Complete Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald (Illustrated) (460 page)

MRS. KENDALL: What is it?

JACK: I’m engaged.

MRS. KENDALL: You’re engaged? Jack, you’re fooling.

JACK: No, that’s the truth.

MRS. KENDALL: Jack, what will your mother say?

JACK: Mother will like her, I know.

MRS. KENDALL: Tell me, who are you engaged to?

JACK: Her name is Leticia.

MRS. KENDALL: Leticia Larned?

JACK: The same.

MRS. KENDALL: Well Jack, you’ll be the death of me yet. But I can’t find it in my heart to be angry with you. Leticia is a fine girl.

JACK: She’s the best girl in the world and, Auntie, here’s her picture.

MRS. KENDALL: Well so long as you have to get married some time, I suppose I ought to be satisfied since you’ve picked out a nice girl. Still it does shock a body to learn it so suddenly. Well, good night. Come up when you’re ready and be sure and put out all the candles.
(Exit.)

JACK: She took it better than I expected her to. Here’s hoping Mother will be as easily pacified.
(Walks to window and looks out.)
My, it’s a dreary night. Hello! Auntie was right. This catch has been tampered with. I half believe there’s something in this, and I’ve got a hunch that that rascal Tony’s at the bottom of it. First, the way he’s been acting today. He seems to think he’s got a grudge against us and is taking it out on the horses.

And he’s always hanging around the Lazy J. Then the note. And finally this lock. I wonder what the initials “D. S. H.” stand for.

I feel the solution lies in those three letters.
(He sits in chair, yawns and goes to sleep. Enter Tony, sneaks around, ties him, and goes out after snuffing candle. Jack wakes up but finds himself tied and helpless. The window slowly opens and Leticia enters, masked. She looks around her but does not see Jack. The door opens and Tony enters and begins to work on the cabinet. She hides behind chair. She draws revolver and steps forward.)

LETICIA: Hands up.

(Tony turns around startled and throws up hands.)

Now Tony Gonzoles, alias Dead Shot Hoskins, what are you doing here at this time of night?

TONY: I may ask the same question to you, Miss —

LETICIA: Hush! Not a word from you. You probably know why I came here tonight. Where are the letters you stole from my mother five years ago? You blackmailer. Hand them to me now or, as I live, you’ll die. I’ll give you three. One — Two — Thank you. (
Burns them.)
And now as I have accomplished my purpose, I think I’ll lace you up a bit to keep you out of mischief. (
Ties him and starts for door with revolver in holster.)

(Enter Mr. Kendall.)

KENDALL: By all that’s holy, it’s a woman! Well Miss D. S. H., or whatever your initials are, your game is up. I’ve got you with the goods. Let’s have that gun. You got two of ‘em tied up, eh? Well you are a plucky one.

LETICIA:
(Noticing Jack. Aside.)
It’s Jack. How shall I explain my presence here?

(Mr. Kendall unties Gonzoles, who starts for door. Unties Jack, who starts towards Gonzoles.)

JACK: SO you’re a blackmailer as well as a robber. Yes, I heard it all. Take that!
(They fire. Gonzoles falls.)
Uncle, put away your gun. I don’t know who that girl is, but whoever she is, she has saved my life tonight, for Tony, or rather Hoskins, would have stabbed me before he made his getaway.
(Walks toward Leticia.)
Well whoever you are, you’re going to shed that mask now.

(Enter Mrs. Kendall, with telegram.)

MRS. KENDALL: Here’s a telegram for you, Jack. (
Sees Tony on floor.)
Oh, what’s this!

JACK:
(Opens telegram and reads.)
“Mr. Jack Darcy, -- Ranch — I consent to your marriage. Go ahead. Mrs. Larned an old school friend of mine. Congratulations. Mother.”
(Looks up; in
astonishment, sees that masked girl, who has now unmasked, is Leticia.’)

(Starts back.)
Leticia!

LETICIA: Jack!

KENDALL: God bless you, my children.

(Curtain.)

THE CAPTURED SHADOW

A Melodramatic-Comedy in Two Acts

Written for The Elizabethan Dramatic Club and Presented on Friday evening, August 23, 1912 at Oak Hall Under the direction of Elizabeth Magoffin.

Seven males Five females Time of presentation — One hour SYNOPSIS OF SCENES

Act I —
Drawing room of Mr. Connage, New York City.

Act II —
The same.

Time of action —
about 10:30 P. M.

CONTENTS

CAST OF CHARACTERS

COSTUMES

ACT I

ACT II

CAST OF CHARACTERS

HUBERT CONNAGE — Lawrence Boardman

THORTON HART DUDLEY,
alias “The Shadow”
— F. Scott Fitzgerald

MISS SAUNDERS,
housekeeper
.... Dorothy Greene

MR. BEVERLY CONNAGE,
father of Hubert
— Paul Ballion

MRS. BEVERLY CONNAGE,
mother of Hubert
— Margaret Winchester

DOROTHY CONNAGE,
sister of Hubert
— Anne Winchester

HELEN MAYBURN,
friend of Dorothy
— Eleanor Alair

RABBIT SIMMONS (A CROOK) — Theodore Parkhouse

CHINYMAN RUDD (A CROOK) — James Porterfield

OFFICER MCGINNESS (A DETECTIVE) John L. Mitchell

OFFICER LEON DUREAL (A DETECTIVE) — George Squires

EMMA KATE,
the maid
— Julia Dorr

COSTUMES

Hubert Connage — tuxedo.

The Shadow — dress suit.

Miss Saunders — gray housekeeper’s dress, kerchief, and cap and apron.

Mr. Connage — smoking jacket.

Mrs. Connage — dressy house dress and jewels.

Dorothy Connage — evening dress.

Helen Mayburn — evening dress.

Rabbit Simmons — old clothes.

Chinyman Rudd — old clothes, and checked suit later.

Officer McGinness — policeman’s suit.

Officer Leon Dureal — policeman’s suit.

Emma Kate — black maid’s dress, cap, and apron.

ACT I

(Discovered: Emma Kate sitting asleep in the armchair.)

(Pause 10 seconds.)

(Voice outside heard singing “Silver T breads Among the Gold”)

(Enter Miss Saunders B. L. E.) (She puts on lights.)

(She crosses to the center of the stage, sees Emma Kate and folds her arms.)

MISS S.: Well!

(Pause 4 seconds.)

MISS S.: Well!

(Emma Kate stirs uneasily and rubs her eyes.)

EMMA K.:
(Drowsily.)
Oh yes — yes mum.

MISS S.:
(Sternly.)
What on earth have you been doing?

EMMA K.:
(Sitting up.)
Asleepin’, mum.

MISS S.: Sleeping, and in that chair. The best chair.

EMMA K.: Yes mum.

MISS S.: DO you realize that it is after ten o’clock?

EMMA K.:
(Getting up.)
Why Mrs. Connage toi’ me as how I was to wait here for young Mr. Hubert. He’s still out. An’ as he wasn’t come yet an’ the chair was settin’ there doin’ nothin’, I didn’t think it’ud be no harm if I slept a bit, mum.

MISS S.:
(Shrugging her shoulders.)
So Mr. Hubert is still out, is he?

EMMA K.: Yes’m, Miss Saunders.

MISS S.: By the way, please brush out the chair.

EMMA K.: Why I ain’t hurt the chair none.

MISS S.:
(Angrily.)
Please brush out the chair and no impudence.

EMMA K.: I wasn’t meaning to be impudent.
(She starts to brush out the chair.)

MISS S.: YOU may as well go to bed. I’ll watch out for Mr. Hubert.

I intend giving him a piece of my mind. The idea of the young man coming home intoxicated every night. (
Sits down at right.)

EMMA K.:
(Turns towards her.)
Oh mum, he’s adrinkin’ awful. I’ve had to sit up for him almost every night an’ I was awalkin’ by Mrs. Connage’s room today and I hears her say —
(Checks herself.)

MISS S.: Aha! You were eavesdropping, were your That’s a nice trick. A nice trick, I must say.

EMMA K.: Honest to goodness, mum, I didn’t mean to hear her talkin’.

MISS S.: That’s a sly trick, Emma Kate, but I have detected you.

EMMA K.: Yes mum.

MISS S.: Well now. What did Mrs. Connage say?

EMMA K,:
(Sur-prised.)
Hmm?

MISS S.: What did she say?

EMMA K.: Why mum, a minute ago —

MISS S.: I have no personal interest in what Mrs. Connage was saying. I simply desire to know how much you have found out about the family secrets.

EMMA K.: I know most of the family secrets at that.

MISS S.: Eavesdroppers are certainly despicable creatures, heigh-ho — but I am waiting to hear what Mrs. Connage said.

EMMA K.: Between you and I, miss —

MISS S.: I and you, if you please.

EMMA K.: Cross your heart and hope to die if you tell?

MISS S.: How perfectly ridiculous. Of course I won’t go through any such childish proceedings. I wish to find out what Mrs. Connage said.

EMMA K.: Well 1 was apassin’ up the hall an’ Mrs. Connage was atellin’ to Mr. Connage ‘at young Mr. Hubert had been in jail three days when his dad — when Mr. Connage thought he was in Atlantic City.

MISS S.: Preserve us! This is news, real news. Hmmm.
(Changing her tone suddenly.)
How perfectly awful for you to listen to all that. And did you hear anything else?

EMMA K.: An’ Mr. Connage got awful mad. He swore some, too. Gee it was great! He kin swear better than the milkman. He said he’d turn Mr. Hubert out of the house and cut him off without a cent.

MISS S.: Dearie me! And what else did Mrs. Connage say?

(Dorothy outside.)

DOROTHY: Miss Saunders.

MISS S.: You may go now.
(Emma Kate starts.)
But don’t forget to brush out the chair. And no more of your mean sneaky eavesdropping tricks.
(Emma Kate starts to cry.)

DOROTHY:
(Outside.)
Miss Saunders!

MISS S.: I am here, Miss Dorothy.

DOROTHY:
(At doorway with newspaper.)
Oh Miss Saunders, I’ve got the most fascinating newspaper article.
(Sees Emma Kate.)
Why, what’s the matter here?

MISS S.: I found this girl monopolizing the best chair.

EMMA K.:
(Sniff, etc.)

DOROTHY: Oh poor Emma Kate. Were you tired?

EMMA K.: Tired? No mum. No I’m never tired.

DOROTHY: She didn’t hurt the chair, Miss S.

MISS S.: She sat in it. I asked her to retire.

EMMA K.: I’m goin’.

MISS S.: Have the kindness to hurry.

(Exit Emma K.)

DOROTHY: Miss Saunders, what’s a sorehead?

MISS S.: Vulgar slang. And where did you hear that?

DOROTHY: Why Brother Hubert said you were an awful sorehead.

(Miss Saunders displeased.)

MISS S.:
(Sees newspaper.)
Were you not forbidden to read newspapers?

DOROTHY: Oh yes, but I found the most romantic story.