STORY

Edward Garfield, after several years of study abroad, returns to his aged father, a retired capitalist. It has long been the old man’s outspoken wish that his son and Doris Wentworth, his ward, should marry, and the old man had made his will leaving everything to bis son, with this union in view. Doctor Granice, the family physician, is in the old man’s confidence and knows of his hopes. The doctor secretly loves Doris, but is held back on account of his relations with an adventuress, Mildred Clement. There is a fond greeting between the father and son, and the son looks around inquiringly for Doris. The old man tells him the girl is in the garden, where he finds her. A happy meeting between them takes place.

Edward, after his long years of study, seeks recreation and soon drifts into a fast set. Doris notices the change in him and is very much worried. One night while he and a party of young men are having a gay time at the race, the family doctor and his woman companion come into the place and the woman sees Edward. She is attracted to him and asks the doctor about him. When she finds out that he is the son of a rich old man she expresses a wish to meet him and the doctor, seeing a way to get rid of the woman, does all in his power to help the thing along. The infatuation of Edward for the woman grows and he loses all respect for himself. Finally she gets him to propose and accepts him. He persuades her to accompany him to his father to announce the good news. The doctor feels that he is free of the woman and offers his love to Doris, who rejects him, telling him that he knows of her guardian’s wish. At this moment Edward and his fiancée arrive. He announces his engagement. His old father, in a furious rage, tells him he can choose between his inheritance and the woman. On choosing the latter, the old man tears up the will, and orders them out of the house. Doris is overcome with grief.

The doctor, seeing that that it is partly due to his work, resolves to help her win Edward back. He tells her his plan, and she agrees. He gives the old man a sleeping powder and telephones the son that his father is dying. The boy resolves to return home, but the woman insists on coming with him, taking along a rough will which she has drawn up and expects to get him to make his father sign before he dies. The doctor battles all night, apparently, to bring the father to consciousness, and in the morning tells them he is successful. The son falls on his knees and asks for his father’s forgiveness, which is granted. The adventuress tries to force her way in with the will, but is blocked by the doctor, who shows her the way out.

As the picture fades, Edward and Doris are seen in the garden, renewing their broken vows, while the old father and the doctor watch them from the window.
Written By: Moving Picture World