- Lowell Sherman believes that his marriage is perfect, but behind his back his wife Alice has begun an affair with his best friend, Cyril Carr, who is also married. Finally, Lowell finds out about the romance, and for revenge he ruins Cyril financially. Cyril commits suicide after going bankrupt, and Alice leaves Lowell when she finds out that he knew about her infidelity and plotted against her lover. Suddenly feeling guilty, Lowell starts supporting Cyril's young son Tommy, and from his frequent visits with the boy, he falls in love with Cyril's widow Muriel, whom he marries as soon as his first marriage is annulled.—Pamela Short
- Lowell Sherman, a successful young capitalist, is married to Alice, a vain creature. His friend, Cyril Carr's wife, Muriel, possesses every adorable womanly quality, and finds joy and contentment in caring for her little son, Tom. Several times Sherman has noted the decided difference in character of the two women and has envied his friend. Cooper, Sherman's private secretary, despises Alice. Cyril Carr, the usual type of weak-minded reprobate, is disgusted with his wife's domestic enjoyment and seeks pleasure in the company of his friend's wife Alice. All this is noticed by Cooper, who is afraid to tell of his employer's wife's unfaithfulness and his friend's hypocrisy. Sherman, having left several important documents in his wall safe at home, sends Cooper for them while he remains at the office, arranging his business preparatory to leaving. Cooper, having arrived at the house for the papers, hears voices from Alice's boudoir and recognizes them. Cooper calls up Sherman at the office and tells him to come home immediately, informing him that his wife is entertaining another man. Arriving home, Sherman meets Cooper in the hallway and is so enraged at Cooper's accusation that, unable to control his emotions, he forces the secretary to his knees, commanding him to divulge, the man's name. Cooper tells him to go upstairs as the man is in her room. Sherman discovers his wife calm and alone. Cooper, eager to hear the tirade, noiselessly mounts the stairs, and entering through the door to Alice's bedroom, listens from behind the portieres between the boudoir and the bedroom. Sherman denounces his wife and she denies everything. Cautiously looking around the room, Sherman sees a smoking cigar butt on the table, and turning quickly, sees the portieres moving. Extracting a revolver from the table drawer, he fires, and rushing forward to the man who has fallen face downward, turns him over, and discovers he has shot his secretary, Cooper. Cooper, when convalescent, tells Sherman that he knows the man and tells Sherman why his wife despised him (Cooper). He tells him that when Sherman had first given him an opportunity and employed him in his office, his brother, a good-for-nothing reprobate, was continually coming to him for money. How one day he investigated and found his brother was supplying a certain woman with clothes and luxuries an ordinary man cannot afford; how they caught him one day and sent him "over the road;" how when Sherman promoted him to private secretaryship and invited him to his home after his (Sherman's) marriage he discovered that the woman who had caused his brother's downfall was now Sherman's wife, Alice. He continued by telling him that the man who claimed to be his best friend was the man who was secretly meeting his wife, and that that man was Cyril Carr. Sherman immediately started to pool all of Carr's interests on the "street." A matter of a few days and Carr was staring ruin in the face. He knew Sherman was fighting him, but did not suspect it was being willfully perpetrated. Calling Sherman on the 'phone he begged assistance, but Sherman informed him it was an individual fight and that the best man must win. Penniless, Carr turned to the woman he thought caused his downfall. He wrote her a passionate note of appeal to go with him, but she knew the value of the ruined man. She called upon her husband, and after much pleading he granted her an audience. He told her he knew everything of her past life and told her she could no longer consider his roof her home. Muriel's first knowledge of her husband's ruin was through the newspapers and there she learned that their best friend, her child's Godfather, was the cause of it. Calling upon Sherman, she sought an explanation. He could not tell her the truth, so told her it was a hard financial battle and that one of them was bound to lose. Her husband had lost. Little Tom, in the meantime, had written a note to Sherman telling him that the pony and cart given to him for his birthday had been taken away. Then came the last chapter in Cyril Carr's life. Rushing to his room after she had heard the shot, Muriel found him dead; beside him was a penned note to Sherman, admitting his guilt. Taking the note before the coroner would find it and learn the family secret, Muriel once again called upon Sherman. She gave him the note in which Carr had confessed. Sherman told her it was true. Told her of her husband's hypocrisy and his wife's perfidy. Some time later, Sherman opening a legal envelope, found an annulment of marriage, and then he thought of Muriel and little Tom. As the steamer was leaving its moorings, many people were departing, trying to forget the past. Three in particular were aboard and happy: Lowell Sherman, Muriel, and little Tom.—Moving Picture World synopsis
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