Leaves of Memory

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Jack Landon, an aviator and inventor, has almost perfected a new parachute for use on aeroplanes when he runs short of money. He writes to his rich brother, Philip, and asks him for monetary help. This Philip refuses and as a result Jack tries the parachute before it is completed. The parachute collapses and Jack has a terrible fall from which he eventually recovers, but is left an apparently harmless imbecile. Philip takes him to his home to be cared for. While he is there the sight of Philip throws Jack into a terrible rage, as the only thing he seems to remember of the time prior to the accident is the fact that his brother refused to lend him the money. Philip's secretary, Carl Roberts, is in love with his employer's wife, but she remains true to her husband. Roberts believes that she would marry him if her husband were not alive, so he uses Jack. While Philip and his wife are walking in the garden, Roberts takes Jack to a path they must pass. Roberts then shoots Philip and flees. The blame is placed on Jack, as everyone remembers that he had in his rage threatened to kill his brother. Jack is taken to an insane asylum and placed in confinement. Roberts renews his suit for the hand of Philip's wife and eventually marries her. He uses her money to have a good time, leaving her alone a great part of the time. Under the careful care of the doctors Jack gradually regains his faculties, but has no remembrance of the tragedy. The doctors write to Mrs. Roberts that her brother-in-law is almost better and suggests that she and her husband take him away. Mrs. Roberts goes to the asylum to see Jack. Sight of her seems to bring back to him something of the past. He sees Roberts from the window and the past rushes back in such a flood that he suffers a relapse. He eventually recovers, this time with a full record of the guilty man. He leaves the asylum and makes his way to the home of his brother to accuse Roberts. Roberts has been dissipating to such an extent that his brain has been playing him tricks. He several times thinks that he sees his former employer and when Jack comes into the room the strain is too much for his weakened heart.