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The Toll of Mammon Synopsis

Dr. John Wright is a young, rising physician. His wife, who was raised in luxury, rebels at their present poverty. Having received an invitation to a great social event, she pleads with her husband to devise some means for obtaining finery, so as to be able to accept the invitation. He borrows two sets of jewels, one of which she loses at the ball. Both are panic stricken. He gives his note for $5,000 to cover the loss. Later he makes a great surgical discovery and becomes famous. Four crooked promoters seek his endorsement to lend legitimacy to their fake tuberculosis cure and promise him $50,000. He refuses. Later the conspirators secure the promissory note and threaten foreclosure. This, and his wife's entreaties to accept the money, influence him to do so. The promoters build a sanatorium and use their dangerous "Alligator Serum." Dr. Wright's little daughter contracts tuberculosis while her father is away at the sanatorium looking over the records. The number of deaths here astound him. Realizing the "Cure" to be a fake, he demands the elimination of his name. They refuse and a struggle ensues. The doctor is wounded and they, fearing exposure, imprison him in the sanatorium. Meanwhile the chief promoter makes advances to the shallow wife and claims the doctor has deserted her, but she repulses him and rushes into another room into the arms of her husband, who has escaped. After hearing her story, the doctor throttles the promoter and ejects him from their home. He then finds his child has been given the fatal serum. Dr. Wright hears that a warrant is out for his arrest, on account of his connection with the sanatorium. Grieving over his threatened arrest, the possible death of his only child and his future ruin, he seizes his revolver, contemplating suicide. The three promoters rush in to buy his silence, but all are filled with fear as the police approach. The doctor, followed by the fear-crazed promoters, rushes out and jumps into a launch. They are pursued by another boat containing the police, who open fire. One of the police bullets strikes the gasoline on board the doctor's boat, which explodes, blowing boat and occupants high in the air. Dr. Wright, the survivor, is only slightly injured, and being caught, he is sentenced to "Thirty Years at Hard Labor," for manslaughter. Broken and dejected from the fate which has followed her foolish vanity and her insistence upon her husband accepting the $50,000, and remorse over her fast-failing child, the doctor's wife sits and watches her baby die of tuberculosis. She earns her living by sewing, and meets him after some years of privation at the prison gate, when he has been pardoned after contracting the dread disease. She accompanies him to the famous Adirondack Sanatorium, where he is cured within one year amidst characteristic scenes in and about the sanatorium. The two, now thoroughly restored to health and sanity through their terrible experiences, find much to live for in their mutual, understanding love, though without riches.

When Fate Leads Trump Synopsis

Gordon, the only son of a smuggler chief, is sent with a companion from his father's stronghold to travel so that he may learn the ways of the world. At their first stopping place he falls in love with a young woman, Marion Williams, and marries her against his father's orders, keeping her in ignorance of who he is and what his past has been. Shortly after his marriage he receives a message that his father is dying, and in his attempt to visit his parent secretly is seriously injured. His wife nurses him back to health, and then demands an explanation. He confessed all, and because of the great love she bears him and their child she forgives and even consents to accompany him on a visit to his father. While there the band, including Gordon, is captured by the customs police, but Marion escapes, becomes lost in the wilderness and is found almost drowned in a mountain stream by Jim Bartlett, the paymaster of a lumber camp. As a result of her privations her memory of the past is a blank. She marries Jim. After several years Gordon and his companion are released from prison and return to the mountains. They apply to Bartlett for work, but he has no places for them. Continuing on their way they reach Jim's cabin, and Gordon, leaving his companion on the outside as a lookout, enters to rob it. Inside he sees a woman and attempts to overpower her. In the struggle he meets her face to face; it is his wife. The shock restores her memory. At this moment Jim enters the cabin and in astonishment beholds his wife in another man's arms. Not receiving an explanation, he turns to Gordon and says, "I will give you one hour to explain or fight." For Marion's sake he leaves in silence, removes the bullets from the cartridges in his revolver, and in the duel which follows is mortally wounded. His foe, learning of his act, removes him to the cabin where Gordon, with his last breath, whispers, "I married her years ago; she thought me dead."