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Betsy Ross [first reel missing]

1 "Some day your father may

  forgive my American
 patriotism and consent
   to our marriage."

2 ".... and if he doesn't,

we shall declare war
 --- upon father!"

3

 "Oh, my love! God guard

thee and keep thee true, even as I have been true, always!"

4

   LATE THAT EVENING
 Misled by the red cape,

Vernon's jealousy is aroused.

5 "In God's name, Master Ashburn,

   thee has killed him!"

6 "He deserved to die!"

7 "Doubtless he did---but thee will

be punished---and it will break
      thy aunt's heart!"

8 "Thee does know the law.--- What chance has thee?---Thee

       must flee!"

9

"A drop o' brandy an' a few

stitches 'll fetch Master Vernon

 back---I'll call for help!"

10 ".... call for help, will ye?"

11 "Did the man I fought escape

         unhurt?"

12 "Ye lost yer head an' struck out

 blindly.---Here's the result."

13 "No less than murder---but I can

        save ye, lad!"

14 "The only witness to the murder can keep his mouth shut---if he's

   paid handsome for it!"

15 The following

  morning.

16 "Betsy, are you sure

 you love Joseph?"

17 "Then never let him find

 it out.---He will take

advantage of it, just as

     all men do."

18 The mother of Clarence Vernon, a

proud, aristocratic American
woman, whose sympathies are
not with the cause of liberty
                    Kate Lester

19

"How much does your honorable

protector demand for his silence?"

20 "And ye'll be enlistin' me in yer

camp, as yer trusted friend!---
       Ye'll need me!"

21 "But you are an American!"

22 "Aye!--And a well-informed one, lad!

 --'Tis reason enough for General
   Howe to want me for a spy!"

23 ".... and the 'Salvator' has sailed

    without Joseph Ashburn,---
    tomorrow his body may be
         washed ashore!"

24 "What is he to thee?"

25 "I loved him!"

26

         A YEAR LATER

Convinced that Joseph is dead---to

  please her father, Betsy has
  become the wife of John Ross.

27 "Thee has turned thy husband's

head with thy patriotism, and
thee will suffer accordingly!"

28 Joseph Ashburn, under the assumed name of Nathaniel

Wheatley, has become a

temporary aide to General

     Washington.

29

 While in his own camp, Clarence
Vernon sees Joel Radley receive a

commission for his services rendered

    as an enemy of America.

30 The spirit of '76

31 The return of

John Ross--

32

  ANOTHER YEAR PASSES

The widow Betsy Ross is now proprietress of the John Ross

    Upholstery Shop.

33 Mrs. Lemuel Bass,

  Betsy's dearest friend and
        loyal admirer
             Nellie Fillmore

34

Clarissa, forced to confess 

her marriage, fails to convince

her father of its legality.

35 "If thee is married to the officer

in whose arms I found thee months
 ago, where is thy certificate?"

36 "I have none.---We were secretly

married by a chaplain, who has
 since returned to England!"

37 "....scarlet woman!"

38 "How offensively partisan

 this trades-person is!"

39 "Scipio, don't you dare kill

that Vernon nigger---it will
    ruin his new suit!"

40

For two days, a Dutch vendor

has sung his wares through the

  streets of Philadelphia.

41 "In disguise!---Is thee sure he

       is not a spy?"

42

   "No, no!---He has regained his

commission, and has promised to join the

American Army---as soon as released
  from the colors under which he 
           was serving!"

43

"My poor Clarissa!---I fear thee

is the dupe of an unscrupulous man!"

44 ".... and some day, thee

will have faith in him, 
      even as I!"

45

  "Lieutenant Wheatley, madame,

at your service.---General Washington presents his compliments to Mistress

           Betsy Ross."

46 General George Washington

       George MacQuarrie

47 "They are all of my handiwork and

sent to thee anonymously.--- You
 see, General, I, too, can never
          tell a lie!"

48

"Do you think, Mistress 
Ross, you could fashion

our country's first flag?"

49 "May we ask, General,

 what inspired this
 beautiful design?"

50

 "Summoned before
Congress to consult

upon a flag, I looked up

and beheld the sunlight
streaming through the
    diamond-paned 
window of the gables,
  falling upon the 
 table before me...."

51

".... the framework

separated the bars of light so they became

stripes of red and
    white ...."

52 ".... through the window

 I saw the blue sky,
where at night glitter
the silver stars---and
  in those symbols 
  of the universe, I
   saw---our flag!"

53 "You may remain to guard and protect Mistress Ross until her

   duties are completed."

54

"Why did thee allow the report

of thy death to break our hearts?

---And why is thee hiding under 
        another name?"

55 "I---I am a murderer!"

56

"Thy poor aunt would better

think thee dead than ever know the unhappy truth.---I shall not

        betray thee!"

57 A FEW DAYS LATER

Clarence Vernon,

   Junior.

58

"Have no fear. No one but

friends knows thee is here."

59 Mrs. Vernon, hoping to serve

 General Howe, attends a 
  reception in honor of
   General Washington.

60

"In order to protect all loyal

Americans, it has become necessary

 to deport those who secretly
       favor the enemy."

61

"Then, General, you would better

look to Mistress Betsy Ross!---It is

rumored that her shop is a safe
      harbor for spies!"

62 "....and a shot might have

alarmed some one who is
  very ill, upstairs."

63 The last stitches in the

    beloved flag!

64 "I am your sister's husband!"

65

 "Thee has tricked my sister
and I shall protect thee only to

make it possible for thee to right

     the wrong done her."

66 "Withdraw---but maintain a close

watch.---Should the spy seek to 
        escape---shoot!"

67

"The man is here!---Are you

hiding him because you love him

 ---more than your honor?"

68 "Congress will reward

you, Mistress Ross!"

69 "There can be no

reward so great
 as the honor!"

70

  "The occasion for the guard 

no longer existing, you may withdraw

            your men."

71

  "Your Excellency, may I be

permitted to maintain the guard for

        a time longer?"

72 "If a necessity exists, of what

       nature is it?"

73

"I cannot reply, Your Excellency.

---I beg that you trust to my honor as a soldier, to do a soldier's duty."

74 "My honor and the honor of the nation depend upon the retention

       of the guard."

75 "Your Excellency, I---I cannot

     explain further!"

76 "Lieutenant Wheatley, you are

      under arrest!"

77

"Deliver this note to General

Arnold as instructed, then report

your arrest to him in person."

78 Benedict Arnold.

79 "The General's written orders

were for you to return with 
       the papers!"

80

"General Washington, there is

an enemy officer hidden here---my

     sister's husband!"

81 "....his presence was suspected

by Lieutenant Wheatley, who

because of his love for me, did not

   wish to dishonor me!"

82 "Mistress Ross, will you produce

       your prisoner?"

83 "Your position has been satisfactorily

   explained by Mistress Ross."

84

"Mistress Ross, deliver your

prisoner to Lieutenant Wheatley."

85

"To save a good man's honor---

and perhaps his life, I am forced

      to give thee up."

86 "Clarence Vernon!---You have

   come from the dead!"

87 Early the next

  morning.

88

"These papers belong to

General Washington.---In the excitement of taking the

 prisoner, they were
     overlooked!"

89 "He was to stop at Bordentown.

---I may overtake him there!"

90

Returning from General Howe's

headquarters, Joel Radley arouses

the suspicions of the American
 soldiers and is arrested.

91 "Ain't I always said wimin 'ud

    be the death o' ye?"

92 "It is Captain Clarence Vernon's discharge from

General Howe's army."

93 "Then he told the truth!---He

 is not a spy! I beg thee,
General, to pardon him!---
 He is eager to join the
     American Army!"

94 "In times like these, the sentence of

the Court Martial is quickly carried
 out.---I doubt if you can reach
Philadelphia in time to save him!"

95

"And to think

there is a little child---born of a murderer and a condemned spy!"

96 "Ye can die with a clear conscience

as to the murder.---For 'twas I

who killed Old Ketch, the crier!..."

97 "You have been found guilty! The

  Court sentences you to be
       shot at noon!"

98 "....guilty!"

99 Noon--

100 "It is too late!---The spy

  has been executed!"

101 "Thank God! I can now return

to my wife and child, an
  honorable American!"


THE END

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