Destiny's Skein

• 1915
• Drama, Other

Earl Fortier considers the medical profession his mission in life, but his father wants his son to join him in his lumber business. A quarrel follows and Earl, disowned, goes his own way under another name, Earl Calmet. Later, down South, Fortier employs Tom Green, who lives with his sister Ormi, and is in love with Bertha Hubbard his housekeeper. Both girls realize that Tom is not well mentally, for he is subject to peculiar attacks, during which he is the direct opposite of his normal self, afterwards forgetting everything that has occurred. While under the influence of this change he robs his employer and escapes to the woods. There he hides the money, and later, finding himself wandering about goes home utterly unconscious of any wrongdoing. Fortier, who has witnessed the act but failed to catch him, gets the sheriff, and Tom is arrested. Ormi and Bertha refuse to believe Tom guilty and Ormi makes a public threat to some day "get" Fortier. Soon after she manages to effect Tom's escape and hides him under the house, reached by way of a trap door through the living room floor. About this time Earl Calmet, now a doctor, goes South for his own health. While out hunting he loses his way and is directed to town by Ormi. Both are deeply interested and Earl is soon haunting her neighborhood in the hope of seeing her. An injured foot gives him an opportunity to assist her and their acquaintance rapidly ripens into love. Tom Ormi's great fear for and Bertha's chance discovery of him with the stolen money at the tree during one of his incomprehensive moments keep both girls in a state of great anxiety. Earl cannot help noticing it, but can get nothing reassuring from Ormi. Finally to save herself and Tom, and not knowing him to be Fortier's son, she agrees to marry him providing he will not question anything and stand by her. He agrees and they go to town for the ceremony. Tom, under another spell, meets Fortier and in a struggle Fortier is killed. A sash ribbon of Ormi's that Tom wore about his face is found beside his body and Ormi is suspected Tom returns home in his right mind, not knowing what he has done. Previously Ormi had again publicly threatened Fortier and when she is accused in Earl's presence, the latter recalls her constant agitation and the fact that she was alone in the woods when the supposed murder happened. Earl believing that she married him in revenge, returns to her home where he believed she lived alone. There he encounters Tom. A quarrel ensues without either man's knowing who the other is, and as one of Tom's changes comes over him, Bertha bursts into the room and is forced to tell all she knows Earl calls into practice his medical skill and gets the truth of both the money stealing and the death while Tom is not himself. He is able to cure him and naturally it results in clearing both brother and sister, and a happy future opens for all four.