Picture Show (May-Oct 1919)

16 The Picture Show, September IZlh, 1919. Dodging the Camera. CHARLES RAY looking at you through the little window in his speed car. WHAT CHARLES RAY THINKS OF IT. LOUISE GLAUM AGREES WITH HIM TOO. IT was an nmisvially warm day, and e\cryone out at the big studio liad been working liard, bul at luurhtime began to scatter around in various places for a bit of rest and chatter. I had dropped in to excliange a few views with Louise Glaum, when Charles Ray came sauntering by. He came in, and, with that wonderful, bashful, boyish simplicity that has endeared him to all the picture-loving i^ublic, he joined in our discussion. " I think some of the folks are very foolish," he said, " to take thejTiselves so seriously, really. I know that when success comes to one it is after a real lunrd struggle, 811(1 you really feel so )5roud of yourself, but things viigjii change — we miqht loso our poptilarity overnight, one poor picture miqht do more damage than a dozen good ones could eclipse." " Oh, I think you are absolutely right, Charlie," interrupted Louise Glavim. • " The successful ones are no better than the less fortunate ones ; they were just more lucky." I thought to myself : what two splendid folk* they were — both big stars, and yet had so much thought for their fellow players who had not had, perhaps, the same wonderful opportunities as they. Charles Ray is just like a big, overgrown coimtry boy. He never has any big ideas about lording it over anyone. He just goes along day by day. working, and working hard. " I sometimes think that it is all a dream," continued Charles. " Life is a very funny proposition, and are any of us too sure of it ! I can see now where situations arose in my work that meant the turning-point — in fact, it was vital to me to know just which way to jump, and it was a case of just pure luck I happened to jump the right way. But how close I was to failure ! ,Just wh"n some of us think we are the biggest success, or have (lone the greatest part we have ever played, someone comes along and takes all the starch out of us by saying, ' It was rotten ! ' So I ask you : Is not success close kin to failure ? " Think it over, and see how close kin is your success to failure." .'I With WANDA HAWLEY in a motor-car called "Greased Lightning.' "BORDER WIRELESS (continued froin\ page 14. ' tlie outside tritra.nce to the wireless loft witliont mishap. The door was open, and as they peerc I in they siw t^e o;or.itor at the ke.vlxiarJ. A (flowing spark was showing at the end of tlw instrument, and.KI&a. poiiitiiig to it, whispered; " He is sending cut the calling signal." ."^ttve Ransom turned the girl's face towards him, and tiikirig her in lis arm-, lie s id, in a low voice which thri li-d with pas-ion: " r\e got to let you risk your l:fe because yoii can work tliat instrument, ijut if anything happens, I want you to know that I love you." KIsa did not reply with her lips, but her little hands tightened cm Steve's arms, and he knew his love was returned. Taking his revolver in his hand Steve softly opened the door. Absorbed in his work tlia operator did not hear anything until he foiiml hini.self looking into the muzzle of Hansom's gun. •■ Droi) that and come right lierel" hissed Steve. " And don't forget to keep your hands up as you walk." .\s the operator came towards him, Steve, still covering him. dropped the wooden bars which elo-sed the door to the inner ollice. while Elsa seated her.=elf at the keyboard and flashed out a message for help to Fort Scott, which had got a wireless station. The operator, who, like Brandt, was a Gcrn-iin spy, realised that if the girl got through to the fort it would only be a qtresticn of 1 me before the soldiitrs came up and captured him and liis comrades. Brandt .■ nd a dozen men we e downstairs.. If he could give thf m wiirning thcv <mii •! rush up and oierrower the m^n wno had him covered, stop the message going to the f(jn, ten 1 their own to Berlin, and get clean away. Wat-ching his chance he sprang at Kansoni. It would have been his last spring on <iirth bad Steve dared to fire, but he knew the shot would alarm those downstairs. All this flashed through his brain in the tenth part of a second as tie met the spy's spring with a straight drive fniui the shoulder. ,\nd then began a fight for life between the two men while Elm, having got into comrojmication wi!h the fort, devoted all her energiea to getting the message through. "Smash the wireless!'" shouted Steve, as wi;h n crushing blow he knocked his opponent senseless. Then, picking up his revolver, he stood at tbe fii'e of the door at which the spes were already bitt-iing. A shot vms fired through the panel and Steve replied. A howl of pain told him hii bullet had got home. He fired again and the assailants stampeded, only to return in a few minutes with a hea\iLT battering-ram. Stfve saw flat it was only a questioA of seconds befcra the door collapsed, and. covering Elsa with his body, he backed out on to a spiral staircase that icd to another building.' He had barely got to the first turning bofore the spies were on him firing as they came. Ransom felt the burning sear of a bullet on tbe side of his head, but by a desperate ellort he staggered to another turn of the staircase where, for the moment, he was out of range of tha flying bullets. Wounded and weak from his exertions, he knew it was only a matter of minutes before the (jermans would get him. Elsa smiled bravely as she helped to steady him with her arms, and to Steve Ransom, on tha threshold of death, came the consoling thought that he had declared his love and that he was loved in retuni. Once more the spies tried to rush the staircase, and once more Steve's bullets beat them back. As they retired Elsa clutched at Steve's arm. "Listen! The soldiers!" From outside came the sound of gallop'n? horses and the shouts of men. The spies heani it too nnd bolted for safety, but ttiey were too late. The mine was surrounded and they emerged only to find them.elves hemmed in with a tin? of bayonets. In a few minutes they were aU rounded up and made pHsoners. The oflicer in charge found Steve unconscious with his head pillowed in Elsa's lap. " This is the man the SherifT ordered me to arrest," he said, more to himself than to the girl. "What has he done?" asked Elsa tremblingly; for Carl had told her about the Sheriff's wire. •■ Nothing he is going to suffer for," returned the officer reassuringly. " He shot a bully who drew on him first, and if he did any wrong at all. which I don't admit. I guess he's wiped at out by saving General Pershing nnd hi» staff. And I reckon America owes you a debt, yoang lady, for the part you have played." There was no question of trying Steve Ransom on the Sherifi"s charge; and when a few months later he set out for France as a trooper in I'nela Som's cavalry, Elsa was there to wish him Godspeed. And he carried with him her promise to marry him when he returned. [Adapleil from iiicidenlx in l/ie ArlcrafI vholo-plaii, •'BORDER WIRELESS " by permission, nnd featurina WILLIAM HART as Sieve awl WAADA HAW LEV as Elsa.i