Motion Picture Magazine (Feb-Jul 1919)

: Healy OionMaAe Band fostemenfe The worlds1 standard lor excellence. More than half a century of specialization behind them, and over 2 5yearsofmanuf acturing. Thorough trial allowed. "Play-as -YouPay" Catalogs free Everything Known in Music 55-92 Jackson Boulevard CHICAGO PARKER'S HAIR BALSAM A toilet preparation of merit. Helps to eradicate dandruff. For Restoring Color and Beauty to Gray and Faded Hair 50c. and $1-00 at druggists. Q Soldiers Soothe Skin Troubles with Cuticura Soap, Ointment, Talcum 25c. each. ^ Samplesof "Cuticura, Dept.B, Boston." The Third Degree {Continued from page 84) ^90 ■ Afi£ "He wont talk," Police Captain Clinton was tersely informed. "He shammed that he'd been drinking and was fuddled up. Clever — but not clever enough." "The third degree," ordered Captain Clinton ; "bring along the revolver." Howard tried to think consecutively. He hadn't been brought up to think. Paid dependents had done that for him. He hadn't been trained to meet emergencies. There had never been any. And he was fagged to death. Tired ... oh, Lord. . . . "You killed Robert Underwood," a voice kept saying, over and over, so insistently. . . . "You killed Robert Underwood. . . . You . . . killed . . ." There was no argument. Howard, Jr., kept staring at the revolver. Why didn't the man shut up, damn him ! There was no argument. . . . There was a wisp of hair on the revolver . . . Underwood's sleek black hair . . . poor Underwood . . . poor Bob . . . hell . . .. and women . . . Howard smiled, secretively, heaven and women, too, he thought. . ," "You killed Robert Underwood . . . you . . , k . . ." Jeffries, Jr., slumped. His mouth began to move. He felt sleepy, but impelled. "I killed — Robert — -Underwood," he agreed, and felt an immense relief that the voice at his side had stopped. Undeniably, it was gorgeous for the press. The Jeffries had always been so meticulous. They had never murdered (before), never committed adultery, never forged, never been implicated personally, nationally nor internationally. This generation was certainly looking up — for the press. The best story was the fact of Howard, Sr., refusing to take a step in the defense of his son. Jeffries, Sr., whose very best friend and personal counsel was the omnipotent Richard Brewster, the man who could have saved young Jeffries if there was salvation to be had within the law. ... "I have disowned him," Jeffries, Sr., maintained, "that is final." There was no disowning in the love Annie bore young Jeffries. She besought Howard, Sr., after a stormy fight for admission. "He is your son," she begged, "blood tells." "He is my son no longer," the Iron Financier made answer, "blood lies." She sought out Richard Brewster. She was refused admittance. She sought him again. Daily. Hourly. The belief grew in her, hardened, crystallized, that he was the man who could save her love. When she saw him at last, having battered down even his resistance, she told him her belief that Howard, Jr., had been hypnotized during the third degree. Richard Brewster was interested. He called in Dr. Thompson, who made an examination of young Jeffries and listened gravely to tlr, story of the hypnotic performances at college. "It is entirely probable," was 'lis verdict. Richard Brewster undertook the defense of young Jeffries. Jeffries, Sr., severed their relationship, grimly. The case narrowed down to the fact that there had been a woman in Underwood's apartment. "If we could find this woman," the defense said, "and some data concerning her we could probably prove a suicide." Mrs. Jeffries, Sr., heard this while she was calling upon Mr. Brewster one day. Annie was also there. She saw the elder Mrs. Jeffries lean forward, saw her face drain of blood, felt the knotting of her clenched hands. They were alone. Mrs. Jeffries, Sr., looked at her slowly. "Somehow, I want to talk to you," she said, "but I know that you must hate me. My snobbery. . . I have learnt a lot lately. Suffering — death — this hour— Mr. Jeffries' hardness that is killing no one so surely as himself. . r . You have shown me what steadfastness can be, what love . . . will you let me tell you?" (( Annie took the twisting hands in hers. "Of course," she said, "we all of us learn. . . ." Mrs. Jeffries, Sr., spoke jerkilv, her voice broke here and there. "Ages ago," she said, "in his sophomore year Robert Underwood fell in love with me. It was a mutual infatuation. On my part, after several silly episodes, it died away! Bob took it— tragically. He had that "sinister tragical streak in him. He ... it sort of grew_ in with him. When I married Mr. Jeffries he— he threatened me, not for myself, but that, if I didn't come to him he would kill himself." Annie gave a little cry. "Go on," she said, hoarsely, "oh, do go on!" "One day — I went to him. I told him that I was utterly done with him. That he must cease his threats. That it was over. He said that he would kill himself. I laughed at him. That night— that night — I thought Howard, Jr., had done it. I believed he had. I never really . . ." "Is — there any letter — anything?" "There was. I might find it. I . . ." "You must. You must. It will save Howard ... it will save my love . . . Mrs. Jeffries, Sr., rose. Her face was white and broken. "I love Howard, Sr., too," she said, quietly, "he — he will hate me for — for this. Oh, my dear . . ." Breathless Gotham knows the rest. The lurid tale of the threatening letter to "Mrs. Jeffries" — the belief that the Mrs. Jeffries referred to was Annie, young Mrs. Jeffries. The way in which young Mrs. Jeffries permitted this belief to rest. Gotham knew, too, that Howard, Sr., became reconciled to his son, but that the woman who had been the cause of all this crass publicity was beyond the pale. Howard, Jr., forgave her, but his forgiveness was bitterer than even his denunciation might have been. Only one man knew the truth — had sensed the truth during the very inception of the error. Richard Brewster. He urged Annie to tell the truth. "It is an eye for an eye," he persisted ; "you — or she." "She is more important," Annie per . sisted, "to all of them." "Then I shall tell," said Richard Brewster, on the eve of Howard, Jr., going abroad with his father. He studied the pale, still face of the girl who loved young Howard and repeated, grimly, "then / shall tell." He did. He told young Howard. He told him many other things beside. "The kingdom of heaven is within your reach," he said, "will you pass it by?" When young Howard went abroad he took the girl with him. "You have been a martyr," he told her, in agony of himself, "you have been a martyr — and a saint " "Only a woman," insisted Annie, "who loves you — truly, dear." . ;