Harold MacGrath wrote novels, short stories and screenplays in the early years of the 20th century. Arms and the Woman was his first novel, published in 1890. His novels were about love, adventure, mystery, and spies. The Drums of Jeopardy was serialized by The Saturday Evening Post beginning in January 1920. The work was published in novel form in 1920. It was soon made into a play and then a film. The story is a melodramatic mystery novel featuring villainous Bolsheviks and missing jewels. A Russian Prince steals two priceless emeralds called The Drums of Jeopardy. They are said to be cursed and doom anyone who possess them.