Picture Show (Nov 1919-Apr 1920)

14 THE STILL ALARM. (CotZlofr 'Excuse me," lie said, " I could not help overhearlag your conversation. Your secret is sate with roe, and I may be alile to help you. Did you say the man's name was John Bird ? " " Yes," replied Eleanor, terrified that her father's secret was known to this old man. " But you will promise not to tell anyone what you have heard? " " If he does " said .Tack Mauley threateningly, "Have no fear, Mr. Manley," said Doc. " Some day you will be glad that I heard what I did. A<k me no questions now, but trust to me." He left the room, but returned in a moment very excited. " Bird is here at the door now." As soon as he heard the words. Jack rushed to a drawer and took out a revolver. Eleanor realised Mint he intended to kill Bird, and, before Jack could get to the door, she had locked it. Then she ran to the window, and shouted out to Bird " Bun ! Your life is in danger ! " While she was speaking. Jack Manley had taken up a chair and broken in the window. An iron fbseescape ran down the outside of the house, and .lack descended this at a breakneck speed. Hut quick as he was. Bird was quicker, and had jumped into his motor-car and driven olf before Jack reached the ground. In the meantime, Doc Wilbur, who hail got her father's address from Eleanor, went to the house and waited for Bird. As the young man came up to tindoor. Doc placed his hand on his sleeve and faced him. " Doc Wilbur ! " gasped Bird. "You're right, and I want a talk with you. I'll follow you to your room." " Well, what, is it ? " asked Bird, with an ugly frown when they were seated. " Money." replied the old man. " I know your game, anil I'll spoil it unless you pay rue well. I've not forgotten who made up that bottle ot medicine for Johnson. You know — the one in which you made such an unfortunate mistake." Bird turned white. It was quite trne. Wilbur had seen him put the poison in Johnson's medicine. It was no use trying to bluff. If Wilbur opened his mouth, not only would Fordham lie able to defy him, but he could stand a good chance of going to the electric chair. " All right. Keep your mouth shut and you shall have all the money you want." He took out his cheque-book, but Wilbur stops ' ! him. "No cheques for me," he said. " I want a thousand, and I want it in cash." " I haven't got so much on me," said Bird, pulling out his wallet. Wilbur glanced at it, but it was not the notes that lie looked at. It was the letter that Fordham bad written years ago. He recognised his old employer's writing. " Take your cheque round to somebody who knows who, get it cashed, and I will. wait here for you." Bird, in his hurry to get rid of the old man forgot all about his wallet, and left it lying on the table. The moment he was out of the room old Do» took out the letter and placed it in an enevelope addressed to Jack Manley. Central Fire Station. He ran downstairs and gave it to a servant. " Mr. Bird wants that sent by special messenger at once," he said. Then he went upstairs. Bird remembered his letter-case when he returned, and he at once opened it to look for the letter. It was not there, and one glance at Wilbur's face told him that he had taken it. With a savage curse Bird struck the old man a terrilie blow which stretched him senseless. Then he searched his pockets, but nowhere could he find the letter. Pushing old Doc into bis dressing-room he locked the door, and rushed downstairs. From the servant he learned how Wilbur bad got rid of the letter, and a plan to get it back came into his head.' He jumped into his ear, and got to the lire-station before the messenger. Luck favoured him, lor there had been a general call, and only Jack Manley and another fireman were left to watch. Both were upstairs, and when the messenger arrived Bird said he was Manley, und got the letter. No sooner had the messenger gone than Jack Manley came down and looked suspiciously at Biftl. lie had no idea who he was, but strangers were not allowed inside the station ; but Bird was prepared for this. Representing himself to be a reporter, he pretended he wished to write an article, and Jack Showed him round. He pointed out a number of Cables from w hich they received the alarm from the street boxes. " And what would happen if these went wrong '! " asked Bird. " Oh. t hen, we should receive what we call the 'Still Alarm' over the telephone." Jack's chum called him at this moment, and he went upstairs. The moment he was out of sight, Bird took out his knife and cut the cables. '"That, will make my plan all the more certain," he said as he left the station. His plan was as diabolical as was ever conceived by the most depraved villain. He intended to set lire to Fordham 8 house, and leave old Doc Wilbur to perish in the flames. Bleanor and her father were at a neighbour's who was giving a whist drive, and the servants would be able to get out of the house in time. Creeping in unobserved, he set Ore to the house and rushed away. Little did he dream that Eleanor, unknown to the servants, bad returned home 00 account of a headache, (ioing toiler room she took a headache powder, and threw herself on the bed, and in a few moments she was fast asleep. She was awakened by a smell of burning, and. springing from the bed, she realised to her horror that the bouse was on fire. Flames were bursting lroin all parte of the room, and when she opened the door she was driven back by a wall of llame. Her escape was cut off on all sides. Wildly .she dashed to and fro until at last, overcome by the smoke, she sank unconscious to the floor. Outside the firemen were playing on the flames, for the alarm had got. through at last by telephone. Jack Manley arrived with the first engine, and teamed from Mr. Fordham that his daughter W08 in the house. Learning the location of her bedroom. Jack threw a coat round his head and dashed into the house. He was nearly choked with the s ke, but he fought his way into the room. Throwing the coat over Eleanor's head, he picked her up and made tor the door, but just as he reached it the staircase fell with a crash. Carrying her to the window he placed her on the oalcony, and managed to rouse her. " I'm going to get to the room above ! " he shouted. " Wait here, and then I'll pull you up." There was a loud shout from below as Jack appeared and pulled Eleanor up to the parapet. Then the tiremen ran the escape up, and the two descended, and not a moment too soon, for the walls crashed in almost as soju as they were clear of the building. CHARLIE CHAPLIN. THE chief characteristic of the photograph if versatility. Hes would have made a good detective, note the eyebrow. The eye, how steady is the gaze. TKt Picture Show, January 10th, 1920. When Jack got home that night he found old Doc waiting for him. He bad managed to kick in the door of the dressing-room, and escape before the Bam got a real hold. The old man told him how Ik had „ got possession of the letter, and sent it by special messenger to him. From inquiries over the telephone to the head office of the messenger association, they found out how Bird had tricked them. And then Doc told Jack how he had seen Bird put the poison in Johnson's medicine. " And I have another confession to make," hrt added. " The girl you think is my daughter i* I'ordham's child. I abducted her in revenge whewjjj her father discharged me. Ml I desire now is WM make amends for the misery I have caused him. I f hope he will forgive me." I am sure he will," said Jack. " Vou have shown that vou regret the past, and' in risking your life for that letter you have redeemed your crime." The young fireman quickly formed a plan to get possession of the letter. He arranged for Eleanor fo come to his house, and for her father to tell Biid where she hail gone, and get him to follow her. In order that Bird should not, be seared, he told Mr. Fordham to tell him that he --Manley — wa= very badly injured and likely to die. The plan worked without a hitch. When Bird arrived he found Jack Manley in bed. with his head covered with bandages. As he leaned over the supposed dying man, J u l; leapt up and caught him in a grip of iron. I here was a tierce fight tor a few minutes, but Bird was po match for the fireman. Old Doc called in the police, and charged Bird with the murder ot Johnson. In the meantime, Jack had got possession ot the letter and burned it. Mr. I ordbani readily forgave old Wilbur in his joy at recovering his daughter, aud promised him a pension for life. Two weeks later Jack and Eleanor were married, and their wedding-coach was a flre-emiinc driven by Jack Manley, while his wife sat beside him on the driver's scat. (,Aila pled from incidents in the Phillip* Film Company's photo-play,1' The Still Alarm," featuring TOH> SAXTSiCUl as Jack Manley.) His temper is hasty and explosive, but when the storm subsides he bitterly regrets the outburst of passion. His Greatest Fault. HIS greatest fault lies in impulsiveness; often rushing madly into difficulties, -and dangers, which, in his quieter moments gives him cause for regret. Magnificent powers of leadership is shown, the forehead is wonderfully rounded, no dip in the centre, rarely do we see such a convex forehead indicating benevolent . imagination, vibration, and versatility so larg?, A man who would give all to bis friend-. Large-hearted and good nutured. The spirit of conquest strong. Take the nose, one straight line, capricious. A born actor, can take all before him, and do what he likes with th.0 audience. The gift of mimicry is abnormal. Power Over Others. TAKE the length of the face from the summit of the forehead to the lo%ver part of the chin, denoting dominating power over others. We will take the mouth. Affectionate, seductive, large-hearted, pitiful, for the afflictod. He would love what is new in everything. Fond of Change. THE oval jaw denotes a nature loving trawi and change. This type -are never hidebound by any set rule of thumb or convention. They rarely give in to the blows of fate. Their imagination probably helps them through ; and they seldom remain down, or downhearted for long. Has epiickness Of brain, wit, thought, eloquence, but is apt to change his plans at a moment's notice. A possessor of good, strong constitution, accompanied with active circulation. Character as Told bv the Face. •r THE face is the best index to character. Most of us pride ourselves on bein? able to tell character in this way. In this series of readings of well-known stars, given bv a famous expert, readers will be able to realise their own or their friends' characteristics, by comparing the definitions given on those tbey resemble in feature. Thus many will resemble, say. Charlie Chaplin, in some way or another, and by reading carefully what the expert has to S3y about this particular feature, they will gain an insight to their own character. No, 10.-CHARLIE CHAPLIN. BEAUTIFUL ART PLATE OF OLIVE THOMAS IN NEXT WEEK'S "PICTURE SHOW."