Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

rkture Show, Manh 19f/f, 1921. I3EGIN THIS SPLENDID ROMANCE OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS TO-DAY. CALL OF T/IE. RO The Splendid New Serial Story of tke Famous British Film By A. E. COLEBY and HERBERT ALLINGHAM. Characters in the Story. ALFRED TRUSCOTT, who lias tilted the Hall with card-playing friends, aud is known amongst thorn as "The Lamb." Ho has been brought lip hy his uncle, SILAS TK I' SCO IT, who, returning one night, finds out the state of affairs, aud orders liis nephew to leave the house. SIB MAKTl.N TKKVOR, an inveterate gambler, is amongst a party at I lie Hall on t he evening before Silas Truseott's return. He changes *ome dice for loaded ones, and The Lamb, roused to fury, attacks him. The result is that Sir Martin challenges him to a duel. FAGANIJTI PR 1. MI'S and PAGANINI SECUNDUS, an old tiddler and a young boy who are '* gentlemen of the road," are joined by Alfred when ho takes his uncle at his word and leaves the Hall, ana Alfred appoints l'aganini Primus as his second in the duet. LADY ROWIJNA, Alfred's cousin, is told by her maid of this duel, and determines to witness it. The duel commences with Sir Martin Trevor being full of self-confidence, but his sword is suddenly sent spinning in the air. The Lamb, instead of killing him, tweaks the nose of his enemy, who vows vengeance for this act. Two days later Lady Rowena sets forth on a visit to her godmother. After the duel, Alfred and the two Pagininis take to the open road, and presently they come to a tavern owned by Punch Murphy, who is proud of his righting abilities. He wagers a guinea that there is not a man living who can " tap his snout." Alfred walks quietly up to him, and his fist shoots out, landing squarely on the landlord's nose. Punch pays his guinea and challenges Alfred to a proper right, in which the latter is again victorious, and wins another guinea, with which he treats everyone in the bar of the tavern. There is a very genial stranger amongst them, but after he has gone one of the party tells the company that he is none other than Jerry Abershaw, the highwayman. The next morning before leaving Alfred says good-bye to Hammer John, the blacksmith, who wants to train him as a boxer. Alfred, however, refuses, and he and the two Pagnninis set otf on a tramp to the village of Friar's Ford. A Free Man No More. ON a low bench outsido tho Ford Arms, a very old man sat and warmed himself in tho declining rays of the sun. Ho was incredibly old. His lips curled in iiver his toothless gums, and his skin was tike browrii wrinkled parchment. But in his withered c heeks thero was tho" glow of health, like tho faint, reddish tint on a russet apple, and Ins old eyes wcro tilear and bright. Ho looked about him with the lively and cheerful interest of a' child 6r a bird. From time to time ho would pick up the empty mug which stood orr tho bench beside him and look into it. On finding it empty, his old face would express the most comical surprise, and ho would put ii down again. At times he mumbled to himself, but always in a cheerful way, and tho merest trifle that came under his notice was enough to set him chuckling. Obviously, the old boy still found life very' entertaining. He lifted tho empty mug for, perhaps, the tenth time, when suddenly he paused without looking into it and pricked up his ears. Ho hoard voices, and they wore tho voices <•!' strangers. Grandpa Mullins knew quite well the voices of every native of Friars Ford. livon as he replaced the mug on the bench i lie owners of tho voices turned the corner of l ho building and confronted him. lie looked up. and his old faco beamed as he rocognised tho two Pagnninis. Primus at once saluted him. " Mow nils the Grandpa Mullins ? " ho asked. " I be very well, eonsidorin' my years ; very well I be," replied tho old man ; unci then, glauming at Alfred, he touched bis hat. Alfred dropped on the bench beside him. " You look well, sir, well and hearty ; and il < a pleasant spot you've found here." As lio spoke, ho looked out across tho road to the lush meadows, the winding river, and the picturesque mill on the other side. Grandpa Mullins gave an interested look at the young man and then, without the least hesitation, began to feel his arm and his leg. " Hard," he commented judiciously, when he had finished the examination. " Hard ! It ain't tho big 'vuis as is allers the hardest. But you be big and you bo hard, too. A fine lad you be, and so would I," he added, with sudden and most unexpected fierceness, " but for the plagucy gout ! My eyes bo line, my ears be fine : but darn the gout, says 1 ! " Alfred laughed, and Primus handed his snuff-box to the old boy. " Did you try the nettle tea ? " asked the fiddler. The old boy took a pinch, sneezed violently once or twice, and then replied : " The old lady mado 'un, and, says I, drink it thyself ! Darn the nettle tea ! " They all laughod, but the old boy's attention was now directed elsewhere. Ho was gazing out across the river towards tho mill, and there was a keenly interested expression on his old face. Alfred followed the direction of his gaze, and became aware of a most extraordinary scene. In the open space outside the door of tho mill a big man was hopping and dancing and waving his arms, while a little woman was Hogging him unmercifully with a thrashing-cano. The frenzied antics of tho big man and tho grim determination of tho little woman mado a scene indescribably comical. To add to the absurdity, tho man was shouting indignant protests, while a torrent of shrill upbraidings poured from tho woman's lips. " "Pis Miller Jones receiving his weekly dole," Said Primus, with a shrug of his shoulders. Grandpa Mullins laughed till his old body shook. " Ho desarves it, says I, for letting her wear tho trousers ! Three wives I've had — nay, four, now I cornea to think on't — but never did 1 let ono of them wear tho trousers. Ft), but she's taken a rest at last," ho added ; for, even while ho talked, ho was still following every detail of the scono at tho mill with tho liveliest interest. " 'Tisonly to give her tonguotho better chance of wagging, I'm thinking," said Primus drily. The woman was now standing with her bands on her hips, leaning forward and hurling reproaches at her lord, who stood somo distance away glowering back at her. Hor shrill voice camo clear across the water. " I'M learn thee, thou great slobbering loon I If thou wilt not do thy work, thou lazy loafer, get a man a« will ! I'll slave myself to tho bono no longer for such as thee ! " She went in at last, slamming the door behind hor. and tho miller drifted away mournfully and disappeared. Old Primus took up his fiddle, and, with a twinklo in his eye, began to play. Alfred, recognising the tune, gavo. a laugh, and then, in a lusty voice, started to sing': " Thero was a jolly miller once lived by tho river Dee : He worked and sang from morn till night — no lark moro blithe than he. And thus the burden of his song for ever used to he : ' I care for nobody, no, not I, if nobody cares for me.' " He was still shouting the lines, to tho groat enjoyment of the company, and especially of Giandpa Mullins, when Miller Jones 'himself appeared upon tho scone. Ho was a big man, with a round', fat laeo — meant, one would say, for placid good-humour. Just now, however, it woro a very doleful expression. Alfred -finished his song,, -and everyone applauded except tho miller. " Yours is a pretty wit," he said, with a Wry smile. " 'Tis plain that you are single." Alfred looked up with a careless laugh. " I cannot earn enough to be otherwise," he said lightly. The miller, who was turning away, looked back. and surveyed the speaker attentively.' Into the big, simple face there came a look of eagerness, and into the mournful eyes a gleam of hope. Miller Jones had but one passion — he wanted to be left alone. He yearned for a quiet life, with plenty of leisure in which to smoke his pipe in peace. He was one of those few people who can only be perfectly happy when they -are perfectly idle, and Fato had tied him to a shrewish, energetic little woman who mado him work. That was his trouble, and now, ivlien his gazo fell upon Alfred, thero seemed to open before him a way of escape. " Thou be a hefty lad," he said. "It should not be hard for thee to find work if thou art really seeking it." " I'm easy suited," replied Alfred. " Dost know a master whd needs a man t " " What say you to ten shillings a week ? " suggested tho miller cautiously. Ten shillings ? " said Alfred judiciously. " 'Tis a goodly sum. If thou art in earnest, I'll see theo later." The miller nodded and entered tho inn. ' Alfred remained for some time in thought, while old Mullins continued to chatter in his genial garrulous way, and Primus went on playing. 'Thero aro tunes when tho old fiddler forgot everything in his music. Mtich as ho loved good company, his favourite companion was ever his beloved instrument. It seemed to talk to him in a language which only he fully understood, and it always responded to his mood. It could bo gay or it could be sad, just as ho chose. . As the sun sank out of sight behind the mill, Grandpa Mullins rose and hobbled away. It was nearly dark wdieu Primus stopped playing and looked about him. He was surprised to discover that ho was alono. Ho rose, shook himself, and prepared to enter tho inn ; but on tho threshold he met young' Secundus" coining out. Something unusual in tho boy's expression attracted tho old man's attention. N> " What nils thee, lad ? ' ho demanded. " Naught, was the curt and rather surly reply. " Boy, thou host I " said Primus calmly. " 'Tis .a bad habit in the young. To lio with success one must have a wide knowledge of the world and much oxporienco, and then it's 6carco worth the trouble. What ails thee t " " Naught." " Hum ! " mused the old man thoughtfully. " Did 1 not know, boy. that thou art ha|>py in possessing naught save the clothes you wear, 1 should say thou hadst lost something." The boy gave a quick nod. " Ay, and that's true, master," he replied. " 1 have lost something, and so hast thou. Wo bo poorer than when we came to Friars Ford an hour ago." " What's thy riddle, lad ? What is't wo'vo lost ? " Master Alfred." " Eh ? ' " Ho hath just hound himself to tho miller Jones, and ho is a free man no more." Rowena's Plan. MY child, how beautiful you aro ! " It was an old lady who spoUo. She herself was strikingly handsome, and in hor youth had been the belle of three aeasofc* Her old eyes were full of admiration as riffi* gazed down upon her godchild, w ho was smiling up at h« r from the depths ot a low armchair. [Continued on jHtge 8.)