The Auteur's Selection In the Shadow of The Love Gamble: Cult Guide

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When his fiancée commits suicide after being used by an American artist, a Japanese art dealer seeks to get vengeance by seducing the artist's wife.

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Three outlaws fleeing a posse through the desert come upon a dying woman and her baby in a wagon. Before she passes away, she makes the men promise to take care of her baby and get it safely through the desert.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Three Godfathers perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

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Harley P. Hennage, at the opening of the story, is a gambler about 35 years of age, who spends much of his time at the Red Dog Retreat at Gila Junction. Marie, the town belle, respects Harley as the best friend she has. Harley, on the other hand, has never declared his love, and it is not until Marie falls in love with a strange prospector that she has an intimation that Harley loves her, too. Harley resents Corblay's intrusion, and tells him to get out of town. When he learns of Marie's love for Corblay, he relents and leaves himself. As a newcomer of the Silver Dollar Retreat in distant San Pasqual, Hennage turns to business and forgetfulness, and in time comes to be known as the worst man in town. Marie's husband, meanwhile, has gone out into the desert accompanied by his faithful Indian and Carey, of Boston. Carey assaults Corblay and escapes with the burros and the gold which was discovered on the way to the claim. Corblay dies in the desert, leaving a note in his canteen and an inscription on a sandstone ledge, reading: "Stranger, look in my canteen and see that I get justice." Later, Hennage, hearing of Marie's poverty and the arrival of a child, arranges to have Marie come to San Pasqual, where he secures her a position as cashier in the eating house. For the moment Hennage's hopes have revived, but when he sees that the girl remains true to the memory of her lost husband, he holds himself aloof. Eighteen years elapse. Hennage has attached himself like a father to the now-grown child, Donna. One afternoon Marie is taken sick and is carried to her hut. Hennage is sent for and is with her when she dies. Marie gives him the location map of her husband's claim, telling him that while she has hated it because it stood for the desert and her tragedy, yet she would like him to search for the claim on the chance that perhaps there may be something there and that Donna will now need it. Donna, about this time, meets and falls in love with Bob McGraw, a young man who has just filed on certain water rights in the Sierras on the hunch that the surrounding land is to be open to entry. Borax O'Rourke is infatuated with Donna and attempts to force his attention upon her. She is shielded by Hennage and later by McGraw. Hennage, in searching for the lost claim, runs across the canteen that belonged to Corblay and sees the inscription on the ledge. He starts back for civilization. About this time Carey shows up in San Pasqual in search of one Bob McGraw. He is anxious to buy the rights which McGraw has filed on. A hold-up has been committed and the evidence points to young McGraw. Carey discovers where McGraw is located and attempts to use his information to force the young man to sell. Hennage, returning with the story of Corblay's death and the canteen, meets Carey, and with the Indian's aid, learns that Carey is the man who killed Corblay years before. Hennage forces restitution to the child, Donna. He meets death in a gun duel with O'Rourke, whom he had previously told to get out of town for his insult against Donna. The Indian, left to guard Carey, stabs him to death.

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Rhandah, who is to succeed his father, the Maharajah of Dharpuli, is sent to Oxford to be educated. The Princess Nada, to whom he is engaged, fearful of the outcome of his journey, gives him an amulet to bring him back to her in safety. At the college, he soon becomes accustomed to English customs, but refuses all invitations into society. He meets Amy, daughter of Colonel Dawe, and they become interested in each other. Amy wagers that she can persuade the Prince to give her the amulet and succeeds in having him accept her invitation to a party; she manages to see Rhandah alone and secures the amulet. Dick Larimer, to whom Amy is engaged, denounces Amy for doing such a thing. Asa Judd, tutor to the Maharajah's son, has taken a snap shot of Amy and Rhandah and sent it to Colonel Marcy, the Resident British Councilor. Mulai Singh, an aspirant to the throne, obtains possession of the photograph. Rhandah, embittered, returns home just as the Maharajah dies. By his bedside he swears eternal vengeance on all the English and is overheard by Nada. He seeks out Mulai Singh and obtains the picture, declaring his intention of leading his people against the English, issuing a command that all captured English be brought before him. Dick is taken and Rhandah orders him to the dungeon. Amy has come to India with her father and is also taken by the outlaws, but when they see the amulet they release her. Nada recognizes her from the picture, and comes upon Rhandah and Amy as he is contemplating what he shall do with Dick. Rhandah makes advances to Amy which she dares not resent, and tells him she will do anything to save Dick, but he replies there is nothing that will save her sweetheart. Nada, listening, ready to kill Amy with a dagger, overhears and rushes into Rhandah's arms vowing her belief in him. At Amy's solicitation, Nada intercedes and Dick is set free. All the trouble and turmoil is at last ended, and both couples are happy.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of The Long Chance perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

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Hugh Payne owns and operates a mine in the West, supporting his brother Larry's luxurious life style. Hugh has nurtured Abby Hope, a young girl with whom he has fallen in love. When Larry comes to visit, he and Abby decide to get married, and to spare Abby's feelings, Hugh pretends that he is infatuated with another woman. When the building in which they are staying breaks out in flames, Hugh rescues Larry and Abby from the fire. Larry, finally realizing that Abby really loves his brother, confesses that her love is returned by Hugh, and the two are united.

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Maj. Ralph Seton is a British army officer stationed in Cawnpore, India, when the Sepoy Rebellion--a mutiny of Indian soldiers in the Brtitish army in India--breaks out in 1857. He receives the prestigious Victoria Cross--the highest decoration that can be awarded to a British soldier--for his actions in battle. However, after a night of drunken debauchery, he is stripped of the honor and disgraced in front of his love, Joan Strathallen, the daughter of his commanding officer. When Indian rebel leader Azimoolah instigates an uprising by the natives and has Joan kidnapped, Seton sets out to redeem his honor and save the woman he loves.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Each to His Kind perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

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Chicago Charlie, a crook, gets Harriet Gordon, a wealthy heiress, to elope with him. He takes her to a road house on the promise that a minister will be waiting. There he drugs her. Detective Scully arrives, but Charlie gets away. Five years later Harriet is engaged to the district attorney. Chicago Charlie is arrested and convicted, Peggy, his sweetheart, pleads to see him. Harriet helps her and takes her as a maid. Chicago Charlie escapes from prison. He tells Peggy he must have money to get away. With Harriet, Peggy meets Charlie. She recognizes him. She .gives him money, but he demands also the engagement ring she wears. He takes it. While Peggy is trying to pawn the ring Charlie attacks Harriet, who takes a knife from a table and kills him. Detective Scully finds Peggy leaning over the body. Through the ring he traces Harriet. However, knowing all the circumstances, he reports to headquarters that a detective stabbed Charlie while Charlie was trying to escape.

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Hal, now fully grown, leaves his wife Edith and his estate in England to return to the land of his Indian mother. There he works for the rights of Indians in a land deal which pits him against David Ladd, the wily reservation agent who is secretly in collusion with the asphalt trust which is trying to rob the Indians. Hal falls in love with Wah-na-gi, the Carlisle graduate who has returned to teach at the agency school, but he is too honorable to conceal that he is already married. Upon the death of his father, Hal returns to England as Lord Effington to discover that Edith loves Lord Yester and wants a divorce. Hal gladly agrees, but when the family physician informs him that Edith is addicted to morphine and his presence may save her life, Hal consents to stay. Returning to America to testify in a lawsuit against the asphalt trust, Hal regretfully informs Wah-na-gi that he cannot leave his wife. The Indian maiden goes off in the snow to kill herself by the grave of Hal's mother when Hal receives a message that Edith has died from an overdose of morphine. Hal rushes into the snow, overtakes Wah-na-gi and asks her to marry him.

A visual fragment from the archive: The thematic resonance of Heir of the Ages perfectly mirrors the editorial trajectory of our deep dive.

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Jack Darling of the North West Mounted Police is ordered to track down and arrest murderer Alec Young, whose girl, Dancing Pete, performs in the Nugget dance hall. En route to Nugget, Jack meets Hope Ross, who is caring for her sister's baby. Although the two fall in love, the outlook for a happy romance appears hopeless, because he believes that she is married and she thinks that he is an outlaw. Jack visits Dancing Pete's cabin, where he finds a photograph that proves that the murderous Alec and Sheriff Carew of Nugget are the same person. Jack convinces Carew to join him in robbing the saloon's safe, but as the sheriff takes his share of the money, Jack exposes him to the angry townspeople. Carew tries to escape, but the Mountie overtakes him, following which Jack and Hope delightedly learn the truth about each other.

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Schoolteacher Faith Miller inherits $10,000. Edson, McGill and Slade, three enterprising crooks, own the Moonflower, a worthless mine. Slade goes East to unload, and hearing of Faith's good fortune, he approaches her and finds her easy prey: she buys a share in the mine for $9,000. Advised by friends to take a rest, Faith goes to inspect her mine. Arriving at the town, she is insultingly approached and the man who has annoyed her is knocked down by Jim Ralston, a young mining engineer. She goes to the home of Big Annie, who tells her that the mine is worthless. The miners, touched by her beauty and helplessness, engage her to teach their school, the only available pupils being Pete, a half-wit, and Jim, who is held in connection with a hold-up committed by Edson and McGill. At first Jim rebels, but when he sees the teacher, he becomes a willing student. Faith recognizes him as her protector. Jim conceives the idea of salting the mine, and wires Slade to the effect that the mine is rich with silver and not to sell. Slade returns. Edson and McGill, pursued by a posse, reach the schoolhouse and persuade Jim to conceal them. Flynn, at the head of the posse, accuses Jim of hiding the bandits and is killed by a shot from an unseen hand. Jim is arrested as the murderer. Faith intercedes, begs him to flee and is handcuffed to him. They escape and take refuge in a mountain cabin. Jim shoots the fetter apart, breaking his wrist, and insists that Faith return home. As Jim tells Slade of Faith's whereabouts, Slade notices the fetter on his hand, takes him to the outskirts of the town and the miners prepare to bang him. Faith sells her interest in the mine back to Slade, and Pete, as he delivers a note to her from Jim, also tells Faith of Jim's peril. The outlaws, Edson and McGill, are shot as they resist arrest, Edson's dying confession of Flynn's murder reaching Jim's executioners just as they refuse to listen to Faith's pleading for her lover's life. Faith, weakened by the trying ordeals through which she has passed, sinks to the ground, only to be taken into the waiting arms of the man she loves.