Dorian's Divorce

Summary

In the labyrinthine corridors of early 20th-century finance, we encounter Dorian Keene, a broker whose fortunes have been irrevocably gutted by the relentless maw of Wall Street. His wife, Florence, a woman chafing under the constraints of a diminished existence, demands a divorce, a bitter pill Dorian, despite his profound devotion, consents to swallow. Just as the legal machinery grinds into motion, a revelation shatters the already fragile peace: Sanders, Florence's godfather, confesses to Dorian his egregious misappropriation of Florence's trust, a secret now poised to explode with the impending divorce and the inevitable accounting. Dorian, driven by an almost quixotic loyalty, vows to shield Sanders. Their rendezvous at Dorian's hunting lodge with Florence and her counsel quickly devolves into chaos when a weakened Sanders reveals his perfidy to Florence. Her incandescent fury is punctuated by a gunshot, heard by a maid who discovers Sanders lifeless, a bullet lodged in his temple. The maid's accusation falls upon Florence, but Dorian, in an act of breathtaking self-sacrifice, claims responsibility for the murder, fleeing into the night. His escape is short-lived, intercepted by a highwayman who strips him of his attire and vehicle, leaving Dorian bewildered but inadvertently granting him a new, anonymous identity when the stolen car, with the highwayman inside, careens over an embankment, burning beyond recognition. Presumed dead, Dorian, now a penniless phantom, drifts to the New York waterfront, contemplating escape to Europe. There, he stumbles upon a sinister plot: Henry Morgan, the very broker whose machinations had fueled Florence's discontent, has acquired Dorian's old yacht, the 'Sea Gull,' for a clandestine human smuggling operation, desperate to recoup his own losses. Dorian infiltrates the crew as a stoker. Aboard the 'Sea Gull,' amidst the high seas exchange of human cargo, Dorian orchestrates a daring takeover of the wireless, alerting Federal authorities. A revenue cutter intercepts, arrests the crew, and Morgan is implicated as the mastermind. Meanwhile, Morgan, believing Dorian dead, has relentlessly pursued Florence, proposing marriage, then a life without ceremony, revealing his true, contemptible nature. Florence, now disillusioned, turns her thoughts back to her 'deceased' husband. The arrival of government agents to arrest Morgan coincides with the stunning revelation that Dorian lives. Florence, with a heart renewed, welcomes her husband home, and together, they ceremoniously tear up the divorce papers, symbols of a past irrevocably altered, yet ultimately redeemed.

Synopsis

Dorian Keene, a broker, who has lost most of his money in Wall Street, and his wife, Florence, dissatisfied with her lot, wants a divorce. Out of his great love for her, Dorian agrees to allow her to have it. While the papers are being prepared Sanders, Florence's god-father, confesses to Dorian that he has misappropriated funds belonging to Florence. He fears an exposure, since she is getting a divorce, and may demand an accounting. Dorian promises to do what he can to protect Sanders. They go to Dorian's hunting lodge, where Florence agrees to meet Dorian with her lawyer. There Sanders weakens and tells Florence of the missing funds. She turns upon him in a violent temper. A maid hears them quarreling and soon afterward hears a shot. Hurrying into the room she finds Sanders dead with a bullet wound in his temple. She tells Dorian that Florence has killed Sanders. In his devotion to his wife, Dorian takes the blame for the crime. Then he escapes in an automobile. Down the road Dorian encounters a highwayman who holds him up, takes his clothing and the machine, and leaves his outfit with the bewildered broker. Further along the road the automobile goes over a steep embankment and the car is burned. The body of the highwayman is charred beyond recognition, and everyone thinks it is Dorian. Dorian, penniless, wanders to the water front in New York, intending to take a ship for Europe. There he learns that Henry Morgan, a fellow broker, who was instrumental in making Florence dissatisfied with her lot, has bought his old yacht, the Sea Gull, and is arranging for a smuggling expedition. Morgan has lost nearly all his money, and, in desperation, has taken a contract to smuggle Chinese into this country for a thousand dollars a head. Dorian succeeds in getting a job aboard the yacht as a stoker. The yacht puts to sea, and when some distance from land, meets another vessel, from which the Chinese are taken aboard. As the yacht nears New York, Dorian, after many thrilling incidents, gains control of the wireless apparatus, and notifies the Federal authorities of the smuggling scheme. A revenue cutter meets the yacht and the captain and crew are arrested. The captain names Morgan as the man higher up. Meanwhile Morgan has been pressing his suit with Florence, who, believing her husband dead, has agreed to marry Morgan. Instead, he urges her to come to him without a ceremony. Florence then spurns him, and realizing his true nature turns her thoughts to Dorian. Then the government agents call to arrest Morgan, and at the same time she learns that her husband is alive. Florence sends for Dorian, welcomes him home, and together they tear up the papers for the proposed divorce, which she has kept in her possession.