Picture Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

6 PICTURE-PLAY WEEKLY in which were located the offices of Gee Whiz Company, Sharp noticed a group of people about the entrance talking excitedly and wildly gesticulating. That was enough for him. The waiter had told the truth. Sharp picked up the speaking tube, and directed the chauffeur to crowd on all speed possible and dash for Sharp's apartment house. He believed that he might yet escape the clutches of the law. He had carefully turned over every cent of his earnings in the Gee Whiz scheme to his wife. Surely he would have money Whiz proposition was simply a scheme to' separate money from suckers. There wasn't any mine. There never has been any mine. The only thing investors in the Gee Whiz have got to show for their money is a nicely engraved green stock certificate. I've got to make a quick get-away. Where is the money I have given you to keep for me?" Sharp rushed to the small safe, and twirled the combination. He opened the door. The safe was empty ! A wheezing gasp escaped the lips of the fugitive financial genius, followed by a groan, as his wife said : Sharp turned from the enough to go to some foreign clime and take life easy for the rest of his days. As he continued to ruminate over future prospects, the cab glided up to the door of the apartment house. Sharp descended from the cab and, with shambling steps, made his way to the elevator. Quickly he was taken to the floor of his apartment. His shoulders drooped, and there was a decided cave in the region of the top vest button. "Oh, Charley," exclaimed Mrs. Sharp, "what is the matter ?" "The office has been raided, and your husband is in momentary danger of being arrested as a swindler. The Gee safe. It was empty. "Why, Charley, I invested all your money in Gee Whiz this morning." "Jehoshaphat and red ants !" shouted the ex-genius of finance. "There is business ability for you. Didn't I tell you to keep my money safe for me? Now you've gone and sunken it in a swindle. Oh, you women never have had, and never will have, any business ability !" His anger and humiliation became so great that Sharp could not speak coherently. Words tumbled from his mouth in splutters and gasps. What he said was unintelligible, but his wife knew that he was blaming her for her lack of business ability. Suddenly a heavy thump on the door and the bellowed order, "Open, in the name of the law," cut short Sharp harangue. Airs. Sharp crossed to the door an opened it. "Beg pardon, ma'am, but I am a s< cret-service detective," said McGowai turning back the lapel of his coat. ' want Mr. Sharp." The guilty man cowered in a cornc of the room. McGowan entered tr apartment, and, with giant stride crossed to Sharp's side. "I want you, Sharp, for traudulei use of the mails," said the burly dete< tive. . "You can beat the law for while, but you can't get away with long. Come on." Deftly, McGowan slipped a pair c handcuffs on the trembling Sharp, atr ; led him from the room. As the detective and his prisont 'crossed the threshold, Mrs. Sharp hear her husband mutter : "Women never have known anythir about business." When Pictures Are Not Cheap. "TAEMAND which the theatergoir & public made upon producers f< genuineness in the stage settings h; I been felt in motion pictures, and is nr I by Thomas H. Ince, in his productio "Matrimony," on the Triangle prograi ■ which claims Julia Dean as its star, tl Always a leader in the art of phot play making, when he produced "Mat-n ; mony," Ince resolved to make the se: ■ tings worthy of the star who would ei G. act her role in their environment. t rra One of the scenes called for was a r : ception room in the new home of a Ne1 Or York millionaire. To make the sceii ■ convincing, furniture such as a millioi aire would put into his home was d11] manded. Ince scoured California, bi m finally decided to send a property ra; I to New York to investigate what tl a present-day millionaires were buyin q The man made the trip across the coi tinent, and after investigation purchase: ; not only the furnishings of one roor • but for a millionaire's home. Two cai: t of furniture were shipped to Incevil . as a result. Immediately upon the a rival of the furniture, the receptic . room was set up and the. big scei filmed. Mr. Ince is satisfied that r Fifth Avenue millionaire can see tl scenes and criticize the furnishing which are now on hand for any futur settings of this kind.