The Agony of Fear

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Robert Arthur, scion of an English family, is an outcast in America, living upon the remittances sent to him by his father. Cruel, and with little sense of honor, he repeatedly abuses and injures Henry, his valet. He receives a letter from his English cousin, Maitland, which reads in part: "Since your exile in America, your father has been very ill and cannot survive long. Your escapades cause him much worry." Cousin Maitland has also read a clause in Robert's father's will which says that should his son die within five years without a family, then the whole of the estate will revert to Maitland. Then it is that Maitland sends a confidential man to America to watch Robert and to endeavor to further tempt him to dissipation. Robert has wronged Louise and she spurns the offer of money from him in lieu of an honorable name. Arthur receives a cablegram stating that his father died, and he is the sole heir. He endeavors to celebrate his good fortune at the club, but is spurned by his friends. Banished from home until she redeems her fair name or reveals the guilty man's identity, Louise creeps into the automobile belonging to Robert, and when he returns to it in a drunken frenzy, he throws her out and to her death. Henry, Robert's valet, is also assaulted by Robert, and leaves, vowing revenge. Donald, a new valet, is engaged. Shortly thereafter, Robert begins to receive mysterious messages. They come from all sources and say: "Beware of the stroke of ten." "A life for a life." "Justice shall be done neither by man's law nor by your own hands." To all parts of the country Robert flees in an endeavor to escape these terrible messages, but it is of no avail. And meantime, Maitland's confidential man reports that Robert's health is being rapidly undermined, and Maitland receives these reports with pleasure. In desperation, Robert engages Bowles, a private detective, who discovers that Henry, the first valet, to whom suspicion pointed, is not guilty of working upon Robert's superstitions. Robert, in the far west, after months have passed, becomes engaged. Their wedding night is set. On the night of the wedding, Robert receives a message which reads: "On the stroke of ten on your wedding night, you shall pay." As the fateful hour approaches, Robert becomes more and more horror-stricken. The minute hand is one minute of ten, and the face of the clock disappears, and the face of Louise, the dead girl is seen. Robert falls lifeless of heart disease. Then it is that Detective Bowles arrests Donald, the valet. He conducts him to the death chamber, where the prisoner looks down upon the dead man. The detective takes a photo of Louise from his pocket and thrusts it into the prisoner's hand. Donald bows his head in assent and says: "She was my sister." It was Donald who was working upon the superstitions of Robert and had at last found revenge.