The Price He Paid (1912)
Bounding Deer, the only and favored child of Wandering Wolf, chief of a tribe of desert Indians, is thrown from her horse, and injured. Wandering Wolf sends two of his braves to the nearest settlement for medical aid. The only doctor there is William Black, a capable practitioner, but one whose weakness for drink has brought him down to the lowest depths. He is glad to take the case, and treats the injured girl successfully. In gratitude for her recovery, her father pays the doctor from a treasure store of very valuable gold nuggets. The sight of so much gold is too much for the avaricious soul of the doctor, and he demands more. The chief thinks he has had sufficient for his services and refuses. The doctor then asks the source of such wealth. It is a tribal secret, however, and the chief refuses to divulge it. The doctor goes away completely eaten up with the lust for gold. Sometime later smallpox breaks out in the camp and the doctor is again sent for. He refuses to come unless the chief informs him of the source of the tribe's wealth. The chief refuses, and sadly returns to camp. His beloved daughter is stricken with the pestilence, and in desperation, fighting between love for his child and hatred for the mercenary spirit of the doctor, he agrees to give the man the information he demands as his pay, telling him that if he will only save his daughter and his people he may take away from their treasure mine all the gold he can carry. The doctor is in no hurry, however, and indulges in a debauch. When he arrives at the camp, he realizes he is too late, but does not tell the chief so. When asked to do what he can to alleviate the suffering of his people he first demands that the chief keep his part of the compact. He is taken blindfolded to the mine and greedily loads himself down with more gold than he can carry. As they emerge from the canyon, a courier from the camp announces that Bounding Deer is dead. The Indians would wreak vengeance upon the doctor, but are stopped by the chief, who prefers a different kind of punishment. He is turned adrift with his gold and without water on the desert where certain and lingering death awaits him.
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GenresShort
Western
IMDbPro
See more details at IMDbPro
| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Colin Campbell | Director |
| Colin Campbell | Writer |
| William Nicholas Selig | Producer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Hobart Bosworth | |
| Frank Richardson | |
| Roy Watson | |
| Bessie Eyton |
