Similar Content
What is The Money Kings about?
Part 1: The greed of money asserts itself in the mind of James Montepier, when he sees an opportunity of securing a large contract for the steel interests if war is declared in Europe. A conference is to be held at The Hague in the interests of peace and Roy Brain, in love with Helen, Montepier's daughter, is appointed by the United States Government as a representative at the arbitration. He goes to The Hague to advocate the maintenance of peace, which is agreed upon, with the understanding that he return to America and secure the president's signature to the agreement. He attends a consultation of the president and his cabinet and is informed that they will present the document endorsing peace on the eve of Roy's departure, one month later. Part 2: The money kings, in behalf of the Steel Trust, determine to frustrate the government's plan. They engage the services of a very fascinating woman, Marion Mallard, as their secret agent to accomplish their end, and bribe Roy's valet to assist her. Montepier gives a reception, to which he invites all the foreign government diplomats. Roy attends. Marion is there, the cynosure of all eyes. At this affair, Roy is given the papers endorsing universal peace to be carried back by him the following day when he sails for The Hague. Marion is introduced to Roy and with her irresistible blandishments, she completely captivates him and induces him to take her home, where she has a very enticing little spread for two. While they are partaking of it, she manages to spill wine upon his coat sleeve and gets him to take off his dress coat, in the pocket of which is the coveted message. She removes the document from the pocket, replacing it with one carefully prepared to resemble the original. Part 3: Marion delivers the President's message to Montepier, for which she receives a good-sized check. Montepier places the document in his safe. Helen overhears her father and Marion talking about their clever work. Roy has already sailed for The Hague. Helen hurriedly plays the same game. She secures an envelope of the same kind as the one enclosing the message. She asks her father if she can get a necklace which she has deposited in his safe. He consents, and while he is engaged at the telephone, she extracts the stolen message and puts one which she has prepared to resemble it in its place. She then hastens to the wireless station and sends a message to Roy on board ship, stating he has the wrong document and to watch for her cousin, Ralph, in his hydro-aeroplane, as he will fly to him with the original message. Her cousin takes the message, starts his flying machine and flying across the water, delivers it on board the steamer to Roy, who jubilantly proceeds on his way. James Montepier and his steel colleagues meet to receive his report of the success of his scheme to defeat the government and carry out their own project. All smiles, he tells them how cleverly he and Marion Mallard succeeded. Taking Helen's duplicate from his pocket, he hands it to the chairman of the board, who opens it and finds nothing but a blank sheet of paper. Instantly there is an uproar of astonishment, which changes into chagrin and dejection when they realize they have been fooled.
