Through Turbulent Waters

The West is the stamping ground for Paul Temple and his thespian associates. He is talking with his sweetheart Jane Dinsmore as Jane's dear friend Alice Robinson enters with a letter from an erstwhile associate, advising her to go to New York and accept a place in the chorus. A word from Temple, and Alice has made up her mind: She leaves for New York. Temple and Jane have been married some time and are living unhappily, apart from the old folks. Temple's reputation as a serious actor is wide, but drink has degraded him, and Jane dies after years of abuse from him. Shortly before her death she had sent her father a telegram describing the wretched conditions under which she was living, and the information prompts Dinsmore to go to her. when he arrives at the Temples' address, the landlady reports his daughter's persecution and death, and he swears to avenge his daughter. Alice is contented with her place as a member of a cheap stock company. The dissipated Temple has come to New York and is engaged as the lead man of Alice's company. Alice is surprised to see him but he mourns the loss of his "poor wife" and explains that he has changed his name to Delaney for professional reasons, and Alice accepts his explanation. Attracted by her beauty and recognizing in her much latent talent, Temple promises to make her a great actress and she fails under his hypnotic influence. James Montrose, a producer, and Frank Wentworth, his lawyer, see the play in which Temple, now known as Delaney, is starring and choose him for their new Broadway vehicle "The Lesson." Delaney is engaged, and through his influence, Alice is retained to play the ingenue lead. He goes through a sham form of marriage with Alice, hiring a man named Ford to act as a parson Night after night, Delaney coaches Alice until she plays the part almost perfectly. Her big scene is in the last act, when she fires at Delaney as the curtain falls. All this time Dinsmore has been scouring the West for a trace of Temple, not knowing that he has changed his name. The play is a signal success. The first night brands Alice as a star. By chance Dinsmore, who has come to New York, sees a photograph of Delaney with Alice, and after investigation, learns that he is starring in "The Lesson." He thereupon writes a number of notes to the star threatening him. The receipt of these letters has begun to undermine Delaney's nervous system. Then Alice comes upon Ford demanding from Delaney the rest of the money for performing