The Devil's Circus
1
When the devil pulls
the strings, all the
world must dance.
2
An old-world prison in
the year 1913 - -
3
Carl - schooled in the
crooked alleys of a
great city - had served
his term.
... Charles Emmett Mack
4
"Take this, my son -
make it your friend. It
will keep you from sin."
5
"I fear you will soon be
back here. Only fools
reject God."
6
"Bunk!"
7
Back in the city - the
old haunts and the
old ways.
8
Fresh from country
lanes -- a friendless
little orphan who brought
with her a serene belief
in the goodness of God.
Mary ..... Norma Shearer
9
"My train was delayed -
I've come in answer to
the advertisement in the
paper."
10
"You're too late tonight -
everybody's gone home.
Come back in the
morning."
11
"Please - I'm a stranger.
Could you tell me where
to go for the night?"
12
"Not a room left. Sorry,
Miss - -"
13
"Never mind - I'll take
you to a place.
Come on."
14
"Don't worry - you'll be
all right here."
15
"A bible! What are you
lugging this around for?"
16
"My mother gave it to
me. She said it would
keep me from harm."
17
"I don't like it!"
18
"Kiss me!"
19
"Are you trying to make
me believe you've never
been kissed?"
20
"It's true - I've never
been in love - -"
21
"You're a great little
actress! Now stop it
and kiss me!"
22
"I'm sorry I came here."
23
"You're a funny little
thing, but - - I'll be
good."
24
"See - here's your room.
I'll go somewhere else."
25
"Where are you going?"
26
"I don't know."
27
"I'm sorry - I never knew
a girl like you before.
Won't you please stay?"
28
Morning - -
29
The Circus Bomparino -
30
"The fat fellow is
Bomparino, the owner -
the other one's Hugo,
the lion-tamer."
31
"I've come in answer to
your advertisement -"
32
"- Wait over there. I'll
talk to you later."
33
"A little beauty, Bomparino!
Let's try her out in the
new ballet."
34
Yonna .....
... Carmel Myers
35
"Be quiet! Must you
make a scene every
time I look at another
woman?"
36
Days passed - -
To the little country girl,
the slum-bred youth was
a shining knight; and the
circus tinsel real gold.
37
The little mother of the
circus - -
Mrs. Peters ... Claire McDowell
38
"I've been waiting for
you, Carl. It's all fixed
for tonight."
39
"Nothing doing, Spiro -
I'm through! I've got
someone to be decent
for!"
40
"You're crazy! Letting a
girl interfere with your
business. Forget it!"
41
"If you care anything
for that girl, you'd better
get her out of this
show - -"
42
"- There's a man here -
a devil - who has his
eye on her. Hugo - -"
43
"You hang around here
too much - this is no
place for outsiders!"
44
"- Put this over and
you can take her out of
here - marry her!"
45
"I was foolish, Hugo -
I'll never be jealous
again!"
46
"I have something very
important to talk to
you about."
47
"I've told Bomparino I
want you in the new
aerial act I'm planning.
It's a big chance - more
money - -"
48
"I'll make you famous -
give you everything!
Don't you understand?"
49
"I thought so! Sneaking
in here when my back
is turned!"
50
"You can't have him,
do you understand?
He's mine and I'll never
give him up!"
51
Shadows that
prowled - -
52
"You're hurt!"
53
"It's only a scratch. I
deserved it - I was
shot trying to rob a
house."
54
"There's no use pretend-
ing any longer, Mary.
I've been a thief all
my life!"
55
"You're not all bad,
Carl - - I know that."
56
"It's not too late to begin
again - - get honest
work. I know God will
forgive you."
57
"It isn't God I'm worried
about, Mary - -"
58
"- It's you! Could you
forgive me?"
59
"I'll always love you,
Carl, always! I'll be
waiting for you!"
60
Months went by -
In the spring of
1914 the Circus
Bomparino was on
tour - -
61
In the prison, time
ceased to exist for
Carl - Mary, heartsick
and ashamed, had
stopped writing.
62
"I'm sorry, Carl. Nothing
from her yet - -"
63
The Circus Bomparino
had returned to the
city. The night of the
grand opening - -
64
"You're always after
that girl! Sending her
roses!"
65
"I can't endure it, I tell
you! You're killing me!"
66
"You! You smug-faced
little hypocrite! I'll get
even with you! - -"
67
"- Mark my words!
You'll wish you'd
never been born!"
68
Then the devil pulled
the strings and a
whole world danced the
grim dance of
69
WAR!
70
At the end of four
years - peace! And
the broken lives that
must somehow go on -
71
"Dolls! Buy my dolls!"
72
"Wouldn't you like one?"
73
"Take it, dear. Never
mind the money."
74
"Dear Mary! We have
searched everywhere
for you!"
75
"You must come home
with me - - I have so
much to tell you."
76
"Dear child, don't worry
about the future - -
God will take care of
that."
77
"I thought that once,
Mrs. Peters, but now -
I don't believe there is
a God!"
78
"Mother! What does
she mean?"
79
"But mother - is what
she said true?"
80
"Mr. Muller, isn't there
a God any more?"
81
"Well - Elsa - it's been
so long since I heard
of Him - -"
82
"Why don't you ask the
lodger upstairs? He's
one floor closer to
Heaven - maybe he
knows."
83
"Is it really true what
that girl downstairs
says? Isn't there a
God any more?"
84
"He is everywhere, Elsa.
I can see Him in your
little brown eyes."
85
"We are going to have
a wonderful Christmas,
Mary - - I have a
surprise for you - -"
86
"My Mary! I have found
you at last! - -"
87
"Mrs. Peters told me of
the accident. Poor little
girl - how you must
have suffered!"
88
"I am very much
changed - am I not?"
89
"I kept my promise,
Mary. I've gone straight
since the night they
took me away - -"
90
"And now we can be
married, Mary - have
our own little home -"
91
"Don't think about your
crutches, Mary - - I'll
spend my life making
you forget them!"
92
"Tell me, Mary! What
is it? What's wrong? -"
93
"I will try to tell you -
why I stopped writing -"
94
"There is no God - -
everything - is a lie!"
95
"What became of Hugo -
the foul beast! Did he
come back from the
war?"
96
"Don't, Carl! Don't!
Think of Mary - -"
97
The silent and implacable
man-hunt went on until
Christmas eve - -
98
"I will find Hugo and
send him to you."
99
"Who's here? I can feel
there's somebody in
the room."
100
"Who are you? Why
don't you speak?"
101
"CARL!"
102
"I came to settle an
old score - -"
103
"- - But I find it has
been settled for me!"
104
"I served five years in
prison for what I did -
now I'm walking the
streets. Death would
be welcome!"
105
"Mary! God has opened
my eyes! He has sent
me back to you."
The End
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