The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-07
Eueni7gSto

BY KATE EpMONpS.

. IA - Is04aO&NLc
NO" said the landlady stonily. I'm
sure l don't know where Miss Ford
went to-sorne one said she had given
up her position and gene out west to
act in the movies, but I'm always busy
and can't keep track of folks after
they leave my house Are you the
young soldier she was engaged to?"
Dick Reynolds nodded.
'Yes-you look like the picture she
hao on her bureau She read that you
had been killed in action and so she
just got pale and sick and went away.
Sorry"
turned away. He wrote a letter to
Marcia, addressed it in care of her old
employers. marked it to be forwarded
and waited. At last after months of
fruitless waiting and searching he
found position in Chicago. Night
after night he went to the movies,
hoping for some clew. and then there
came a time when he saw on a we'll
acted screen drama-and his own
Marcia being kidnapped by a dark wis
lain in a black evening cloak.
"Ain't it awful" shivered girl sit
ting next to Dick.
Her companion giggled. 1T looks
real, but faint"
Dick found it difficult to believe
that the characters were not real with
Marcia's face so clear, so agonlzed
He saw the villain carry her away IN
a block motor car to a greasy looking
tenement, where several well dressed
people seemed to threaten her life,
One man caught her slender wrist and
pulled her toward the door.
"Hi," yelled Dick, and everybody
laughed. He looked fiercely around
and sank back in his seat, grim and
alert. He watched the picture until
the doors closed and the next day he
saw it again. BY this time he was
sure that his own sweetheart was act
ing in the movies. Then he saw the
manager of the theater.
With the name of the producers he
found the location of the company
Hollywood, California,-and packing
his grib he set out in the search for
Marcia. By this time he knew the
picture by heart learned that the
name of the actress was Elizabeth
Jayne, but strong in his own belief he
declared the girl to be none other than
Marcia.
At Hollywood the studios were all
so busy that he barely. escaped becom-
ing famous because he had refused so
many chances to act as substitute
or an extra in one of the many COM
panies. Once he had an adventure
that he never forgot.
''Say, young Teller" yelled a hot
looking man, as Dick approached a
STUDIO. want JoD
Lodging for girl returned Dick
rider"
Yes"
Stunts"
Cavalry"
Good. Come in. Man gone sick
scene waiting: you gotto shoot a man
and carry off a girl
Dick grinned and followed the ex-
cited. director. He was led into a
dressing room, given a eowpunchers
outfit of clothes and came rolling out
with a swagger. that made the director
stare.
Say you've been puncher?"
Yes"
STEADY job, maybe-now you hop
into my car, the rest of the bunch
is waiting out on location ten miles
away: just sent in word that Anes
has broken his leg; listen now" He
drove the car recklessiy while he
poured into Dicks ear the instructions
he was to follow. When you re called
Sou ride up to the door of the cabin
shoot -Arnold-he's the leading ffiap-
and grab the girl up and ride off axith
her"
'Wherell I take her."
''Anywhere-out of the pieturez-un-
til you're called again. and then
you" and SO on--until Dick felt
qualified TO do his part perfectly: yet
when he saw the expectant company
his wits almost deserted him. He
watched the progress of the play with
feverish interest because there was a
girl
She had appeared at intervals in the
play, and while there was a vague ia
miliarity about her face and even her
gra cefuf walk. he could not make up
his mind whether it was his Marcia or
not Her face was made up a little,
as was his own. and both were part
of a grotesque looking company. Some
one told him her name--Elizabeth