At Dawn

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Sykes, an American engaged to a poor girl, goes to the Philippines as a teacher, and the girl stays behind to await their marriage. Sykes, after some time has passed, has succumbed to the tropic influences, and is living with a native girl, when one day he hears from the girl back home that she is coming to join him and that she will arrive at dawn next day. An aunt has died and left her a lot of money. Caring more for this coin that the girl, Sykes tries to get rid of the native girl, but she makes a row, and he in fear of losing his girl and her cash, poisons the native girl, who dies. He is about to get rid of the body when a young lieutenant of the U.S. Army shows up with his sergeant, inquiring the way to the trail of Indians, and becomes suspicious of Sykes' uneasiness and finds the dead girl. Sykes explains the circumstances and says: "What's another Filipino more or less?" He implies to the lieutenant that when he has been so long there as he has he'll understand better, and says that his United States girl was coming at dawn to marry him, so he had to get rid of his native girl. The officer indicates that he is up to some scheme and tells Sykes to take his sergeant and point out the trail for him, which he indicates starts at a certain large tree. Sykes goes, and, unseen by him the sergeant, at a nod from the lieutenant, takes a lariat from a nail and follows. The girl arrives and the sergeant returns, alone. The girl asks for Sykes and the lieutenant tells her he is dead.