The final scene of the first part was a view of Ruth, as Catherine Grey,
the American Beauty, refusing the dubious offers made her by a rich New
Yorker. With a faith in herself by no means assumed, Catherine turned
from his picture of luxury, of steam yachts, of country estates, of
unlimited bank accounts, with a smile which showed her confidence in her
beauty, her talents. The audience watched her, spellbound, as she stood
on the sidewalk before the theater, looking with grave inscrutable eyes
after the costly limousine that had just driven away without her. In no
picture heretofore taken of the girl had she appeared to better
advantage. Every line of her lovely face seemed responsive to the effect
of the lighting, the situation, the motives which inspired her. The
audience drew itself back, ready to register its approval of the first
part of the film with hearty applause.
And then, something happened. The lovely, smiling face of Ruth Morton
faded from view, and in its place came with brutal suddenness the
picture of a huge grinning death's head, amazing in its suggestion of
horror. The audience sat in utter silence, wondering what could be the
reason for this sudden apparition. Beneath the death's head appeared in
huge letters the words:
"We know the woman."
The thing had come as a complete surprise. The tension throughout the
house was electric. Duvall saw his wife rise from her seat on the aisle,
a few rows away, and come quickly to the rear of the house. She, at
least, realized that a moment of importance had arrived.
And then, without warning, the stillness of the theater was broken by a
sudden cry, and a woman, sitting some three rows from where Duvall
stood, but on the opposite side of the aisle from the seats indicated by
Mr. Baker, rose to her feet, turned, and fell heavily against the back
of the seat ahead of her. At almost the same moment the lights were
switched on, and a voice was heard calling. "Is there a doctor in the
house?"
It was Mr. Baker, and Duvall, who stood beside him, sprang forward at
once.
"I am a doctor," he cried, and approached the place where the woman sat.
"Can I be of any assistance?" Grace asked. "I am a trained nurse."
"Yes," replied Duvall, quickly. "Get this woman to the ladies' dressing
room at once."
Grace sprang forward. There was a bustle among the audience, a sudden
rising, a craning of necks. Everyone seemed to be looking for the person
who had uttered the sudden cry. Before anyone fully realized what had
happened, Grace had reached the fainting woman's side, and supporting
her with an arm about her waist, was leading her toward the rear of the
house.
Almost at once the theater became dark, and the second part of the
picture was flashed upon the screen. The lovely face of Ruth Morton once
more greeted the eyes of the audience. The interruption had occupied
less than a minute.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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