Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

Picture Sit oiv, March bth, 1921. 21 '"IF I WERE KING." (Co'^f^om ' Villon averted his head to hide the look of contempt on liis face. Such a king was not worth fighting for, but there was France to consider. ' " Have no fear, sire, all will be well," he said, as he took his departure. , "Think of yourself!" said Louis, spitefully. " You have but one day to make good with the Lady Kathcrine. If you fail, you shall dangle from tho gibbet before the duke enters these grounds." i It was of Katherine Villon was thinking as he went •way from the king's presence. He found her in the garden, and she smiled as she saw him. " How go your plans against the dul« ? " she asked. i " Well," replied Villon. " I have noised it about that to-night the king holds revels in the palace to give Burgundy the idea that we arc unprepared. The revels will be held, but the fighting men will *oon retire. To-night we ride to strike a blow for France." I " Would that I might ride with you ! " said Katherinc, fervently. Villon drew nearer, and looked into her eyes. " It was on this very spot where you begged for the life of the poet Villon," he said softly. Kathcrine turned angry suddenly. There was a flush of anger on her cheek. " How can yon mention that vagalxmd's name Win n I was speaking of you ? " she exclaimed. There was something in her tone that made Villon come still closer. " If I were sure of dying to-morrow, I would tell you that I loved you," he whispered. Katherine averted her head, but not before he had Been a tender look in her eyes. " 1 shall pray that you live," she said simply. . And then Villon knew that if she had no love for Villon, her heart was his in his guise as Count Montcorbier. He kissed her hand, though he knew he could have had her lips for the asking, but that strain of chivalry in his nature would not permit him to do so under a name to which he had no right. The next moment he had gone. ROMANCES OF FAMOUS FILM FOLK Trie Third of This Series which Deals with the Love Story of Marguerite Clark and Lieut. H, Palmerston Williams , By LOUELLA PARSONS '■ The Sacrifice for Love. AN hour later, when Villon was closeted with the king, a messenger came, saying that a wise astrologer would speak with Louis.1 The superstitious king was about to go, when Villon whispered something to him. " Tell the astrologer I will meet him by the east fountain in a few moments," said the king. " But it was Villon who left the palace. As he neared the fountain a girl came out. -. " Hughette ! " gasped Villon. " You Francois ! Alive 1 " stammered the girl. ' Bene fold us you were dead, and because of that bo persuaded the Cockleshells to join. Burgundy. Listen ' Thibaut, in the disguise of an astrologer, waits in that grove for the king. He intends to nbdiirt him. There are others close to him. Join us. Francois. Louis is not worth one good man's life." I i it to m; s-.id Villon Ih3 king will see Thibaut presently." The girl ran to tell Thibaut, and Villon, returning to the palace, borrowed Louis's hat and cloak. With bent body and dragging steps in imitation of the kmc; villjn -ipproac hc-J Thibaut s hi3injM5ls.ce As the traitor saw him he threw himself on the cloaked figure, and gripped him by the throat. " To-night you shall bend the knee to Burgundy, Louis of the craven heart ! " he hissed. Villon gave a cry for mercy, but as Thibaut released his grip, he tore away his cloak and drew his sword. " You ! " cried Thibaut. The next second the two were engaged in deadly combat. At the clash of steel Thibaut's men leapt out, and one, attacking Villon from behind, would have slain him, had not Hughette stopped the blade with her body. With a little cry she sank to the ground, as Villon ran Thibaut through the heart. The King's Guards came running up, and quickly Thibaut's men were killed or taken prisoners. Villon flung himself beside Hughette. One glance showed him she had not many minutes In jive. " Bend closer, Francois," she whispered. " Many men have loved me, but you alone had my heart. Give me your lips before I die." Villon bent and kissed the girl. A great light shone in her eyes as she looked into liis face. She made an effort to clasp him in hoi arms, but with a little sigh fell back dead. Tenderly Villon placed her on his cloak, and rising, saw Louis looking at him with a malicious grill. " You seem to take a great interest in such a conm.on wench," said the king. Villon bit his lips to keep back the angry retort. she had God's breath in her body, sire. She Bavod my life and your throne to-night ! " he said, pointing to rtie dead body of Thibaut. Louis started. I would I could grant you your life, but that rests With the Lady Katherine," he said. " 1'crhaps France will have asked for my life before "to-i lorrow," said Villon, as he gave orders for the burial of Hughette. Two hours later, Villon, at the head of the king's forces, went out to do battle with the Duke of Burgundy. MARGUERITE CLARK and her husband, LT. H. PALMERSTON WILLIAMS. because Cora asked it. Then one day came her chance to dance on tho stage, anil from that time on she climbed steadily tip. tho ladder of fame. • Now, this story isn't about Cora. It is about Marguerite's romance and how she found the one man in the world. Perliaps we should say bow the one man in the world found her. In the beginning, we said Cora'a influence was instrumental in helping Marguerite make the final decision, but only inasmuch as her sheltering care kept all undesirables away from her small sister. IN all Marguerite Clark's career, in her stage and screen success, and in her choice of a husband, one sees the influence of her sister Cora. To this wonderful woman she owes her ability to discriminate and to decide the right way. Cora Clark was a young girl of eighteen when her father and mother passed on, leaving her as a part of her heritage a small curly-haired child, who cuddled up in her arms and clung to her. This wee mite of a babe was Marguerite, suddenly bereft of an adoring father and a mother who lavished everything in the world on her. The Clarks were people of money, they belonged to one of the old families in Cincinnati, the father had been a prosperous banker, and the'children had grown up in the lap of luxury with every whim gratified. A Splendid Sister. SUDDENLY, without any warning, this was all taken away, the beautiful home, the horses and carriages, and servants. The girl Cora faced a grave responsibility. She had to meet the world with very little money and a child who was not old enough to think for herself. Marguerite1, even then,^ was an unusually lovely child. She had grace, she had charm, and she had beauty. These were the assets which Cora realised were valuable. She started to train the child to dance. The best teachers available were obtained, and day afterday, painstaking eifort was spent on the little girl whom Cora knew had a brilliant future. Marguerite, child-like, was impatient. She -wanted to play. But Cora was firm, explaining just how important all these lessons were going to be some day. The little tot adored her sister, and as she has often said since, she worked, not because she wanted to, but Cupid at Work. MARGUERITE had almost taken the oath of eternal maiden bachelorhood, when a good-looking young officer .in uniform made her change her mind. It was the war that acted as a background for that designing young person, Dan Cupid. .Because of tier exceeding popularity with the public, little Miss Clark was pressed into service at each Liberty Loan Drive. She made a tour from coast to coast at the request of the LTuited States Government. Her winsome smile and her gracious personality won many dollars from the public. In each city Miss Clark was fairly mobbed by great crowds who trailed her from one shop to another, and from office to office and back again to the hotel. She had the chaperonage and tender cafe of her sister Cora, who saw that she had a heavy enough coat that she was not unduly fatigued, and that no undesirablo folk reached her at the hotel. About this time there was a great deal of good-natured rivalryover which Miss Marguerite loved the better — ■ the army or the navy. The navy claimed her because of the attention of one of the commanders of a war vessel. This young lieutenantcommander, who had known her from babyhood, gave as his right, the privilege of looking after her while he was on shore leave. Then one fine day the commander was called to sail, and Miss Marguerite was left without her devoted watch dog. Here, said the army to itself, is a fine chance to get in some good work. " Don't forget the navy ' was the commander's parting words to her, when he kissed her band and said good-bye. " Never ! " solemnly promised the little lady. (To be continued next week.) Towards nopn the following day, news was brought to Louis that Villon had won the day, and Burgundy's army was routed. Later, with the banners taken from the defeated foef Villon rode into the courtyard. He gave a grim smile as he saw right in t he centre a gibbet with a masked executioner standing in the centre. While the cheers of the people were ringing in his ears, Villon came to Louis, and as he looked at Katherine, who stood beside the king, he saw in her face that she knew his real name. She greeted him with a cold stare. " Would that you were the man you pretended to be," she said, as she drew away. " Does love count for nothing, then ? " whispered Villon. "Love!" exclaimed Katherine bitterly. "Do not shame the word ! Y&u stole my love under a false name, like a thief ! " Villon bowed arid turned to the people in the courtyard. " It is my last act as Grand Constable of France to declare the life of Francois Villon forfeited," he said. " The fact that I am Francois Villon does not alter the question." A murmur of rage came from the crowd, who looked threateningly at. the king. Louis afraid thus would be a riot, rose to his fset. " My people. I am no tyrant. I will spare Viiiou if anyone will take his place on the gibbet." A sardonic smile passed over his face as not a man volunteered. " You see there is a limit to adorat ion, Master Villon," he sneered. , " 1 am ready," replied the poet quietly. " I desire no man to hang in my place." But as he moved towards the gibbet, Kathcrine sprang to her feet. " I will take his place, sire, for I love him more than life," she cried. A deep hush fell on the populace, which was broken in a few moments by mighty cheers. " Nay," said Louis. " Neither of you shall die. I have tried a man's heart, and found it pure gold ; a woman's soul, and found it that of an angel. You shall both live for your happiness, and the glory ot France." Another deafening cheer broke from the crowd, anil as Villon held his love in his arms, he whispered : " Where are the woes of yesterday ? The wind has blown them all away. When in my arms I hold my fair. Where are the woes of yesterday " (Adapted from incidents in the Fox photo-ploy from the noeel and play by Justin Haiti/'/ Mi-t;att]nj, featuring William Farnum as Villon.)