Picture Show (Oct 1920 - Apr 1921)

Picture Show, April 23/(7, 1921. BEGIN THIS SPLENDID ROMANCE OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS TO-DAY Mike CALL OP TflE, ROADi ^! Splendid Serial Story of the i Famous British Film. Characters in the Story. ALFRED TRUSCOTT, who has been disinherited for being a ne'cr-dq-wcll by his uncle, Silas Truscott. LADY ROWENA, Alfred's cousin, who is fascinati & by the stones she hears of her cousin. In order to meet him, she uses the name of Alice Grey, and noes to stay with her old nurse, Margery Merridew, near where Alfred has got work. The two young people become friends, and one day Alfred tells " Alice " he wants to man y her as soon as he has saved the parson's fee. PAGAXm PRIMUS and PAGANINI SECUNDUS, " gentlemen of the road," and friends of Alfred. SIR MARTIN TREVOR, an inveterate gambler, who cheats at cards. He is beaten in a duel by Alfred, and vows vengeance. A boxing-match is made bet ween Sir Marl in and a certain Lord Delaval. The man Sir Martin is to produce is Pigeon Williams, and he has staked his all on his man winning. Lord Dclaval's boxer is Hammer John, a blacksmith. Rowena Makes a Promise. MARGERY MERRIDEW was nodding over her knitting, but' she looked up quickly as she heard the click of the latch, and there was a. beaming smile of welcome on her Old face when the door opened, and Rowena canio into the room. The girl had been out all day, and Sire. Merridew was well aware in whose company sho had spent most of her time. " Thou art late— Alice," said tho old lady, smiling. " "Pis true, Aunt Margery, and I havo naught to say in my defence. I fear 1 have but been wasting my lime in idlo gossip with the miller's man, a rough, uncouth fellow, who hath no ma unci's." The happy smilo which flickered about her mouth and shone in her bright eyes belied her words, and the old nurse was not deceived.' "Ah, me ! " sighed the old lady, shaking her head solemnly. " If all tho stories told about that young man are true, he js but a sad rascal." Rowena gavo tho speaker a sharp look, but Mrs. Merridew was now calmly knitting, and her placid, homely face betrayed nothing of her inner thoughts', " All such stories are lies ! " said Rowena warmly. . " Maybe, my dear, but 'tis a true saying there is no smoke without fire. 'Tis said tho young man hath treated his uncle with shameful ingratitude." Rowena was about to make a sharp retort, when suddenly sho changed her mind, an 1 falling on her knees, caught tho old woman's hand in her own. " Oh, nursie, dearest, tease me no more," she pleaded. " I am sorely troubled, and I need thy advice." " My precious one ! " cried Mrs. Merridcw, nt once all sympathy and gentleness. ""Tell old Margery all about it. Hath he been unkind ? " " Nay, indeed ! He — he hath been kind, and I am afraid. Ho would wed me, Margery, thinking me a cottage girl, and I fear to tell him the truth, lest 1 should lose him. Oh! Margery, 1 lovo him so, and if I lose him now 'twill break my heart ! " " Bless you, my pretty one," replied the old woman in a tone of relief. "If that is all thy trouble, there is littlo need to grieve. If Master Alfred hath won thy heart, he is a lucky man, and I warrant ho knows it. l'roud and happy will he bo when he learns t hat the cottage maiden ho has wooed and won is in truth a noble ludy of high degree, with a fortune to her name." " Nay, Margery, you know hiin not ! " said Rowena anxiously. " He hath a terrible aversion to lino ladies. He cannot abide them. I daro not tell him the truth, and indeed 1 know not what to do." Mrs. Mcrridew smiled down tenderly into (ho pretty, eager face. " Child," she said, " docs thy cousin lovo thee ? " From her ffasement window "Alice" (PHYLLIS SHANNAW) talks to her lover (VICTOR McLAGLEN). " Oh, yes, dear Margery, I am sure he does ! " replied the girl eagerly. " Oft has ho told me so with his lips, and oftener still with his eyes. I cannot doubt his love." " Then havo no fear. Ho will never let thee go. Nothing will stay him from making thee his bride. 'Tis the way of tho Truscotts. When they love, they let naught stand between them and their heart's desire. 'Tis too late now oven for the© to change thy mind. He would not let thee give him up." " If you think when lie knows " " 'Twill make no difference. Bless thee, child, 'tis theo he loves, and not thy station. 'Vex thyself no more. Lot things take their course. ,Say naught for the present, but when you go back to thine uncle's house, send Master Alfred a note, saying thou hast obtained a situation at Truscott Hall, and asking him to call on thee there. I doubt not he will come, and then you can receive him in your proper person, and I warrant tl>e ending of all this pretty play-acting w ill be such as your ladyship desires. ' Rowena threw her arms round the old woman's neck, and kissed her. " I will do it," she said. " Only thus could I let him learn the truth. I vow I have not tho courage hero in Friar's Ford to tell him how 1 have deceived him. Besides " " Well, dearest ?•" " 'Tis sweet to hear him call me Alice," said Rowena softly, while a demure smile played aliout her pretty mouth. " Margery, dear, I wish I could bij thy niece always, and never go back to the great world where the women are all fine ladies, and nothing more, and the men^aro so — so different from Alfred." Mrs. Merridew laughod merrily at the idea, and then suddenly checked herself. " Bless me, my witfc aro wandering ! " she exclaimed. " There's a letter for theo. "Pwas left at tho Ford Arms by the mail, and old Mnllins brought it along just before noon." " A letter for me ? It will l>e from my godmother, I warrant. I promised to tell all that transpired concerning my cousin Alfred, but I fear 1 have told her but little." By A. E. COLEBY and HERBERT ALLINGHAM. t^M "Ay," returned Mrs. Merridew. The letter is from Lady Ulleswater, I believe. It hath a crest, and the writing on the wrapper is so distinguished one can scarcely read it. 'Twas fourteen pence to pay on it, iinless old Mullins cheated me, which is more than likely. 'Tis) strange a man of his years can drink so much strong ale and come to no liarm. ■ Nay, the old rogue seems to thrive! on't." While ehe was speaking, sho hobbled acros^ the little room. to a bureau, from which sho returned with a letter, which she handed ta Rowena. Their surmise proved to bo correct. .Tho missive was from Lady Ulleswater, and of it* contents there was one passago which drove tho colour from Rowena's cheeks. . " 'Tis my duty to tell thee, Rowena, that thy foolish prank must now bo brought to an ™ I. Thy Uncle Silas wj'ites me that in ten days' time he will be setting forth to visit me in order to take thee home. Thou must be hero to meet him when he arrives." There was much more, but it was this passage wliich startled Rowena, and awoko her as from a sweet dream. How happy, how magical had born theso dnjs at Friar's Ford.! And now it was with a shock of dismay sho realised they were coming to an end. In a day or two at most she would have to go away. In less than a week she would bo ba<-k at Truscott Hall— a fino lady — and Alfred would still be working at Jones s Mill. When would they meet again, and under what circumstances ? One thing alone was certain. When they met, if meet they did, she would no longer be Alice Grey, tho cottage girl, who had captured \m heart. < Again a cold fear assailed the girl. Alfred .was proud, liko all tho Truscotts. Suppose — suppose he never canio to, claim her hand ? . She retired to her room early, but she did not go to bed. Sho sat up thinking and wondering, her mind assailed by all kinds of doubts, fears, and hopes. " Ah, me ! " sho said to herself, as she sat on the edge of her bed and gazed out through tlu< diamond panes of the cosement window on to tl.o moonlit landscape, " suoh happy days as thc^o will never return. I will stay for tho Fairing,' and after that I will hasten hack to my godmother's, Alfred shall know whore I am goqe, and if he come not after me, 'tis only what I deserve for my folly. Woo is me," she concluded with a -deep sigh. " I fear mo I shall die an old maid." Even as the thought formed itself in her mind. sho was startlod by the sound of tho patt ; of little stones against her window. She sprang to her feet, started forward, and then slopped back hesitating. But immediately thoro eamo another rattliv of stones against tho glass. Someone outside was clearly determined to attract her attention. Rowena opened the casement and peered out. Below in shadowy outline she could seo the big, athletic figure of her lover. As she gazed down his frank, boyish faeo came up to" her in an eager whisper. " Alice ! Alico ! " Without speaking, sho loaned forward, -o that ho could see her face. " I havo heard great news, and I could not bide till morn to tell thee," he cried oxcitedly. " You' remember what I told theo this day^.that I would wed theo as soon as I had saved t ho parson's fee ? Dear heart, there is no need to wait so long. They ti ll me on Fairing Day the parson marries without a fee I Rowena pave a little gasp. With a rilsli old Margery's words canio back to her, ami sent the hot blood racing through her veins. "He will nevor lot theo go! Nothing will (Conlinmd on ptige 8.)