The Signal (1914)
Ruth Conway, a self reliant girl, arrives in the west to take over her dead brother's claim. The girl is alone in the world, and it is her intention to remain alone. On her arrival in the village she meets Dave Fischer, a mining foreman, who was a friend of her brother's, and a smooth Mexican of the better class, named Carlos Moreno. She asks them to help her load her baggage on burros and pack it to her mountain shack. Dave falls in love with the girl, but she will allow him to do nothing to show his love. The Mexican admires her from another motive. Carlos attempts to become familiar one day and Ruth awakens to her danger. She beats the Mexican off with a club. She does not tell Dave of her encounter, but the miner does not cease to worry for her safety. Finally Dave declares his love and is gently turned down, but Dave hits upon a plan to guard the girl. He lays a fire of wood and leaves on a bluff overlooking the valley near the girl's shack. He tells her that if ever she needs aid to light the fire, Ruth laughs at the precaution. An hour later while the girl is sitting on the grassy slope, Carlos sneaks up behind her and manages to snatch her gun and cartridge belt. The girl escapes to the shack with the Mexican in pursuit. In terror, she bars the door and taking her second revolver from a chest of drawers, she fires at the Mexican through a hole in the door. This repulses Carlos for a moment and he retires. The girl finds, however, after she has emptied her revolver, that no ammunition remains. Carlos, having retreated to the bluff to watch, rolls and lights a cigarette. He throws the match, still burning, off to one side and it falls in the signal fire. Carlos again advances on the shack. Dave, from the mine in the valley, sees the signal and starts up the mountain. Carlos cannot break the door in with his weight, so he attacks it with an axe. Dave arrives. A desperate struggle ensues. Meanwhile, Ruth, in an agony of terror, throws herself on the bed and buries her head in the pillow. Dave overpowers and chokes the Mexican, then enters the shack himself. He goes to the bed and touches Ruth's shoulder. She seizes a chair and lifts it above her head to strike. As she swings for the blow she comes face to face with Dave. She stands a moment with the chair upraised, then her hands relax, the chair falls to the floor, and with a cry of relief, she throws herself into Dave's arms.
All Releases
Domestic
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International
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Worldwide
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GenresDrama
Short
IMDbPro
See more details at IMDbPro
| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Siegmund Lubin | Producer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Ray Gallagher | |
| Velma Whitman | |
| Lee Shumway |
