The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-05-23
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AT LESLIE'S ARCADE

no. u parts-The cast: DR.. fay-
son Alden (Howard EStabrook);
Myra t.aynard (Joan Sother-); Mrs.
MAYNARD Cbessie E. Wharton; Ar
thur Varney (Allen Murname);
Grand Master IN. W. Rale). Scenario
! by Charles W. Goddard. Produced by
! Wharton, lLc.
John Maynard, during his life, be-
Ioneed to an organization known as
The Black Order.
May-alus last message to the or
der Co. tanned a clause that in case
his three daughters died before their
eighteenth birthdays, his fortune
should go to the Black Order.
The two elder daughters have both
committed suicide at the appointed
time by usual methods Of self-de-
struction and Mrs. Maynard, who is
cognizaat of the strange associations
formed by her deceased husband, sus-
poets occult influences. Consequently
she is deeply troubled as her young
est and favorite daughter approaches
ner fateful birthday.
Althur Varney, who is a Constant
visitor at the Maynard home, is rack
ed bv conflicting emotions.
Arrayed against the Black Order is
DR.. Payson Alden, a prominent young
physician, who has given up medl-
cine to become a noted investigator
of spirit phenomena. He awakes o4e
night from a troubled sleep and finds
mysteriously pinned on his breast a
mote warni1 him to cease his lnVes-
tigations of the occult under the pen
altv of death. He also discovers that
his notes on the Maynard case have
been stolen.
The atmosphere of the Maynard
household is tense with the dread ex-
pectation that an unseen something
IS about to happen. Myra has been
mysteriously walking in her sleep, as
did her two elder sisters before their
deaths.
DR.. Alden calls. Myra's curiosity
has been aroused by her mothers
trepidation upon seeing her unWit-
tingly make the wicked sign and she
asks DR.. Allen to explain the mean
ing. Just as he, in turn, assumes the
pose, Mrs. Maynard comes into the
room and at once suspects Alden o.
connections with the Black Order.
With hysterical fear, she orders him
from the house.
Greatly attracted by Myra, how
ever. he resolves to carry on his in
yestigations in spite of Mrs. May
nard's objections. The day before
the girls birthday he secretly enters
the house and arranges a system oy
which he may learn whether or not
Myra walks in her sleep and whittier
her wanderings lead her. In the al
ternoon of the fateful day, he gains
entrance to the Maynard house
through a clever ruse and discovers
the path of her sleepwalking the
night before and hides, awaiting fur
ther developments.
At exactly II o'clock that night, the
Black Order is in full session, e1-
teading by their mental power com
plete sway over the actions of the un-
fortunate girl. At the same time, still
in a troubled sleep, Nyra rises from
her bed and slowly descends the
broad stairway. Hesitatingly she
crosses the room, completely under
the unseen Influence and, touching
secret panel, descends into crypt
known only to her dead father.
Silently alden follows. By the
ifickering candle light, she reads the
dust covered parchment and unWlll-
ingly picks up nearby dagger.
Struggling with her inward EMOTION
she raises it full above her head ana
with a final effort starts its downward
plunge. Like a flash, Alden grasps
her wrist and saves her from horrible
death. He carries the unconscious
form to the living room above, where
he finds Mrs Maynard, who has been
unable to sleep.
Again the girl drifts off into the
hypnotic state and her fingers begin
to twitch convulsively. knowing the
sign, DR.. Alden places a pencil at nef
fingers and on the back OF Dook
Myra begins to trace a message from
the other world. She awakes, how
ever, before it is completed.
rb;e nictura starts at the Arcade