ASTED SACRIFICE

_Produced by the Vitagraph Company_

With all his faults, Jack Martin, an Arizona gambler, has one
redeeming quality, a deep love for his motherless child. The baby is
taken sick. Leaving her with Aunt Jane, the Mexican housekeeper, Jack
goes for Doctor Winton, who is also the sheriff. The child dies.
Crazed with grief, Jack gets drunk and shoots the town Marshal.
Leaping astride his horse, he escapes into the desert. Far out on a
sandy plain, he comes across the dead body of a young Apache squaw,
who has been bitten by a rattlesnake. By the side of the lifeless form
he finds a child who has nursed from its mother's breast and imbibed
the poison.[14] Jack thinks of his own child and his heart goes out to
the little one. Jack has eluded his pursuers and his horse has
dropped from exhaustion. He knows that he is free to escape. He
hesitates, but determines to save the little papoose by doubling back
on his tracks and meeting the posse, of which the doctor-sheriff is
the leader. On rounding a curve in the canyon, he comes upon his
followers, who cover him with their weapons. Holding out the child to
the doctor, he begs him to do something for it. The sheriff examines
it and discovers that it is dead. Jack, with tears in his eyes, stands
ready for his capture, conscious that inasmuch as he did it for one of
God's little ones, he has not done it in vain.

[Footnote 14: The scientific inaccuracy of this statement need not now
be considered.]

Mr. Epes Winthrop Sargent has well epitomized some important
principles in synopsis writing when--in _The Writer's Monthly_ for
April, 1918--he says that "the good synopsis:

"Starts with a 'punch' fact.

"Tells the story clearly in full detail as to facts, with as few words
as possible.

"Identifies as fully as possible all the leading characters at their
first introduction.

"Fully establishes minor personages as they enter the story.

"Gives _all_ of the facts required by the staff writer in the
construction of a continuity.

"Presents these facts fluently and interestingly, with some suggestion
of literary charm, but without the use of florid phrase or elaborate
descriptive writing.

"Presents facts in their logical order, but not necessarily in the
exact order of their happening.

"Is as brief as is consistent with clearness of statement, but may run
5,000 words or more IF fewer words will not permit the story
to be clearly told."

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