Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1919)

46 Photoplay Magazine that UntU gets out of this scrape with Hying colors. And I will— I WILL! Louise. Friday— evening. Winnie — I must relieve my mind or it'll burst! Alarming things have occurred! To begin with, after lunch a boat landed with six Malays and Bengalese, and a white officer, who explained that their ship had been submarined. And do you know that the coolies have been dogging Uncle ever since they landed? This evening just about dusk I saw one of them staring in the window and a little later a shot rang out and the window pane fell shattered to the floor. Uncle was in the room but escaped unhurt. Later we found "The Sea Scorpion" opened and the picture of the captain slashed through with a knife. What does it mean? While we were studying the book we heard some mysterious racket outside in the dusk and presently in through the door came Ferry and Jaob and some others, escorted by Betty — and they were carrying Uncle's chest! My heart jumped. As they got it in the doorway they let it drop, by mutual accord, and it crashed to the floor, bursting open. You should have seen their eyes when the heap of old clothes fell out as — as though they expected to see Uncle's body fall out. Perry and Jaob and the others, jealous of Captain Amazon's thundering personality, are encouraging Betty to think that Amazon has done away with Uncle! I just know it. for when they found the trunk devoid of Uncle Abe, they all stared at Uncle and then at me and shouted: "Where is Uncle Abe?" I could see that Uncle was aroused. He reached for the man nearest him and gave him a prodigious shove. Then he roared at them all to get out and out they got, pell mell! I am just about in tears. I heard someone outside talking about calling the police. This is becoming terrible. And to make matters worse, Betty was skulking around upstairs and found the wash bowl with the red stain mixed in, which we had used on Uncle's face, and she sneaked out with it, after the mob. I just know she thinks it is blood! And to think — they imagine that I am Amazon's accomplice! I feel that the climax is near. If these fools outside do as they threaten and arouse the police — but I can't write more tonight — Louise. Saturday. This morning Law ford Tapp called and asked me to walk with him. I couldn't refuse, even though I felt little like a chat right then. He asked me the meaning of the gossip. It seems that news of my implication in the disappearance of Uncle Abe has gotten up the shore to his people. They forbid him seeing me. "They — my people — call you a fishwife," he said with a wry smile, "and they say that you are Captain Amazon's accomplice-in-crime. I made them retract the first, of course — but the latter—" I interrupted wearily. "I'm no fishwife, or any other kind of a wife. And as for murder — well, I refuse to say a word — yet!" Then I added warmly: "I should think you'd be busy doing a man's work instead of prying into other people's affairs." He flushed deeply, which made him handsomer than ever, and then silently walked off up the beach. I hurried back. There was too much tension to permit my giving him much thought just then. As I entered the house I heard a second gunshot! Fearfully. I rushed through the doorway and came upon Uncle Abe bending over the bird cage, shattered on the floor, and mourning over the prostrate canary — his beloved pet! Poor bighearted Uncle Abe! Through the window. I saw one of the coob'es disappearing in the distance. Impatient. T grabbed gf,*lmJg '^J I 1 "The Captain's Captain" NARRATED, by permission, from the scenario of the same name, adapted from the story "Cap'n Abe, Storekeeper," a novel by James A. Cooper, and produced by Vitagraph with the following cast : Louise Greyling Alice Joyce Cap'n Abe Arthur Donaldson Cap'n Joab Percy Standing Aunt Euphemia Julia Swayne Gordon Betty Gallup Eulalia Jensen Law ford Tapp Maurice Costello for the book of sea stories and turned to the slashed portrait of "Captain Gridd." I began skimming through the chapter opposite titled "How the Drunken Crew Landed and Wrecked a Hindu Temple, Killed a Priest and Escaped." As I perused the chronicle light slowly dawned. Soon I was tugging on the shoulder of Uncle Abe, sunk into dejected silence on the floor. "Uncle," I whispered, "I've discovered about the coolies and the shots! They think you are Captain Gridd — who wronged their people." And as we read the chronicle of the vandalism, the importance of Uncle's regaining his own personality and dropping this hideous and dangerous masquerade came over me. I tok' Uncle so, too. "I'm going upstairs and piece together your beard." I informed him, getting up. "I have a faint suspicion that Ferry and Joab are going to return soon, meaning mischief." And I was off up stairs. I sat down and with feverish fingers sought to mend the beard onto a strip of cloth. Suddenly the closet door opened and Betty sprang out. She had evidently been spying, and I — wean of the whole mystery — flung myself on her and said: "Oh. Betty— Betty! There was no murder! It's all a farce — a put up job." And I confessed the whole affair. Would she believe me? She ■would not— not until I begged her to come to the staircase and observe Uncle Abe — still mourning over his canary. This scene succeeded in convincing her and she whipped herself into action for Uncle Abe — the man she loved! "I must hurry out," she gasped. "Thev — thev are alarming the police. I—"' But I stopped her. "You must'nt tell. That would spoil the whole plan. Abe will be reincarnated by the time they get here." Betty saw the wisdom of this and rushed downstairs, to delay them all she could. My nervous fingers went back to the work of assembling the lifesaving beard. Just as I rose to call Uncle, finishing the beard, I heard a scuffling downstairs and a muffled shout. I sprang to the staircase and saw, to my horror, the coolies circling abou Uncle Abe, all eyeing a revolver on the table. Then I did a peculiar thing. Winnie. I do not know what strange impulse came over me. but I made the descent' of the stairs as in a dream. Straight for the medley of Malays I stepped, without hesitation or the blink of an eyelash. It was as though I walked in a trance. And the coolies were affected, paralyzed. I walked to the center of the room and made a sudden dive for the revolver; got it, and lined the coolies up against the wall. Then I called to Uncle to run upstairs and don the beard and his own clothes and to hurry back. It seemed I stood there a lifetime — menacing the coolies. And already through the window I could see the mob hurrying toward the house — led by the police! Then Uncle came bounding down the stairs — three at a time — the REAL UNCLE ABE — even though his beard was the tiniest bit awn-. Just then a coolie made a move and I fired — striking him on the arm. Imagine — Winnie ! By that time Uncle was at my side and I gave him the revolver even as I heard shouts outside and a battering on the locked door. I saw Uncle bravely take my place before the enraged coolies: I heard a great crash and saw the door fall in, Jaob, the police and others pouring in, with Betty hanging back anxiously. Elbowing through the crowd came Lawford. And then — things grew vague and I sank to the floor and. calling myself a silly little weakling, fainted. You can't imagine the relief now. Winnie. And fagged — gracious! I just told Aunty that I'd leave with her in the morning. I'll be actually glad to stay with her the rest of the summer. It's been an exhausting few days, but I wouldn't have missed it for worlds. For Uncle is now an idol in his (Continued on page 108)