Saved from Himself

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Mabel Merritt receives a letter from her chum, Lillian, requesting her to procure her jewel-case which she had left at home, and hastens away on her errand. John Macklyn, once a wealthy man but now reduced to the lowest dregs, resorts to burglary to eke out an existence, and, spotting a house to rob, he gains access to it. In the meantime Mabel arrives at Lillian's home to procure the forgotten jewels for her friend. While searching for the jewels, she hears suspicious sounds, and is horrified to be confronted by Macklyn, the burglar. She leads him to believe that she is also a thief and that she is there for the same purpose that he is. He confesses to her that it is his first attempt at burglary and tells her the story of his dissipated career. He inherited the business of the Macklyn Safe Company from his father, and he wasted his competence in riotous living. He became engaged to a young lady, but her love also was soon sacrificed for his love for strong drink, thereby wrecking both his own happiness and the girl's. Soon after that he was forced to close down his business, and his effects were sold under the hammer. Being then forced to seek employment from others, his task proved futile. Mabel listens to his story with absorbed interest, and her sympathy for him is aroused, and she is overcome. Recovering her mental poise, and while he has gone to get her a drink of water, she 'phones for the police. He returns with the drink and suspects that she has 'phoned for help. Repenting for her duplicity, she determines to let him escape before the arrival of the police. In the meantime, by a strange coincidence, the house is burglarized by other crooks, who are unfortunate enough to fall into the hands of the police. Seeing in this an opportunity to be generous to Macklyn, she averts suspicion from him by telling the police captain that he is her personal friend. She determines to play the reformer further, and through her efforts and interest she procures a position for Macklyn. He determines to make good, and by honest and conscientious efforts succeeds in firmly entrenching himself in his new position. Accompanying Mabel to a reception at the home of mutual friends, Macklyn comes face to face with his sweetheart of bygone days. The old love is awakened in her, and she pleads with Macklyn to come back to her, but he is obdurate. It is not the same with Mabel, however, for a deeper love is rooted in their hearts, and they determine to blot out the past in the light of their new love.