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The Vital Question Synopsis

King, a businessman, has reason to believe that an investigating committee has been appointed to inquire into the workings of certain shady deals with which his name has been connected. While he is brooding over the matter, Worden comes in and King tells him of his trouble and is advised to consult a clever lawyer. Worden recommends Scarsdale for the job. King looks hopefully upon this advice for Scarsdale is engaged to his daughter Beatrice. When King finally reveals his true motive, Scarsdale is greatly perturbed. The proposition as it stands reads King's salvation or the loss of Beatrice. Scarsdale turns down the case and bids Beatrice farewell. King's creditors get after him and King commits suicide. Beatrice holds Scarsdale morally responsible for her father's death. She refuses to see him. The small amount of money Mr. King left is soon exhausted, for Dick, Beatrice's brother, speedily gets rid of it by dissipation. Beatrice, facing a financial crisis, appeals to Warden for assistance. When Dick returns in a maudlin condition his sister remonstrates with him for his action, and Worden, who is standing nearby, suggests that Beatrice marry him, and thus obtain a protector for her brother. Deep down in her heart Beatrice still cherishes a regard for her former lover, Scarsdale, and she refuses Worden's offer. When Dick comes out of a drunken stupor, he finds himself penniless. To obtain money for further dissipation, he forges Worden's name to a check. The forgery discovered, Dick is just about to be sent to prison. Beatrice appeals to Worden to withdraw the charge. Worden refuses to intervene. Beatrice makes a final plea. Her distress arouses the brute feeling to Worden's mind, and he tells her he will drop the charge if Beatrice will repay him by becoming his wife. Beatrice sobbingly consents. Scarsdale has gradually climbed the ladder of success. After years of earnest endeavor he is made district attorney. His first campaign is against the Beef Trust. It happens that Worden is head of the Trust. Later, through a trick, Scarsdale and Dick are brought to Worden's home where together with a henchman, he hopes to get certain damaging evidence on the district attorney. A fight follows and the four men upset an electric library lamp, leaving the room in darkness. A revolver shot rings out and silence follows. It is discovered that Worden has been killed by the man he had hired and the latter is captured by the police in his attempt to escape. With Worden out of the way, Scarsdale and Beatrice renew their old love and look with promise on the future.

The Daring of Diana Synopsis

Twenty-five years before the story opens, Jason Brisco, owner of the Daily Argus, became embittered by the death of his wife, whose life was snubbed out as her child was born. In his anguish he seeks consolation in travel. After all these years Briscoe's son, John, is editor of the Argus and has won a reputation for absolute honesty. He receives a telegram from Paris telling him to prepare to receive his father, who is coming on the next boat. The days drag for John, who is impatient to get a glimpse of the father he has never seen, but when he arrives John is disappointed. The man does not measure up to the strong, honest character with which John invested his father; his face is cunning, his eyes shifty. Just before the arrival of his father John had been honored by a visit from the leaders of a certain political faction who came to buy the support of the Argus, but who went away with sad faces. Hearing of the return of the elder Briscoe, they return once more, determined to buy either the support of the Argus or the paper itself. In Jason Briscoe they find a man to their liking, for, although he will not sell his support, he is eager to bargain for the sale of the paper. Despite John's protests arrangements are made, and the signature of Jason Briscoe to the documents is all that is now required. In fond anticipation of the large purchase price, Briscoe is about to affix his signature to the bill of sale, when the door is thrown open unceremoniously and Diana Pearson, star reporter of the Argus, enters and commands the attention of all those present. Recognizing her and terrified at her appearance at this inopportune moment, Briscoe jumps from his chair and tries to escape, but runs right into the arms of a waiting policeman, who brings him back and forces him to listen to Diana's tale. After the arrival of Jason Briscoe from Paris Diana had seen a woman following his automobile, and thought it worth her while to investigate the cause. On reaching Briscoe's house she heard a loud report, and entering found the woman on the floor, shot. Diana attempted to leave the house to summon aid, but was detained and thrown into a cellar with the other woman by "Briscoe" and his valet. Here, when she regained consciousness, the woman told Diana of how the man who is posing as Briscoe had trapped the real Briscoe in Paris and left him in the care of an Apache on the outskirts of the city. His real name, she said, is Stange, and he is one whom she has ample reason to hate. Diana was horrified by the story, but she realized her helplessness; she was unable to prevent the sale of the paper. Then she thought of a plan, and made Stange her innocent accomplice. Unknowingly he carried word of her plight to the Argus office with him, and one of the reporters started out immediately with a number of policemen to her rescue. After her release Diana rushed straight to the office where she was fortunate in arriving in time to prevent the illegal sale. Seeing that all is known, Stange makes a frantic attempt to escape from his captors, but is shot to death in the struggle. Two weeks later a cable to the Prefect of Police in Paris has secured the release of Briscoe from the Apache's den, and in the office of the Argus he is introduced to his future daughter-in-law, Diana Pearson, reporter.