Picture Show (May-Oct 1919)

12 A MIDNIGHT MYSTERY. ^"'t^X'"" as piizzlod iis (J('i'tvu(l(3 licisclf to explain why Tiller had not denied tliat he \va« Jlohtor. At last a solution occurrod to him, and lie took the lirst opportunity of ijropounding it to Tiller, who followed him to Paris. " I fee," said Molitor : " you are one of us." A confession on the part of Molitor, perhaps; but it does not clear Tiller from suspicion of having really been the man \slio stole the Vinceiiti jewels. A Meeting at the Maison Montrouge. WllKX J'reiitire Tiller next met Gortruile Teriiple it was at the liaison Montrouge, a popular Bohemian resort in the ilontmartre quarter of Pans. The queen f)f the dancing-hall wa.s a beautiful girl called Lola Monies, while the real master of the place was none other than Chevat. Gertrude was at this place i:i obedience to instructions from her uncle, Simon 'i'emple, and those instructions had to do with the ftolen Vincenti jewels. If she still suspected Tiller of any share in their theft, she did not show it : and if he had any doubts as to her innocence, he took a strange way of expressing them. " You should not be here," he said, as they sat talking together. This place is the clearing-house of an international organisation for crime." " If I should not be here, neither should you," she replied. The conversation was cut short by Chevat, who now displayed his weakness for a pretty face by paying marked attention to Gertrude. This annoyed Tiller in no small degree, but not nearly so keenly as it did Lola Montes. From a place of concealment Tiller could see the jealous woman stalking the engrossed .'ouple, and, though his heart sickened at the •tight, he moved in her ^teps as a matter of precaution. He was just in time, foi she drew a long thin dagger from her luxurious hair, and was about to strike the imconscious Gertrude. Tiller grasped her hand, and drew her silently hack. While he was struggling with her. his friend Jackalote, tlie conjurer at the Maison Montrouge, arrived upon the scene. Between them they induced Lola to tell all she knew about Chevat and his associates. From hei' Tiller learned that Molitor was ( omirig later on that niglit, bringing with him a purchaser for the stolen jewels, now in the possession of Chevat. The two men, Molitor and Chevat, were tr meet 'in a private room. Jackalote then motioned to Tiller that Lola should be allowed to go, and drew Tiller aside. ■' Even the conjurer is useful sometimes." ho whispered. " Come, niy friend, and I shall show you something." He led the way, by a secret passage, to a little hidden room, frozii which everything that happened could be seen and heard. In due time Chevat and Molitor entered the room, and Tiller was able to overhear all their plan.'. Finally, the jewels «cre just about to pass fiom one man to the other when there was a rush, and Lola Montes, springiiig from a hiding-place she had made in the lOom, buried her stiletto in the back of Chevat. Tiller, covering the niorc dangerous Molitor with his pistol, signalled for hc'p, and the old lonjurer led the way U) liia assistance. It was a curious .scene, and_ a dr.imauo climax to the long-drawn-out ihystery of the Vincenti jewels. There, in ihe garish surroundings of the Maison Montrouge, stood one of the boldest and most cunning criminals o£ all time. A conjurer, clad in 'his stage motley, grasped him by one arm, and the conjurer's assistant and clown by the 'other. .Xiownd .stood the wondciing rhrpng of midnight revellers; while it was made clear that .Molitor and Che\ai had stolen the famous jewels. The Reward. you had nothing to do with stealing ^5 Vincenti jewels?" .said Gertrude, when they were alone. " No more than vou had," answered Prentice Tiller. " Then why were you in the exhibition when they were stolen?" " I was employed by Baron Vincenti to guard his treasures. I tackled the thieves, who were Molitor and Chevat, as soon as they attacked the watchman. They would never have got away with their plunder if that clum.sy fellow had not shot me in the hand." " I see," said Gertrude. " But why did you announce yourself to me as Molitor?" ■' I was puzzled to find you in possession of the jewels, and I ha<l to test your innocence." " You know why I had them now?" " I think I can guess," said Prentice Tiller. '■ Molitor asked my \inclo to help him to restore them to their owner. He said that he had rescued them from the original thieves, but was being watched by them." " I quite understand," replied Tiller. " It was I who was watching him in the hope of taking him with the plunder in his pos.session." " But why did you allow the police to arrest you, under the name of Molitor, without so much as a word of protest?" ■' I was bound by instructions from Baron Vincenti," answered Tiller. " When the jewels were first stolen, he applied for help to the police. He was so disgusted by their repeated failures that he only confided the task to me finally on condition that I was to accept police aid under no circumstances whatever." " And so you have won the reward singlehanded," .sai<l Gertrude. " Have I won the rev^ard?" tenderly asked Prentice Tiller. There was no mystei'v, at any rate, about the answer he received, which sati.stied him even more completely than the recoveiy of the Vincenti jewels. Adapted from incidents in '-A MIDS IGhT MYSTERY fmluring RUTH CLIFFORD as " GERTRUDE " andKEyNKTH HARLAN as " TILLER," ty permisfV'u of RhlUips Film Co. Tlv I'KtuLit Sl.ou; July iOt/i, 1919. FILMS RELEASED THIS WEEIT^ (July 'th).— We Can't Have EvEfiy-J THING. A timely reminder to the " grousers who want everything at once. An all-star cast, conip(;-r<l of Kathlyn Williams, £IIio« i.'cxter, Wanda Hawley, Sylvia Bfcamer, 'I'hurstoa Hall, Rayii)"nd Hatton, Tuliy Marshall, and Tlicodore Kuberts. (Dc MHl<:Arkififi.) (July 7tli).— lli;u Screen Idol. The latest" " scream " from Mack )Sennett's fun factory. [Paramount.) (July 7th).— Dahrkll Foss axd Teddv Sa-MPSox ill •• Her .Xnieriiian Husband. ' An appealin<( and oiiginal JapaneseAmerican .story of love and revenge, Teddy Sampson as the Japanese maid. {Triangle.) (July 7th). — Frank Keesan in " More ■J'roiible." Frank Keenan in a serio-comedyi role is sufficiently unusual to merit attentioD,i' and this lilm will surprise as well as entertainJ (Path/.) (July 7th). — Bii.t. Parsons in " Camping Out," in which Bill eventually decides, that ii city life suits him best. {Stoll.) , (July 7th). — IJddie Polo in " The Circus Kin^." Episode II. of this fascinating serial.; {Traiui-Atlantir). ^ (July 7tii). — Eddie Lyoxs and Lee Moean in '" All Bets ()ft." .\s the residt of a wager,' Lee h&a to ])erform whatever service Eddio likes to irapo.se — a situation provocative of mirth for us — if not for Lee ! (Trnna-Allantic.y, (July 7th). — EnniE Lyoks and Lee Moea.n ill '" Mixed Talcs." Eddie and Lee wakfi U)! ■' the morning after the night before " U) terrible heads;— and complications. {TrativAllnnlir.) \ (July 7th).— Adventukes Among thk (,'annibai.s. 'J he first instalment of Mr. and Mrs. Martin .Johnson's wonderful picture of their journeyings and adventures amongst; the man-eatuig peoples of the Solomon and New Hebrides Archipelagoes. (Ideal). (July 10th).— Screen M.igazixe. "'An Artist in Ancestors," s.howing a mtjseum artist and historical expert reconstructinf; histoiy in wax and i)laster. Next an entertaining illustration of the princi])lcs of selfdefence, by Ml', and Mrs;. Arthur .M( Govern. The whole process of making American chee.«e is shown next, and then the issue closes with some dancing by pretty girls on an uninhabited shore — irntil an airman breaks up the part;. [Tnim-AUanlic.) (.July 10(h). — Sesst;e Hayakawa in Tl..City of Dim Faces." {Lashi.) (July 10th).— Ea.st of Suez. Part JL ..f this interesting Benton Holmes travelogue announced last week. {Parataount.) Mf.'BILL'& Mrs/BILLIE.' The recent marriage of Smiling "Bill" Parsons and " Billie " Rhodes unites two of the cleverest and most popular of screen favourites. THERE is quite a charming little story toid in regard to 'the Christian narne of Miss Rhode?. Her father and mother were bot h Britisli, and Billie, although acting for an American producer, was born in England. During tlie months preceding this important event, great, plans were naturally made for receiving th« expected visitor. Both parents, however, had assumed that the baby would be a boy, ami half uneon.seiously had fallen into the habit of referring to their heir-presumptive as " Billie, ' after the name of the father. When therefore little Miss Rhodes made her appearance it seemed a diflicult matter to discard the name, so " Billie " she was called, and by this name she is known by thousands . ; picture-goers in every part of tlio country. The tir.'^t of a twelve ' months' supply < t Sparkling Billia Rhodes comedies will soon b« released, and the fame of the dainty comedienne vrill tlius rapidly .spread. ., ■'. Smiling " Bill Parsons we all know and )r\ . to see in " C 'Oito! ' cc>med>es.