y, written previously. The
author and owner of the other play called on the law to "protect" him.
An injunction was served on Merry to restrain him from playing "John
Smith." He stood face to face with a lawsuit.

Frank investigated, and his investigation convinced him that it was
almost certain he would be defeated if the case was carried into the
courts.

He withdrew "John Smith."

Frank had confidence in himself. He had written a play that was
successful, and he believed he could write another. Already he had one
skeletonized. The frame work was constructed, the plot was elaborated,
the characters were ready for his use.

He wrote a play of something with which he was thoroughly
familiar---college life. The author or play-maker of ability who writes
of that with which he is familiar stands a good chance of making a
success. Young and inexperienced writers love to write of those things
with which they are unfamiliar, and they wonder why it is that they
fail.

They go too far away from home for their subject.

At first Frank's play was not a success. The moment he discovered this
he set himself down to find out why it was not a success. He did not
look at it as the author, but as a critical manager to whom it had been
offered might have done.

He found the weak spots. One was its name. People in general did not
understand the title, "For Old Eli." There was nothing "catchy" or
drawing about it.

He gave it another name. He called it, "True Blue: A Drama of College
Life."

The name proved effective.

He rewrote much of the play. He strengthened the climax of the third
act, and introduced a mechanical effect that was very ingenious. And
when the piece next went on the road it met with wonderful success
everywhere.

Thus Frank snatched success from defeat.

It is a strange thing that when a person fights against fate and
conquers, when fortune begins to smile, when the tide fairly turns his
way, then everything seems to come to him. The things which seemed so
far away and so impossible of attainment suddenly appear within easy
reach or come tumbling into his lap of their own accord.

It was much this way with Frank. He had dreamed of going back to college
some time, but that time had seemed far, far away. Success brought it
nearer.

But then it came tumbling into his lap. No one had been found to claim
the fortune he discovered in the Utah Desert. Investigation had shown
that there were no living rela