The Barrier That Was Burned (1912)

Jennie Slocum, with her father, is a new arrival in Ore City. On account of her beauty and natural graces, she is the most popular girl in those parts. Bill Lawrence, the toughest fellow in camp, wins and marries her. "Dandy Dick," a good fellow, has always admired Jennie, and, after she marries, Bill and grows tired of the loneliness of cabin life Dick writes her a letter, offering to take her back east. She spurns him and his offer. Later, she has a quarrel with her husband when he finds Dick's letter, and accuses her of being in league with him. He leaves her in a passion, and goes to the saloon to dissipate his anger in drink. Jennie packs her belongings in a small valise and determines to make her way back east alone. While making her way across the mountains, a terrible blizzard comes on, and she falls exhausted into the sleep brought on by extreme cold. Bill goes back to his home and finds it deserted. He returns to the saloon, where he sees "Dandy Dick," and, learning that she has not gone with him, he starts out alone to search for her. The other men in the saloon hastily prepare to follow him, led by "Dandy Dick." In the face of the fast falling snow and intense cold they are on the point of giving up, when they see a light, which they follow. They find Bill lying prostrate across the silent form of his wife, with Dick's charred letter in his hand. He had lighted it to get a better view of his wife's face, and the searching party saw it. The searchers administer restoratives to Jennie and Bill. As they stand in each other's embrace, the storm abates and Bill grasps Dick's hand, telling his wife that the barrier is burned, and he will, in the future, live as a man should to be deserving of her love.

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Summary Details
GenresDrama Short