What Could the Poor Girl Do? (1916)

Jed and his father and mother live on the farm. Father lets mother do all the work. She is busy churning one day when the churn wears out and Jed is sent by his father for a new churn. On the way he meets the safe cracker, who has decided to give up her past life and seek honest employment. She tells her story to Jed and he takes her home with him. Mother puts her to work churning and it is not long before father and mother notice that Jed is becoming quite attached to the girl. In fact, they discover him in the act of giving her a ring. The gang with whom Clarice had worked have decided to rob a safe and Diamond Hick, the leader, wants Clarice to help with the job, but the men return with the note saying that she is through with that kind of life. Jack sends the men to look for her. Jerry, known as the "Dirty Worker," who is addicted to the use of heliotrope perfume, and Jack finally discover Clarice at the farmhouse and tell her she must return with them. She begs for a few moments in which to decide. Meanwhile Jed has been again sent for the churn and has met the two crooks in their hansom cab. Jerry sprinkles some perfume on Jed. Father has become incensed at Jed's attentions to the girl and tells her she must leave. Jed overhears this and says he will go, too, which causes quite a commotion in the family circle. As Clarice is preparing to leave the two crooks throw a blanket over her head and take her to the hansom cab. Jed pursues them in his auto, but they manage to elude him and by force take Clarice to the vault, compelling her to open the safe. This she finally does, but locks Jack in the vault. Jed has been captured by the band, bound with ropes and left with the box of dynamite in charge of one of the crooks. He manages to free himself after a battle with the crooks, dons his clothes and starts once more in pursuit of Clarice and arrives just in time to frighten the crooks away. Later, however, they capture both him and Clarice, take her back to the vault, compel her to open it, take money and then lock Jed in the safe. The gang take the money and Clarice to their rooms and there determine to brand Clarice. Meanwhile Jed is trying to escape from the vault. He finally lights the fuse of the dynamite, blows open the safe and makes his escape. He gets the police and they arrive just in time to prevent Clarice being branded and the crooks are captured. The bank rewards Jed and Clarice and they return to the "cows and chickens."

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Summary Details
GenresComedy Short