"THE CHEAT."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 662, 12 November 1909, Page 8

"THE CHEAT."

'.-' X;'ii* v:>-r ;-- r ■!■')"'■ ; : ,;^-f-,"■•■■- ■-■ ■': '■''' ?r'i ; ': ; \ >: 'It has oome: itla'st. . Mr. J. .C.JWilliamson' has.stpg&d-an/out and' orit'.convehtional ; melodrama/ and'.tho featsvof ■; the- artistic a"n, Australia.falt fast... .As the.play wiH>be/dbne:in 'Wellington, at Christinas ■ time;- an-outline of the. plot should interest.:;'. '.'.:■:.':■• ...••';, ',;,' . ; The theme,is a',: militarvonei launched on the night, of -the regimental'linner of .the Guides, bound -next day: for Afghanistan, and a■ brush wiffl',the/valiant : hillsraon; What , audience does ■not. welcome spectapulai :b%inninjgsf>'The' itir. evitaWe ' after-dinner -gaine; of ■; cards .;for high stakes .terminates in: an accusation' of cheating being Revelled against .Captain James Blanonard, spn of.'. a i Stirling i old; British' general. Started cards are; discbvi \i, and as the pack came from "Blanchard'e !1 tag, who was to gness\ th&t his - ! despicaL S ' 'obusin; Captain Philip. Rivers, fpr' i .reasoiis' v ih">hiehi. lovely woman is had. pricked them off while the backs players »wer© conveniently 'turned? . -"Unlnoky: Jim" -..ia 'conieguently braided as, a cheat by Ws fellow ofiqers,:.PTodanned 'a;"coward :by .Ms: faiher, beeausa he,cannot,,an'd: the othtrs.won't; ex-; plain the reason'for '.tii sudden .resignatibn;iri. the face, of a;call, to, arms, : and.'itis. also:sug-. gested. later' on..that, he' -is':a ; seducer.:..' -A. revolver, bullet seems -the , 'best, way out of all this,.,.until. ai; girl A : of> course-suggests,a;'..betterr-that\ he: : vshonld'.v'-niakeva fight .for it'. , *" So'he. becomes-''a ! f anker", inthe'hghting 1 out to.the:hills:with th*-:troops, :-\nhs. a.-Vj-C."for ijeeds of: valour,; aud : .generally make's) a' name i'i&t"' himself j: i£s Private James.'.;' Moanwhile. .Ki-rors i\h'as -de: veloped. the drug ;babit ! in;. addition to;hismother ■ vices,,and''.likewise, exhibits himself as, a.'m'an. of no heart. About'the tiine he has gbt;himselfl'into,bad odonr-with the-hUlsmen-for (shellingr ~defericeless - women- 1 1 in , '.a- ■■{ rentier : . village, the';brother officers' are; beginning' to, doubt' whether Bla'nchard•;was not:the-'scapegoat' after all.-. The , 'time-coniesvwhen the- frontier fott .commanded;by. Biy.ersVis.'ur-a- bad;way; and' simultaneously- ■ word ■■'■ '.comes ••■ that , '.'' Englisli women have been captured; by .'the tribes, >and caU''ouly.. , escape.''tbrture.'and- oth'br.. horror's.,by the -.'ofi- Rivers V;'to ■, ,the ■■: hillmen'6 v;engeanbe;' v ;At:that:thei.villain dissembles,aid after.i(»nf,essing:)iis imisdeedß.niakes' an''ehd-qf itr>'ith, a ; pistolvsliqtV Arrives,'then," the'hero, Frivate. James,,of the Gordons.''in hot haste, and^ery'dusty .'i' This ■Iβ. his'time "for. streiiuousi effort. ■ - \ Bβ : .cohtrives • to : 'get' captured'.' ; b,y ,th,e.' 'enemy, '■, to'i.make ••■ a ;sensabonal' escape,;';to Veturji' to.'.the lullmen 1 '.in;; the disguise of Rivere,'and so of tne/Engli'sh'' are;■ of '.'cOursej' -'the ■ heroines pi-, the' play—andSto {participateV in / av great spectacular 'finale, 'contrived -by ■. the '.arrival- Of his father,; the general,.- 'troops; , and the laying, down; of. arms by the hillmen, who recognise.."ini"General ji-Blancbard' ;:a ■~"blood brothor"'.of.other-days..'■.';• ..." .',., •"'■'■'.•■;■