studying the important little document. The expert studied it carefully, and then took on a very serious expression. "The bulk of the paper was written by a man using his right hand," he announced. "The names were written by a lefthanded penman." "Carter is left handed," Helen declared as she leaned forward eagerly. "Good ; he's our man," the lawyer said, slapping his own knee enthusiastically. It was deemed the part of wisdom for Helen to continue her work in the offices of the Montana Investing Company temporarily. She prosecuted her secret investigation without surcease. In Richard Drake's absence she searched through his desk, but she was interrupted by the arrival of Gregory Drake? It was the first time she had seen him, and despite her efforts to maintain self control she could not conceal her surprise. The last time she had seen him was when her father died. At sight of her Gregory's face assumed a fixed stare of incredulity, and then it became wrinkled with fear. Richard arrived on the scene in time to see this curious "I'll be back here with her within an hour," the young man assured. And exactly one hour later he was introducing Helen Ogden to this same man. During the following hour all arrangements were made for giving Helen the position, and after leaving Jack she entered the offices of the Montana Investing Company and was formally put to work by Carter. Not two hours later Helen was taking dictation from Carter relative to Mont Blanc Mine and Gregory Drake. She was amazed, but she suppressed her inward excitement. She was getting right at the fountainhead of the source of all her troubles ! From the inception Helen manifested shrewd detec meeting, and he demanded of his father to explain the meaning of it. "It's Helen Ogden, that's th' meanin' of it," the old man declared. Carter had pushed his way into the office in time to overhear this, and with Richard he experienced alarm. Helen instinctively made an effort to get out of the room, but she was blocked at every turn by the three men. Richard, after a moment, grabbed her and pinioned her against the wall. Carter hurried out of the room and thereupon Helen exerted a supreme effort to regain her freedom, but Richard held her captive and placed his father to guard