Oakland Technical High School - Talisman Yearbook (Oakland, CA)

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the floor and runs over to her father. She then seats herself on a stool at her f ather's feet. Alice- Father, have you heard any news from the lawyer? Mr. Lathe- Nothing, my child, nothing. Things are still the same. . Alice- Does Mr. Crossely still think that there are hopes of proving your innocence? Mr. Lathe- Qwearilyj VVhere there is life there is hope, daughter, but the hopes that materialize in this world are few and far between. Alice-Cdreamilyj Do you remember years ago when I was a very little girl, how you would say 'never lose hope, for when you do, you are as dead?' I used to wonder what you meant and it was years before I really understood. Well, that saying would apply here very well. We must not lose hope, but trust to a higher power who always does things for the best. QA knock is heard. J Mr. Lathe- Come in. fThe door opens and the lawyer, Mr. Crossely e11ters.J Alice and her father together- Is there any news ? Mr. Crossely-fbreathlessj Plenty, plenty, and encouraging news at that. Alice- Sit down, Mr. Crossely, and tell us. Mr. Crossely- fslowly and deliberatelyj I think that I have spotted your man. The man who signed your name to that checkf' fBoth Alice and her father jump to their feet.J Keep cool, keep cool, both of you, until I have finished. I want you to think hard for a moment, Mr. Lathe, and then tell me if you have an enemy among the town officials. Did you ever have any trouble with any of them ? Mr. Lathe- fslowly, as though thinking hard.J Yes, fpausej with a Mr. John Adams. He was put out of office and I was put in to take his place. Crossely- Good, good. The mystery is solved, I have your man. That man Adams has acted suspicious ever since the finding of that check. And I have been on his trail ever since, although I have never said anything about it. Tonight I have shadowed his doors and I overheard a conversa- tion between him and his wife, which pretty nearly convinced me that he was the man that we want. Now that you say he is an enemy of yours, I am sure of my eonvictionsf' Alice- fexcitedlyj I just knew that things would have to Illfll out right. Right will always triumph in the end. I knew that they would prove your innocence. Crossely- Hold on there Miss Lathe, the big job is yet ahead of us. Bv far the biggest problem is yet to be solved. The big thing is to catch the goods on this fellow, and that is mighty hard to do at any time. I need your help, Miss Lathe, in this situation. fTakes out watch.J We have a little less than a half hour in which to capture this culprit. It is now half past eleven. At twelve o'clock it will be too late. At this moment Adams is on his way to catch the twelve o'elock for California. We must get him

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Bert- Look here, hang the policy, marry the girl, take her west, and start anew. No one will know the difference twenty years from now. Jack- You have always been a mighty good friend, Bert, I have acknowledged your advice to be good at all times, but here it fails. I can- not do as you say here. It would mean the ruin of my self-respect. From evidence, I am forced to believe him guilty, therefore, I must denounce him to others. Bert- But Alice? Think of her love for you. Why that girl worships the very ground that you walk on. Think of what it will 11162111 to her to have you denounce her father openly. .Tack- There is where the trouble lies. You know what Alice means to me. It would almost kill me to do such a thing as this.', Bert- But you say that there is nothing to prove that Mr. Lathe com- mitted this crime. Are you sure he did it ? Jack- Everything points that way.. The check was found, with his name signed to it, for S150,000. tEnter man from press rooms.j Mix Sherman, KJ ack turns toward doorj Mr. Audey says that they have held the paper up for over an hour for that story on Mr.-Mr.-Lathe, and he wants to know if they should keep on holding it up. It's getting near on to eleven o'clock, and the paper should have gone to press at ten. J ack- I know it Jim. Well--tell them to hold it until twelve and then come back here and I will tell you. .lim- All right sir, I'll tell them, but Andey,-well, he's all wrought up,-hc says-excuse me, he says, he says that your paper should come first and that you ought'nt to think about 'any woman. I though you ought to know how the pressmen are talking. fAnd then sympatheticallyj Excuse me, sir. Jack- Cwith a gesture of despairj There you are, Bert. The sentiment of my press rooms. They understand what the ruining of a paper's policy means. That sentiment is going to spread to the townspeople before many more hours. They will be calling me a 'weaklingf a 'cowardf They will think that I am afraid to do right. That sort of thing ruins a paper more quickly than anything. Bert- Well, let the paper go hang. Get out, go west, and do as I say. Jack-- A reputation can follow you to tl1e end of the world, and no doubt mine would follow me to the west, were I to do as you say. Bert- Oh nonsense. I would have credited you with more sense. Jack- Suppose I were to start anew. I would never be a success. Once a 1nan's self respect is shattered that man is shattered. fTakes out watch.J I have a little less than an hour in which to decide this question. At the end of that time I must give my decision. May my conscience lead me straight. fcurtainj ACT II-SCENE I Mr. Lathe is seated before the fireplace, gazing into the fire. Room is dark except for firelight. Enter Alice Lathe with coat and hat on. As she enters she puts on light and then throws her hat and coat on

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at the station before he takes the train. You will have to play your part well in this. Listen carefully and I will tell you what must be done. The big thing is to play for time. You must grab up his suit case. Argue that it is yours until the train pulls out. See? That will give us time for action. In the meantime I will summon the police. Alice- I understand now, I think, my part. I will strive to do it well. Af ter 'all we are all playing a part all the ti111e. VVell, let us hurry, for as you say, time is everything in this case. fKisses her father goodbye, then both go out leaving the father sitting before the tire.J fCurtainj ACT III-SCENE I Jack Sherman is walking the floor, and Bertrani Graham is walking along side of him. Bert- Jack, you are crazy, this newspaper business is driving you loony. Wl1at's a story? That's all you talk about, story, story, story, all the time? Jack- Oh quit it, Bert. This thing is killing mef' Bert- I am going down and tell your men to quit holding up that paper and to let it go without that story. fStarts walking ' towards the door, Jack runs after l1IIll.J Jack-Cangrilyj Wl1o's running this paper, you or I? fsoftensj Excuse me, Bert, I know that you meant well, but this kind of problem a fellow must settle for himself. He just has to fight it out. 1 QEnter Jim from press rooms.J Jim- Mr. Andey says that he ain't goin' to wait any longer, he says either you gotter make up your mind 01' else he's agoin' home. Says that he's agoin' to go home, cause he's tired of waitin? Jack- Well, Bert, the moment has come. Wlizit shall I do ? Bert- Toss a coin. 4 e Jack- I can't do that for I would want to do just the opposite. fpausej fslowlyj Tell Mr. Andey to get the paper out as soon as he can and to run that story about Mr. Lathe- fEnter Alice, Mr. Lathe, lawyer and policeman, who has the culprit by the collar.J Alice- We have captured the culprit, father is free, he didn't take the money. Why, aren't you excited? fsurprisedj Jack- fturns to pressmanj Don't run that story on Mr. Lathe, send up a reporter to get the new story from him. Feature it and run the picture of him. ftakes her in his armsj I am excited, but oh, Alice, you don't know at what a crucial moment you entered! A half an hour or perhaps fifteen minutes would have meant- Alice- What would it have meant ? . Bert- Never mind now. Alice- Anyway, I just knew that right would triumph. Bert- And so did I. -