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Barriers of Society Synopsis

Westie Phillips, the son of poor and simple Quaker folk, notices a woman marooned on a rock with the tide rising. He rescues her and ever this memory of her remains with him. To Martha Gorham, the daughter of a millionaire, it is only an incident to be remembered for a short time with gratitude toward the boy. In love with Martha Gorham is Harry Arnold, a man considerably older, whose one aim in life now seems to be the winning of her, despite her refusal. Her father, Silas Gorham, is fond of Arnold and favors his suit, although he does not urge his daughter to marry. Arnold invites Martha and her father to go on a cruise with him on his yacht and she consents. Arnold has arranged with his captain to have it appear that the yacht is wrecked near an uncharted island, so he can take Martha to this spot alone and after a month or so the captain is to return and pick them up. About the same time Westie Phillips decides to go out into the world and make his way. He is shanghaied aboard a vessel bound for the Orient and meets with such severe treatment that he manages to escape in Honolulu. It so happens that the Arnold yacht is in the vicinity, and one of the men becoming troublesome, the captain decides to put him ashore. Fate again brings Westie and Martha together, for he secures the sailor's place on board the yacht. He recognizes Martha, but she does not know him. Westie scents that Martha is in danger, and it is with a great deal of satisfaction that he sees Martha repulse the advances of Arnold. Then comes the time when the yacht is in the vicinity of the island. Arnold's plans work out nicely, as he gets Martha in a boat away from her father, but Westie, though he does not know exactly what is happening, senses that there is danger for the woman he loves and insists upon accompanying Arnold. The captain fells him with a blow. Gorham and the others take to the boats and Arnold and Martha are in a boat by themselves. Westie secures a boat and rows for the island. He hears a woman's screams and again comes to Martha's rescue. Then the three take up their life as they find it on the island. Arnold becomes almost crazed when he finds his plans foiled and offers Westie any amount of money if he will but move to the other side of the island. One night Arnold tries to kill the girl, and Westie again saves her. One day Westie and Martha sight a ship and manage to attract it. Before the boat arrives Westie and Martha recognize their love for each other, and their destiny is fulfilled.

Doctor Neighbor Synopsis

Hazel Rogers, a young girl eighteen years old and heiress in her own right to millions through the death of her father, falls in love with Hamilton Powers, the District Attorney. Powers is cold, calculating, indifferent, wrapped up in his law; attentive to Hazel, but in love with Christine, a trained nurse and a school friend of Hazel's and she, too loves Powers. Hazel's mother, Mrs. Albert Rogers, lives with Hazel. Dr. Joel Samson, the famous surgeon, forty-two years old, warm-hearted, upright, respected, loves Hazel, who is his ward. He is guardian of her millions until her twenty-first birthday, and in the event of her death, previous to her twenty-first birthday, sole heir to her estate. Hazel eventually marries Powers, very much against the wish of Dr. Samson, with the usual result. Powers failing in his request to Dr. Samson to obtain the management of Hazel's money, becomes morbid, indifferent, cold to Hazel and after a few months of married life he leaves her in her magnificent home on Long Island and goes to New York City to better practice his law. Mrs. Preston and Morgan Keith, two hangers-on, are at this time visiting Hazel in her home. One day Powers comes down from town and sees Hazel have a scene. Hazel, desperate, goes out alone for a spin in her auto. Driving too fast, she meets with an accident and is thrown violently out. Her back is fractured. She is brought home a helpless, hopeless invalid. Her suffering is intense. Dr. Neighbor attends Hazel. Christine nurses her. One night in her agony she begs Dr. Neighbor to put her out of her misery. Christine, heartbroken, and almost distracted with love and agony for her suffering friend, administers an overdose of morphine. Hazel never awakens. Dr. Neighbor finds the hypo needle which Christine has left on the table. He puts it in his pocket. He knows. Powers' dislike of Dr. Neighbor causes him to investigate, and the doctor is accused. Dr. Neighbor keeps silent. At the trial Christine confesses all and Dr. Neighbor is freed. Dr. Neighbor later gives his life for a patient.