STORY

Richard Grave has been sentenced for forgery and given a five-year term. This will leave his wife and little baby to face the world alone. He writes his wife telling of his disgrace and begs her not to let the child ever know of her father’s shame. His wife decides that the disgrace is more than she can bear and tells him that she will get a divorce. Eight years pass and Gretchen has married a wealthy man who gladly provides for her and the child and is fondly attached to his baby. She and her husband take a happy leave from the child to attend the theater, leaving the child and nurse alone. Richard Grave has been released from prison and is kicked about from “pillar to post.” Hungry, dirty and discouraged, he is wandering about and passes the house where Gretchen lives just in time to see her and her husband enter the auto. He sees they are wealthy and decides to enter the house and make a haul. Grave gets into the house and is prowling around when his attention is arrested by a noise on the stairs. He looks up to find the child, who has missed its toy dog and come in search of it. gazing down at him. He starts back and the child tells him not to be afraid and comes down to meet him. Grave does not recognize the child as his own and they are enjoying each other’s society when Grave notices a picture of his wife. “That’s my mamma,” declares the child. Grave hugs the child close just as Gretchen and her husband arrive. Grave is captured and about to be handed over to the law when the child’s entreaties save him. Gretchen, in terror, recognizes her first husband, but he points to the child and makes her promise to be silent. He silently slips out of the window, leaving the child in the care of its foster father.
Written By: Moving Picture World