[Omitted, Photo of Alice Joyce and Tom Moore facing each other Caption on Moore: "'I'm asking you to marry me because I want you with all my heart.' In the end, he convinced her --." Caption on Joyce: "And she went home Mrs. Tom Moore."]

SINCE pictures are generally completed months before their "release" to the public, any famous truant may have exercised his or her spell of wandering--and have recovered therefrom--before being missed on the screen.

I'm afraid that pretty soon you're going to notice an Alice Joyce vacancy in your favorite theatre of the unspoken. Unless they've got a regular war budget of Alice canned in some cold cement film vault somewhere--a matter upon which I really can't speak with authority.

Alice Joyce is supposed to be in Florida with the Kalem company as its leading woman; but as a matter of fact she hasn't been in Florida for a good many weeks, and she hasn't been appearing in pictures.

Alice Joyce is just honeymooning in New York.

At any rate, she was new York bound when she left Jacksonville, Fla., and that's where Tom Moore is: energetic chap who is not only leading man of the New York Kalem Company, but its director. Marguerite Courtot is leading woman of this company. Miss Joyce has not, to date, appeared with it.

If a notary public asked Alice Joyce for he full and true name, so help her! she would have to respond: "Alice Joyce Moore," or spend a lot of days in an iron house knitting socks for Belgians or doing some other incongruous penance for perjury.

No one had ever suspected that Tom was in love with Alice or that her head was ever filled with thoughts of the leading man. And I firmly believe that neither of the two most interested knew it, until something happened to wake them up.

That something was a studio note in a certain magazine devoted to motion pictures, to the effect that Tom Moore had announced his engagement to a vaudeville dancer.

Alice saw the notice first. She raised startled eyes from the page wondering if it could be true. It must be, she thought.

The next morning at the Studio, she went to Tom, extended her hand and, like the good pal she was, wished him happiness.

"That's awfully nice of you, Alice," said Tom, "but why wish me that now? This isn't my birthday."

"I was congratulating you on your engagement," explained Alice, a little ray of pleasure in her heart at the idea that he was not exactly delighted. Just then came the director's call, and Tom's curiosity had to remain unappeased, while he and Alice acted out a charming love story for the delectation of the fans.

[Omitted: Photo of Joyce in a dinner gown at a mirrored dresser looking at something. This is a still from The Lynbrook Tragedy, which appeared in Photoplay's November 1914 short story adaptation. Caption this time around: Alice Joyce in her dressing room.]

Alice lunched with a number of friends, so there was no opportunity for private speech then. But with an air of determination, Tom took possession of his fair opposite, and carried her off to dinner.

"Now," he said, as soon as they were along, "will you kindly explain what you mean about my being engaged?"

Alice explained.

A waiter was sent out for a copy of the magazine, and Alice watched Tom read it, while a queer little feeling of warmth crept about her heart. There was no doubt that Tom was angry. That much he made evident. But he looked at his leading lady with new eyes when he had finished the article.

"There never was but one girl that I wanted to be engaged to," he began softly. "And you are that girl!" he finished, dramatically.

"I?" gasped Alice, like the veriest ingenue.

"Yes, you," returned Tom, masterfully, his hand covering hers on the table. "I say, Alice--let's get married right way. And then there'll be no danger of such stuff as this being printed." And his other hand struck the magazine, contemptuously.

"Are you proposing to me because you don't want things like that published about you? demanded Alice, indignantly.

[Omitted, picture of Joyce with a letter and Tom Moore holding her hand with his arm around her waist. May be a still from The Brand (1914). Caption: "I'm proposing to you because I love you," said Tom.]

"I'm proposing to you because I love you," returned Tom with sincerity. "And I'm asking you to marry me at once, to avoid fuss and feathers--and because I want you with all of my heart."

In the end he convinced her, and she went home Mr. Thomas Moore.

Their friends were astonished. An enterprising reporter discovered the news, and published it. Telegrams of congratulation, gifts expressing the admiration of the givers for the recipients, and letters poured in from all over the country.

The other Kalem players gave a splendid dinner party, and expressed their love by the presentation of a silver set that would make the heart of any bride grow envious.

Now that Alice Joyce has left the Kalem company where will she next be seen? This is a quesition of interest to thousands of fans all over America and England too.

Although she has been before the camera less than six years she has achieved international fame.

A little more than five years ago the Kalem company found itself sorely in need of a young woman who possessed both beauty and dramatic ability. They had queens who were soulless; and temperamental stars with seamed faces and the figures of frumps; but they couldn't seem to get the miraculous combination.

One of the officers of the Kalem company was talking this over in a more or less jocular manner with a famous photographer. The photographer, after a moment of serious thought, said:

"I have the woman you want. She has never had experience but I have often thought she would make an actress. If you will permit me I will bring her to your office tomorrow.

Alice Joyce proved to be the miracle. She rose rapidly to her present well maintained position as one of the most capable leading women in filmdom.

Her wedding to Tom Moore took place May 11, last year at Jacksonville. Steady work for the two has delayed their honeymoon these many, many months.

[Omitted, photo of Joyce in a sari and veil and Moore gesturing in a short tunic and turban. Probably a still from The Mystery of the Sleeping Death (1914). Caption: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Moore as the lovers in A Romance of the Orient.]