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The War Correspondents Synopsis

Bretton, furnished with credentials to Balkan officers, obtains a personal letter from the Minister of War, charging his subordinates to give the young newspaper man every assistance. On the train Bretton meets Clark, correspondent of a rival newspaper. While passing through the Customs, Clark catches sight of Bretton's letters of recommendation. Not having any himself, he resolves to steal them. The story jumps to the scene of warfare, where Sonia and her father are tending their sheep. The old man is killed by a stray bullet and is buried by his mourning daughter. The two correspondents proceed on foot to headquarters, and notice from the edge of a precipice a skirmish between the contending forces. In order to more clearly observe the fight, Bretton throws down his knapsack. Approaching too near the edge, he makes a false step and falls. His cries are heard by Sonia, who in going to his rescue risks her life. Clark cuts open his rival's knapsack and steals the coveted papers. Bearing these, he goes to headquarters, where he is warmly received. Bretton recovers from his fall and is somewhat smitten by his rescuer. Found by the soldiers, without credentials, he is arrested as a spy. He escapes from the guard tent and gallops away on a horse, untouched by the sentry's pursuing bullets. The battle is in progress and both correspondents have their stories ready. Clark, tricked by Sonia, is detained in his attempt to reach the telegraph office, and so Bretton's telegram goes through. When Clark finally arrives the wires are congested. Disgruntled, he visits a neighboring theater, but the enemy are within range and a well-directed shell crashes through the building and sends the audience and performers fleeing for their lives. Clark, among others, is rendered unconscious. Bretton, hearing of an impending battle on the sea, journeys there, and by climbing a tree sees the demolition of a majestic war vessel by a hidden mine. Again the correspondents hasten to the telegraph office, and Sonia, aiding Bretton, again foils Clark. Bretton, to obtain a better view of a land conflict, goes aloft in an aeroplane. It is shattered by a shell and falls earthward with a sickening crash. Sonia, who has been captured by the Turks after being wounded, has escaped from a hospital mosque and is wandering around when she sees the aeroplane descend. She saves Bretton from being burned to death. Again Bretton is triumphant in getting his story over the wires ahead of Clark. He asks Sonia to return home with him as his wife. The young people, on the conclusion of hostilities, arrive in Bretton's home town and are congratulated warmly on their work by the newspaper's proprietor. They meet Clark, their former enemy, and all differences are ended in a warm handshake and the declaration that "all is fair in war and love."

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