The Bribe (1913)
John Dickson, millionaire candidate for mayor, is in love with Dora Malcom, a society girl. He finds, however, that she is engaged to marry Frank Stevens. He hides his grief and promises to be best man at the wedding. Higby, a political boss, determines to discredit Dickson as he fears he will be elected. He hires Maggie Lee, an unscrupulous woman, to appear at Dora's wedding and claim that Dickson is her husband. The program is followed out to the letter. Maggie appears and makes the accusation, but on questioning, says that Dickson hired her to do it. Dickson's infatuation for Dora is so well known that the statement is believed and he quickly loses his popularity. Dora postpones the wedding, but does not lose her faith in Dickson, whom she knows to be an honorable man, Stevens is angered at her defense of the man, an altercation follows and Dora breaks the engagement. Maggie Lee, although a hard, calloused woman, has a little daughter whom she worships. The child is lost one day and Dora is the means of restoring her to the mother. Maggie's gratitude is so great that she confesses her crime and makes a public denunciation of Higby, who hired her to lie. Public sympathy quickly shifts to Dickson and he is elected by a large majority. As a further reward, Dora promises to become his wife.
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