When Fate Was Kind (1914)
Having long hidden his real motives toward Edwin Forbes behind the mask of friendship. Joel Lang at last gets his opportunity for revenge. Stella Le Roy has just returned from Europe and Lang determines to make use of the old affection which had existed between the girl and Edwin to excite Mrs. Forbes' jealousy and thus cause a separation. To aid him in this design, he has knowledge of a certain episode in Stella's past which was decidedly discreditable to her and which she is naturally most anxious not to have known. As a poor young girl, she was exposed to great temptation by having the opportunity to steal a valuable jewel. In a moment of weakness she fell, was afterwards detected and served a prison sentence. Though she has tried to live down the past and live a decent life, Lang threatens to expose her unless she aids him in his plots against Edwin. Edwin's brother, Billy, has been leading a rather fast life and has continually been receiving financial assistance from him. He makes another appeal for money to settle his gambling debts and is refused. Lang goes to Mrs. Forbes, tells her that her husband is untrue and offers to prove his accusations. She asserts that she will divorce Forbes if he proves faithless. Meeting Stella at a restaurant. Lang invites her to accompany him to a dance, knowing that Forbes and his wife will attend. At the dance, Lang contrives to leave Forbes alone with Stella by dancing with Mrs. Forbes. Thus Mrs. Forbes' jealousy is aroused. The next day Lang compels Stella to call Forbes on the telephone and request him to loan her a thousand dollars, asking him to send it by mail. Actuated by his old love, and believing her to be in distress, Forbes makes out a check, which he places in an envelope to be mailed to Stella. Billy, however, has seen the check and decides to purloin it for himself. In Forbes' absence, Billy extracts the check and substitutes a business prospectus instead. Lang learns that Forbes has mailed the check to Stella and bribes her maid to secure the envelope when it is delivered by the postman. With the envelope in his possession, he takes it to Mrs. Forbes and advises her of its contents. She is wrought up over this seeming proof of her husband's duplicity and determines to confront him with the evidence. Going to his office, she produces the envelope and asks him to explain its import. Realizing now his indiscretion, Forbes tears open the envelope and is surprised to find therein only his prospectus. Ashamed of her unjust suspicions, Mrs. Forbes begs forgiveness and returns to her home, where she is awaited by Lang. She replies by severely lashing him with a cow-hide whip and drives the schemer from her house. Meanwhile, Billy becomes conscience-stricken, confesses to his brother that he had intended to steal the check and returns it to him. Overjoyed at Billy's reform and grateful that he has been the means of saving him from disgrace. Forbes rewards him by taking him into partnership. Billy then tells his brother of his love for Stella and announces that she has consented to marry him.
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GenresDrama
Short
IMDbPro
See more details at IMDbPro
| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| E.D. Horkheimer | Producer |
| H.M. Horkheimer | Producer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Henry King | |
| Jackie Saunders |
