Mental Suicide

• 1913
• 0 Hrs 20 Mins
• Drama, Other

Ambitious young architect Neilan graduates with honors and procures a position as assistance in the city architect's office. Although hearts are willing, his romance with Toddles seems hopeless, hampered by her sense of duty toward her invalid sister Pauline. Neilan calls upon Toddles and presses her for a definite answer to his proposal. Toddles refuses, telling him she cannot marry while her sister lives. Pauline suffers a relapse due to her mental agitation, and the doctor advises Toddles that the only hope of prolonging Pauline's life is the South American climate. In despair, Toddles appeals to her lawyer, who informs her that their inheritance is nearly exhausted. When Neilan calls she tells him of their difficulties and he generously offers all the money he possesses, but to her dismay she finds that the funds will not be sufficient to cover the expenses of such a trip. Neilan returns to the office, too despondent to work. When his clerk brings in two bids on a city contract for him to inspect, he sets them aside and broods over Pauline's illness. Kirkland, one of the contractors submitting a bid, calls upon Neilan and offers $5000 for an acceptance of his bid. Neilan indignantly orders him from the office, but later, thinking it over, sees a chance for sending Pauline to South America and making himself and Toddles happy. He runs after the contractor and tells him he agrees to accept the bribe. Kirkland immediately goes to his hotel and passing Reid, the other contractor, at the entrance, laughingly sneers at him. Reid is suspicious of Kirkland's attitude and follows him. He sees Kirkland seated at one of the hotel desks near the window, writing. Reid enters the hotel and comes up just as Kirkland is leaving. He sits down at the desk Kirkland has just vacated, still perplexed and suspicious, and finds the blotter which Kirkland had used. On it is an imprint of the cheek Kirkland had drawn, payable to Neilan. Reid takes the blotter and hurriedly leaves. Pauline, in the meantime, weighed down by her hopeless illness and feeling herself a barrier to Toddles, is sinking rapidly, and Toddles hurriedly sends for the doctor. Neilan, in his office, receives the check which Kirkland sent by messenger, but very shortly thereafter Reid calls and confronts Neilan with the evidence of the blotter and succeeds in convincing Neilan that he is doing wrong. Neilan tears up the check, whereupon Reid also tears the damaging evidence against him. Later, when Kirkland calls for the acceptance of his bid, Neilan hands him the torn check. When the doctor arrives at Toddles' urgent calls he finds Pauline dying and sends Toddles from the room. When Neilan comes to tell Toddles of his failure to raise the necessary money for Pauline's rip, he meets the doctor coming from the house, who informs him of Pauline's death.