The story
“Will Drake warns his rich old aunt against her crafty housekeeper, Susan. As the woman has been in her service for many years and she had always trusted her, Drake’s aunt, Mrs. Angell, is made very angry by her nephew’s insinuations. They quarrel. Susan overhears them, and after the young man is gone, she tries to persuade Mrs. Angell to change her will and disinherit her nephew, whom she has named her chief heir [Ed. note: the will itself, as shown in the film, gives her nephew and niece equal amounts; $50,000 each]. In the evening, the nephew comes back, apologizes to his aunt, and is readily forgiven. Scarcely has he left the house, however, than the old lady is taken violently ill. She summons Susan. Then she discovers that the servant she has trusted is really responsible for her illness and eager to get her out of the way. Dragging herself to the telephone, she calls up the police. She starts to tell the officers that her nephew had warned her against the housekeeper. ‘Central’ accidentally disconnects the two lines and switches the call onto the wire of Benton, a young civil engineer. The police hear: ‘I am dying—poisoned—Will Drake,’ and Benton hears: ‘Will Drake warned me. Susan is guilty.’ Some weeks later, Drake is brought to trial for the murder of his aunt. Meanwhile his sister, Flo, happens to have met Benton. At the last moment, Drake is saved from the death sentence by the corroborating testimony of the young engineer. Flo, overcome with gratitude to Benton, and also deeply in love with him, readily consents to reward him with herself.”
Summary from Reel Life · 26 June 1915
