Photoplay (Jul-Dec 1918)

The Forbidden City 5i and in his rage had taken the Chinese father's vengeance— his daughter's life — and then his own. John left, broken-hearted, for his new post. San San accepted her new home and the absence of the two men she loved after the unquestioning fashion of the oriental woman. But the days grew long and dreary. She heard no word from them. Then a tiny daughter came to her one day, and San San forgot her loneliness in the cooing of the little half caste babe whom she named Toy. After months of vain endeavor, Wong Li was at last admitted into the presence of the old Emperor. The next day a soldier guard was dispatched to fetch the beautiful San San, and the Emperor ordered such preparations as had never been seen in the Forbidden City for the reception of a lady of the court. The great halls were fragrant with rarest incense. The courtiers wore their most gorgeous robes. And the Emperor, usually jaded and listless, sat forward eagerly as the great doors slid open to admit San San. As she stood confused in the doorway, his greedy eyes narrowed gloatingly on the beauty of her face, — a face which seemed like some pure, exotic lily in the garish voluptuousness of the royal room. His hands clutched convulsively at the carved dragons on his throne. But the look of supreme approval changed when the Emperor's eyes rested on the squirming baby in San San's arms. "The child?" he asked, scowling as the Chinese girl walked timidly towards the throne. "My own," she answered softly, holding up the little Toy for him to behold. Wong Li, standing beside the ruler, broke into a snarl of rage. He would have leaped upon the daughter who had frustrated his well laid plans; would have taken the father's vengeance there, had not the Emperor interfered. "No — her beauty pleads for her," the Emperor said. "But nothing excuses a father who did not guard his daughter well. Away." In spite of the pleadings of San San, the wretched Wong Li was flogged from the palace into utter misery and disgrace. Death was the punishment meted out to any girl who repudiated the love of the great Emperor. Death was the punishment given any of his chosen ones who might prove untrue. But no less woe awaited the. luckless girl with charms to stir the imperial desire, whose love had first been given to another. San San's offense was all the greater that her virgin love had gone to a hated foreigner, an American. But wondrous beauty has swayed the destiny of nations. The Emperor found himself content to forgive the past unwitting sins of San San against his royal person, if he might but possess her for the future. "Your sins shall be forgiven. Your baby shall grow up in luxury in a royal asylum. And you shall be our favorite love," he told her caressingly. "No, no," cried little San San, clasping her baby to her breast. "Death would I welcome more." It had pleased the Emperor to devise what he deemed a fitting death for the favored ones who refused the questionable honors of his court. "You are free to go — by the Lane of the Flashing Spears," he would say, smiling craftily and pointing to a path leading through a profusion of high rare flowers to a gate that opened to the outside world . . . But no girl reached the gate, for hidden in the flowers were soldiers with flashing spears who leaped upon the hapless ones and stopped forever the beating of their hearts beneath the Emperor's eye. JB^BWTn^ "The child?" the Emperor asked, scowling as the Chinese girl walked timidly toward the throne. "My own," she answered softly, holding up the little Toy for him to behold.