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One Million Dollars Synopsis

While touring India, noted English criminologist Richard Duvall saves the life of a Buddhist priest who rewards him with the presentation of a wonderful crystal globe. By gazing in it the priest demonstrates that Duvall can fall into a cataleptic state and his astral body is released and is free to roam at will. Leaving the temple, Duvall collides with Grace Ellicott, who is touring the Far East with her aunt, the Countess D'Este and the Count. A mutual admiration between Grace and Duvall results from the accidental meeting. Later, in England, the mistress of Count D'Este makes financial demands which he cannot meet. With his housekeeper, Mrs. Cooke, he plans to put his wife out of the way and thus obtain her fortune. Poison is put in candy which the Countess eats. Her sudden death arouses the suspicion of her niece. On his return to England, Duvall experiments with the magic globe. He is surprised and pleased to see the face of the girl he met in India. Further experiments, while in the cataleptic state, discloses part of the plot that resulted in the death of Grace's aunt, which has cheated her out of the fortune. Duvall seeks out Grace to explain his strange experiments. She tells him that previous to the death of the Countess she had seen her will and that the entire fortune, which included one million dollars in cash, was to be left to her. But after the suspicious death of the Countess, Grace is puzzled when the Count produces a new will in which he is named the sole beneficiary. Duvall succeeds in having his East Indian servant, Purtab Gar, secure a position in the Count's home. Then he proceeds to unravel the mystery and at the same time recover the one million dollars for Grace. Count D'Este is driven to distraction by finding, everywhere he turns in his home, cards that read: "I want One Million Dollars. Victor Gerard." Disguised as "Victor Gerard," Duvall pays a visit to the Count. He insists that the one million dollars be ready for him at midnight, when he will call again. D'Este notifies the police and the chief calls in Duvall to assist in solving the mystery and apprehending "Gerard." Duval outlines a plan in which the Count is directed to have the money ready as demanded. He assures him the premises will be well protected and that "Gerard" cannot escape. "Gerard" arrives at the appointed time and mysteriously disappears, together with the money, as the police close in. Duvall walks out of a room where they think they have "Gerard" trapped. Count D'Este accuses Grace of stealing the money and attempts to strangle her when Purtab Gar saves her. Duvall succeeds in obtaining a confession of the murder from the housekeeper, when he traps her as she is attempting to poison Grace. Duvall explains everything to the mystified police. D'Este is carried off under arrest and Grace and Duvall are left happily together.

The Awakening of Helena Ritchie Synopsis

To the village of Old Chester comes Helena Richie in search of balm for a broken heart. Her dissolute husband, in a drunken rage, has killed their little child. This tragedy induces Helena to listen to the pleadings of Lloyd Pryor to leave Paris, where the Richies are living, and come to America with him. Pryor makes frequent visits to Helena in the little home he establishes for her in Chester, and the townspeople accept the statement that he is her brother. Old Benjamin Wright, however, has his own suspicions as to the relations between the two. His interest is more than a casual one, for his grandson, Sam Wright, a young poet, is in love with Helena. The old man tells him his belief with regard to Mrs. Richie. Sam asks her whether the suspicion has any foundation, and when she admits that it has he kills himself. Dr. Lavendar, the kindly old minister, has in his charge a child who needs a home. He has decided to send the little boy, David, to Mrs. Richie for a trial visit. She welcomes the boy, who fills the place in her heart left vacant by the death of her own child. Her heart becomes bound up in the boy, though she is torn by conflicting emotions by the thought of her own false position. Helena's husband has been in such feeble health, owing to his dissipations, that she has constantly expected his death to release her so that she and Pryor may be married. Finally the long-expected event happens, but Pryor has tired of her. His promise of marriage has been nothing but a ruse to get her to elope with him. Looking about for an excuse to break the bonds which have become irksome to him, he tells her that she must give up David. She refuses and he says she must choose between the child and himself. Realizing Pryor's unworthiness, she clings to the child, and Pryor leaves her. Helena goes to Dr. Lavendar, tells him the truth about her past relations with Pryor, and asks him to let her keep the child with her always. The old man's answer is: "Can you teach him to tell the truth, you who have lived a lie? Can you make him brave, you who could not endure? Can you make him honorable, you who have deceived all?" Helena is silent in the face of this accusation. She decides to give David up and to leave Old Chester. She tells Dr. Lavendar that on her way to the station next day she will come to bid David goodbye. Next day at the rectory Dr. Lavendar asks her to take with her a parcel which she will find wrapped up in the coach. She promises, and in the coach finds the package to be little David, all wrapped up for traveling. Her willingness to sacrifice her own happiness for the boy has proved her worthiness to keep him, and Helena and little David leave Old Chester to find peace among new surroundings.