In the Clutch of the Emperor - Production & Contact Info (original) (raw)

Hal Gordon, owner of the Rovania-American steamship line, is presented with a chest of gold dinner service by the Emperor of Rovania on board the Rovania steamer, "Emperor" bound for America. Hiding in the steerage is Vera, a revolutionist...See moreHal Gordon, owner of the Rovania-American steamship line, is presented with a chest of gold dinner service by the Emperor of Rovania on board the Rovania steamer, "Emperor" bound for America. Hiding in the steerage is Vera, a revolutionist escaping from Rovania. Hal, while walking in the steerage finds a book in which he discovers a curious-looking piece of paper which bears but a number and several little holes. The paper falls on the page of the book which corresponds to the number on the paper. He sees the following words appear through the holes of the paper, "the-man-you-fear-is-on-board." Presently Vera comes looking for the book. The two become interested in each other. As Hal is speaking to her. Count Vorn, ambassador of Rovania, gets a wireless message that Vera is hiding in the steerage and demands she be arrested. Vorn sees and recognizes Vera as a dangerous revolutionist. Before he can arrest her she dodges into the steerage again. Vorn tells Hal he is going to arrest Vera. Hal secretly determines he shall not. He slips to Vera and gives her the key to his cabin. That night, when Vorn tries to arrest her, a cloaked figure jumps out at him and strikes him down, while a girl slips past and hides in Hal's cabin. Vorn suspects the girl is in Hal's cabin and watches it closely. Hal sends a wireless for his yacht. It arrives and he plans to get the girl out unnoticed. He remembers the cipher the girl used. He gets a copy of the book she used as a key to the cipher and cuts little holes in it. He writes the number of the page she is to look up and slips the paper in the book. When the yacht arrives he asks Vorn to put the book on the window sill of his cabin. Vorn does so. Vera, inside the cabin, steals the paper, and guessing it to be a cipher, reads the following, "when-six-bells-strike-hide-in-the-gold-dinner-service-chest." At six bells Hal, Vorn and several sailors enter the cabin. Vorn looks about for the girl but does not see her. Hal has his bags and the chest taken out by the sailors. As it passes out Vorn salutes, as is proper at the exit of a gift of his emperor. Half an hour later, the chest, supposed to contain an imperial gift, opens and a fair sweet revolutionist against that very emperor steps out and is cordially received by the handsome ship owner. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less