The story
“In this chapter of Zudora, the affairs of that sorely beset heiress take a sudden startling turn. Grown suspicious of her uncle, Hassam Ali, and impatient of the delays that he has thrown in the way of her marriage to John Storm, all of a sudden Zudora determines to cut the Gordian knot by eloping with the man of her choice. Their plans are complete and the girl is in her room waiting for the time when Storm will call for her to take her away from the mysterious guardianship of Hassam Ali, when an event occurs which changes everything.
“Hassam Ali has made the acquaintance of a certain Mr. Chang, a Chinese hypnotist and mystic of unusual powers. Seeing him place a boy in a condition in which the lad is alternately abnormally bright or stupid, at the will of the celestial, Zudora’s uncle determines to use him as a tool in putting his niece out of the way and in gaining possession of the fabulously rich Zudora mine. Associated with Chang is Madame Duval, a strikingly handsome woman of shady reputation, and at Hassam Ali’s invitation the precious pair come to his house, arriving just at the time when the elopement plans are complete.
“Hassam Ali, and Chang go to a room adjoining Zudora’s and there the strange hypnotic power of the latter is exerted. Soon Zudora sinks under it, yielding obedient to the will of the hypnotist, just as Storm arrives at the house in an automobile, ready to speed away with the girl he loves. Storm sees her at the window, where she has agreed to wait for him, but to his consternation she gives him no sign of recognition. Instead, she holds up a Japanese doll, as if in derision. As he waits in puzzled astonishment, Zudora disappears from her place at the window and the next moment Chang comes down the steps with Madame Duval, soon afterward being followed by Hassam Ali and Zudora. Before Storm can interfere the party are whisked away in their automobile.
“Storm follows them and sees them enter a great house, the home of Chang and Madame Duval. Realizing that his fiancée is in serious danger, he goes to seek the aid of the police, while within the house Zudora is being placed in a curiously designed alcove which has a false wall, that can be slid in front of it at will. While she remains there, Hassam Ali dons garments similar to those worn by Chang, disguising himself to resemble the celestial in other respects also. He has just rejoined Chang and Madame Duval, when Storm and a squad of detectives force their way into the house. Chang leaps into the alcove and pulls the lever that closes the wall.
“When the police enter they find only the disguised Hassam Ali and Madame Duval chatting and laughing together. They make a thorough search of the house, but without finding anything suspicious, and are just about to depart, when suddenly a girl’s voice rings out, which Storm recognizes as that of his sweetheart. Mystified, but assured now that they have made no mistake, Storm rushes at the disguised Hassam Ali, who calls for assistance.
“In the meantime the real Chang hidden behind the false wall of the alcove, is overpowering Zudora. After a desperate struggle he succeeds in pinioning her arms behind her, but a fresh search of the house discloses nothing to the puzzled detectives and, with Storm, they are compelled to leave without locating Zudora’s prison. A hurried consultation between Hassam Ali and Chang, after the departure of Storm and the police leads to a decision to send Zudora away in the custody of Madame Duval. Meanwhile Storm, assured that his sweetheart is somewhere in the house, returns with the detectives, and a hand to hand struggle follows. Zudora, her hands bound behind her, thrusts them under a magnifying glass, which stands on a table in the alcove, and the sun’s rays being concentrated upon her bonds soon burn them off. Hearing the struggle in the room outside, she pounds madly upon the wall and Storm, hearing the sounds, with the aid of the detectives batters down the wall and rescues her. Hassam Ali, however, arch criminal of all, escapes leaving Chang and Madame Duval to the tender mercies of the police. As for Storm, he is too well content to have saved Zudora, to give heed to aught else.”
Summary from Reel Life · 2 January 1915
