The Stronger Love
Summary
Amidst the craggy, verdant expanses where the entrenched Serviss and Rutherford clans have long nurtured an ancestral animosity, Nell, a woman of striking beauty and steadfast spirit, finds herself ensnared by the dictates of familial loyalty. Betrothed to Jim Serviss, the formidable patriarch of her kin, her world is irrevocably altered by the chance encounter with an enigmatic stranger. This newcomer, a guest of the rival Rutherfords, possesses a peculiar fascination with the earth itself, meticulously chipping away at rock formations – an activity that ignites fervent suspicion among the insular mountaineers, who immediately brand him a clandestine 'revenuer.' Yet, Nell's initial apprehension yields to a profound, undeniable infatuation. As their bond deepens, the stranger reveals his true quest: the elusive element of radium. In a moment of shared intimacy and burgeoning trust, Nell guides him to a clandestine deposit, richly abundant in the precious ore, nestled perilously close to the Serviss family's illicit still. The narrative culminates in a maelstrom of accusations when federal agents raid and incinerate the Serviss still during a community dance, the finger of blame pointed squarely at the mysterious geologist. Driven by a desperate, selfless love, Nell races to the Rutherford dwelling to forewarn him, only to uncover his true identity: Rolf Rutherford, scion of the opposing house. When a vengeful Jim Serviss descends upon the cabin, Nell, in an act of profound sacrifice, declares her intention to marry Rolf, a desperate fabrication designed to avert a sanguinary clash. However, the immediate danger averted, the searing truth of her heart reasserts itself; she pursues Jim, confessing the agonizing lie, affirming her enduring devotion to him alone, and revealing the profound lengths to which she would go to spare him the burden of murder.
Synopsis
Nell, a beautiful mountain girl, is a member of the Serviss family, rivals of the neighboring Rutherford family. Nell is engaged to Jim Serviss, who is the head of their clan, but when, by accident, she meets a stranger who has come to stay with the Rutherfords, they become infatuated. The stranger spends much of his time examining and chipping away at rocks, causing an intense curiosity among the mountaineers, who suspect that he is a "revenuer." When Nell learns that the stranger is searching for radium, she shows him a deposit rich in ore located near the Serviss still. On the night of a big dance, the Serviss still is burned by revenue officers and the mountain people are convinced that the stranger is to blame. Nell rushes to the Rutherford cabin to warn the stranger who is revealed to be Rolf Rutherford. When Jim arrives, Nell saves Rolf's life by telling Jim that she will marry the stranger. Soon after Jim leaves, however, Nell goes after him and admits that it is only he who she loves and that she lied to save him from committing murder.
