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The Frame-Up Synopsis

Luke Simms is an honest politician: He is as charitable as he is honest and his greatest pleasure is found in giving excursions to the poor little ones of the slums. The nomination for mayor is refused by Franz Hargraves, on the score that he believes he would be expected to sign away the people's rights in favor of the Electric Company. Simms is nominated and finally elected, after declaring himself in favor of the people. Richard Sears, the leader of the corruptionists, presents a fraudulent bill to the mayor, who refuses to sign it. Sears then decides to get the ordinance passed by working on Simms' weak spot. Calling upon the mayor, Sears learns how the former's sweetheart was killed in trying to avoid running down a child while she was riding in an auto with him. Believing that he has found the mayor's weakness, that of his love of children; Sears returns home and tells his mistress, Florida Everett, that she must get acquainted with Simms and eventually marry him. Florida, a good woman at heart, longs for a decent, wholesome existence, and Sears tells her this is her chance to get it. Plans are laid to entrap Simms. The scheme works and Florida and Simms are married, and are living happily. Meanwhile Sears' stenographer, Nell, whom he has betrayed, gives birth to a child which dies a few days later. Under the assumption that he has now got the honest mayor in his power, Sears again presents the crooked ordinance, but again Simms refuses to sign it. The corruptionist then commands Florida to induce her husband to honor the measure, but she begs to be left alone. Sears threatens to expose her and she tries to get her husband to sign the bill, but he refuses. Learning of her failure, Sears sends her a telegram to meet him that night at Ardsleigh Towers, and signs it Ned Harter, who is secretary to the mayor and brother of Nell, the betrayed girl. Florida finds herself trapped, and she is kept there all night. When the mayor again refuses to sign the bill, Sears threatens to expose his wife. The corruptionist tells the mayor to find out where his wife spent the preceding night. Angered, Simms questions Florida closely, and in her anguish and fear, she begs him not to go to Sears. This decides him and he departs with vengeance in his heart. In the meantime Nell has returned to her brother. Ned drags the truth from her. He steals into Sears' home and, finding a revolver in a table drawer, extracts the cartridges and replaces the weapon, determined that his victim shall not have even a dog's chance. He secretes himself behind a curtain and hears Sears entering, and is about to shoot when the maid comes in. Simms calls and informs Sears to keep his wife's name out of their affairs. A fight starts, and just as Sears is about to stab Simms, who has the empty revolver pointed at the crook and who pulls the trigger, Ned fires unseen by the others and Sears is killed. Simms thinks he has killed him, and giving away to his grief, tries to revive Sears, and does not see the youth steal from the curtain, grab up the empty revolver and leave. Simms is arrested and indicted for murder in the first degree. Against his command, Florida takes the stand and bares her life. She relates how Sears deceived her when she was young and innocent, and of her continued bad life until she met her husband. The jury releases Simms, who, horrified at the thought of being a murderer, resolves to part from his wife, whom he reverences more than before. He does not consider himself worthy of her. Officer Ryan, ambitious for promotion, and suspecting Ned knows more than has been brought out, follows him and learns enough to make him suspicious. Simms has returned home and is preparing to leave. Officer Ryan follows Ned to Simms' house. Ned becomes alarmed and takes to the roof. Just as Simms is leaving, Ned rushes in, wounded and bleeding from the revolver of his pursuer, and confesses that he killed Sears. Ned dies and Florida and Luke are reunited.

The Opened Shutters Synopsis

When the story opens Sylvia Lacey has been left an orphan. Her shiftless father, Sam Lacey, of artistic, but weak nature, left her without money. Her mother had died ten years before. The girl writes to her only remaining relatives, an aunt, Miss Martha Lacey, and her mother's brother. In his youth the Judge, Calvin Trent, wanted to marry Miss Martha, but they quarreled. When Sylvia's letter arrives, announcing that she will be in Boston the next day, both uncle and aunt are nonplussed. Neither wants the responsibility. Miss Martha finally decides to go and the Judge sends his young partner, John Dunham, in his place. Miss Martha waits with the young lawyer in the hotel parlor. Plainly she speaks her mind to John about the inconveniences of the girl's coming. Sylvia is already in the room and hears. She promptly refuses any aid from either relatives. Miss Martha is sorry, but it is too late. Dunham, however, goes back to the girl and forces her to accept a loan (of judge's money.) Back in the village, Miss Martha and the Judge both remember a cousin of the Judge's who manages the Judge's main farm. "Thinkright" is sent for and his white hair and kindly eyes soon win the girl to visit him. "Thinkright" once loved Sylvia's mother and is naturally drawn toward the girl. As she and "Thinkright" reach the Mill Farm near Portland, she sees the deserted old Tide Mill with all its shutters closed. Imaginative, she says then and always after, that the old mill is sorrowing and only love can open the shutters. Edna Derwent, a rich Boston girl, who owns a cottage on a nearby island, is a friend and disciple of "Thinkright's." He has taught her to be patient with the false social life which means so much to her mother. Each summer she comes to Hawk Island with Miss Lacey as chaperon. Sylvia becomes jealous of Edna and all her beauty, charm and wealth. "Thinkright" stops this trend of thought in the girl and after several severe tussles, turns her thoughts into the right road. She struggles bravely. Her uncle, penitent, arrives and promptly falls in love with this niece he has never seen before. She forgives him. The next day Miss Lacey arrives at Hawk Island with Edna. This forgiveness is harder, but Sylvia, strong in her new right thinking, manages it. She is invited to the Derwent cottage for a visit. John Dunham, an old friend of Edna's, comes for a visit and his fancy is quickly taken with the imaginative Sylvia whom he rescued in Boston the month before. Sylvia has a strong talent for painting. She has done some things with pencil, but longs for paint. She has no money and is too proud to ask any of her relatives. In her heart she adores John Dunham, but has held herself coldly toward him because she thought that he and Edna were engaged. Suddenly she discovers that he loves her. In her embarrassment she drops her book of sketches and "Thinkright'' finds pieces of brown paper covered with drawings, all showing much power and talent. Edna leagues Judge Trent in a plan, and Sylvia learns that she is to have lessons in painting. The winter passes. Sylvia is making rapid strides in her profession under Edna's special wing in Boston. Summer comes and she goes to the Mill Farm again for a visit. Walking alone on the edge of the basin, she sees the shutters of the Tide Mill have opened and the windows are gleaming brightly. Just then John Dunham appears and asks her to go with him to the Tide Mill. It is open. The first floor is vacant and so is the second. He asks her to go clear to the top and there she finds a luxuriantly appointed artist's studio. "Love opened the shutters," says John, "I bought the Mill and furnished this for my bride." The old story is told and the shutters of life open wide for the girl who learned to think right.