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The Man Who Forgot Synopsis

The story opens in an opium den in China showing a white girl and two men suffering from the effects of the soul destroying drug. The younger man suddenly rises from his hard bench. Turning to his companions he cries out, "I am through with this life: I am going back to America and decency. Come, go with me." But the other two pay no attention to his words and he leaves alone. After a hard struggle drowning a fierce desire for the drug by an over-indulgence in drink, he arrives in Cincinnati. He stumbles into a mission house and there comes to him the resolve to give up forever all drink. Unable to recall his name or anything about the past, he registers as John Smith. Realizing the havoc that "demon rum" makes of hearts and homes, John Smith devotes his life to the prohibition cause. He soon becomes a force in political affairs. Among those most interested in seeing the liquor interests win out is Senator Mallon of Ohio, who has been elected by the Whiskey Trust. Mallon's daughter, Edith, is attracted by John Smith, and she sympathizes with his fight for the right. He, in turn, is won over by her charm and he longs to declare his love, but always present with him is that doubt as to his past life, who he is and where he came from. The whiskey men finally decide to crush Smith socially. Mallon writes him a note stating that he and his daughter desire that all social relationship between them be discontinued. Smith only laughs at the note. Smith's companions in China drift to Washington. Through Simpson, the oppositions learn of Smith's life in the opium den and determine to make use of it. The woman declares that Smith is her husband and tells of incidents to prove her statement. Edith is overcome to see the man she loves claimed by this depraved creature and begs Smith to deny that this is his wife, but sadly shaking his head, he says although he doesn't remember the woman, she may be right. He may have married her in the days back of memory. The day of the great fight arrives. From all over the country comes a huge crowd summoned by Smith to plead for the prohibition cause. Through the streets of Washington they surge up the Capitol steps, into the very Senate chamber, this great army of derelicts by their very presence, an unanswerable argument against whiskey. The voters are swayed by the remarkable crowd and John Smith's fight is won. The woman, brought to a realization of the wrong she has done, rushes to Smith and confesses that she lied, that she is not his wife. She recalls to him conversation in which he told her of his mother and his early home life. Slowly Smith's memory returns, the past is recalled, and clasping Edith in his arms, he tells her that now that he can remember all; there is no longer any reason why they should remain apart.

The Mystery of the Yellow Room Synopsis

A reminiscence of her act ten years ago, recalling how she had secretly married Jean Roussel, flashes through the mind of Mathilda, daughter of Professor Stangerson, when her father asks her to become the wife of Robert Darzac, and how their wedding certificate could not be filed as her husband was imprisoned for passing counterfeit money. But she soon dismisses the horror upon the thought that Roussel must have been dead (she never having heard from or of him) and at last consents to the announcement of her betrothal to Darzac. Roussel, however, was still alive and soon learns of the engagement of Mathilda. By a subterfuge he manages to get a note to her telling her that he still loves her and begging her to flee with him to America. Mathilda was too frightened to answer, so Roussel in a jealous rage goes to the residence of Mathilda and hides in the yellow room occupied by her. Mathilda, who had been out walking with her father and fiancé, returned and feeling tired goes direct to her room, where she comes face to face with Roussel, who cautions her not to utter a word of alarm. But Mathilda was very much afraid and screams. In order to stop her, Roussel chokes her into unconsciousness and leaves her for dead. That evening as she joins her father he notices that she is unusually pale and advises her to retire early. She does and no sooner had the household retired when a shot comes from the room of Mathilda. Upon investigation the father finds that his daughter is lying unconscious upon the floor with a deep gash in her head, but no trace of her assailant could be found for the doors and windows were all locked from the inside. Professor Stangerson places the solving of the mystery in the hands of Rouletabille, a noted detective, and inspector Larson, They are given adjoining rooms in the Stangerson castle, and in his work of unraveling the enigma, Rouletabille finds under the bed of Mathilda a hair and a bloody handkerchief. Then Mathilda receives another letter from Roussel, which makes her change her room. At midnight the detective hears sounds coming from the yellow room, and stations Larson and the professor at both ends of the gallery, but no one is found. Previously the detective had caught a glimpse of a bearded man and has come to the conclusion that he must be in the house. He is also surprised to learn that Larson's hair is the color of that which he had found in Mathilda's boudoir. Larson, who was none other than Roussel, sends Mathilda another note and fearing the surveillance of Rouletabille, he invites the detective to supper in his room. He drugs the wine which is drunk by the detective, and as the latter is examining Larson's hair he notices a bad wound in the inspector's hand and then falls unconscious. Rouletabille's assistant brings him around, and after forcing from Larson the marriage certificate deliberately gives him a chance to escape. Then the detective gives Mathilda the unrecorded marriage document, the destruction of which means her freedom to marry Darzac. The mystery of the yellow room was cleared by the detective's remarkable deduction which shows that the deep gash in the head of Mathilda had been caused by a vision of her assailant and she, in a subconscious state, had discharged the revolver in self-defense and in falling had landed against a table, and the ugly wound in Larson's hand had been done when she had her encounter with him in the yellow room.