The Crooked Path

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Lynn and Alan both love Mary. Because he deems it his duty to support his widowed mother, Lynn hides his love although he is the favored suitor. Piqued, Mary becomes Alan's wife. Both boys work in the village bank. Lynn comes upon Alan while the latter is intoxicated and helps him home. Thus Lynn meets Mary for the. first time since her marriage. Alan witnesses this meeting. His jealousy aroused, the man orders Lynn from his house. Obsessed by a desire for revenge, Alan steals a sum of money from the bank and falsifies Lynn's books so as to make it appear that the latter had committed the crime. The defalcation is discovered and Lynn is sent to prison for two years. Upon his release from the penitentiary, Lynn returns home and succeeds in securing a position. Lynn learns that only Mary's kindness saved his mother from starvation. Alan comes upon the two while Lynn is expressing his gratitude. In his jealousy, Alan tries to shoot his foe. Mary comes between the men and receives the bullet in her arm. The injury is slight and she soon recovers. Dade, an ex-convict drifts into town. Alan sees an opportunity to abscond with a large sum of money. Dade observes the scoundrel placing this money into a traveling bag and trails the thief home. While Alan is getting ready to flee, Mary discovers what he has done. Her frantic pleas fall upon deaf ears. Mockingly telling his wife that he is leaving her to her lover, Alan turns to go. Dade, determined to possess the bag containing the money, blocks his path. While the two are struggling, Mary runs to summon Lynn. When the latter, accompanied by the police, reach the scene, they find Dade and Alan, their fingers clutched about each other's throats, dead.