Soldiers' Sons

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Dick Bates graduates from West Point in 1883, when he is 22. He visits Manila, Philippine Islands, and goes on a hunting trip. In the village of Iloilo live Nina Rosario and Carlos Fulano, a scoundrel who forces his attentions on her. Dick engages Carlos as a guide, but when Dick is seized with fever, Carlos deserts the young officer. Nina stumbles across Dick, helps him to her home, and nurses him back to health. Dick's gratitude turns to love and he marries Nina. Carlos learns of the marriage and vows vengeance. He discovers her alone and forces her to accompany him into the jungle. Dick believes that Nina has fallen over the cliff and her body carried out to sea. Returning home, Dick finds a letter there ordering him to join his regiment at once at San Francisco. Dick departs, leaving with Nina's father, a piece of paper which instructs that if Nina's body is found, Rosario is to notify Lieut. Dick Bates or Gen. James Bates, at the Presidio of San Francisco. California USA. Carlos carries Nina into the jungle. Nina seizes a stone, knocks Carlos senseless, and escapes. Carlos regains consciousness and starts in pursuit. Nina reaches her home safely. When she hears that Dick has left, believing she is dead, the girl is distraught. Later she gives birth to a son and named him Ricardo. Fifteen years later, Dick is now captain of his regiment at San Francisco, which is ordered to sail for the Philippines. Nina and her son, now a fine-looking 15-year-old lad, live in Iloilo, and Ricardo announces that he will to join the Filipino insurrectos. Nina begs Ricardo not to join the rebels. The boy insists and the mother finally gives in. The regiment arrives at Manila and Dick and his company attack the insurgents. Ricardo, being a good shot, is stationed behind a stone as a sharpshooter. The boy fires several times at Dick, seeing that he is an officer, and finally succeeds in shooting away the captain's hat. Later Nina and Dick come face to face. They recognize each other. Nina, agonized, tells Dick that the sharpshooter is his son. That night, Dick sits in his tent struggling between his devotion to duty and his love for Nina and his new-found son. He writes his resignation from the army and goes to his home and family in Iloilo.