The Last Round

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Captain Jack Fordyce, a young army officer and a fine fighter, wins the army middleweight championship. In his dressing room he receives a letter from his sweetheart, Mary Mollet, asking him to dine with her that evening. Colonel Mollet, Mary's father, is in the grip of Ralph Morton, a money lender, and receives a letter from him advising him that a bill for $10,000 is due that day, and that he is coming down to talk the matter over. Just as dinner is announced, Morton is ushered in. The Colonel invites him to dinner, and during the meal, Morton takes no pain to disguise the admiration he feels for Mary, and Jack has a hard struggle to keep his temper. After the meal, the Colonel begs to be left alone with Morton to talk over a little business, and Morton tells him that the bill must be met, or he will foreclose, thus ruining his old victim. The Colonel pleads for a little more time in which to find the money. Morton thinks for a while, then drawing the Colonel to the window, points to where, in the garden, Jack and Mary are walking, and tells him that if he will persuade his daughter to marry him, he will drop the bill; if not, he will foreclose immediately. Next day, the Colonel, preferring death rather than to force his daughter into a marriage with Morton, is about to shoot himself, when Mary bursts into the room. She hears her father's story with horror. In her bedroom, after a mental struggle with herself, she resolves to marry Morton. She writes a pitiful note to Jack telling him that circumstances have arisen which make it impossible for her to marry him. On the third day, Morton arrives for his answer, and Mary informs him that she will marry him to save her father's name. That afternoon Mary meets Jack and tells him that $10,000 alone can save her from the embraces of Morton. A few days later Jack receives a letter from his trainer to the effect that he has discovered a good middleweight. Jack goes down to the trainer's quarters, and meets Jim Connor, who is indeed a discovery. That night at the club, Morton, who is also interested in boxing, boasts that he has found a man whom he will back for any amount to beat all comers. Jack is taunted into finding a man, and also makes a bet, which, if he wins, will clear off the Colonel's debt, and save Mary from Morton. Jim Connor is engaged by Jack to fight against Morton's man, and enters into training. A few days before the event, Morton hears of Jack's discovery, and fearing for his man, determines to see how things stand. He goes to where Jim Connor is training, and finds that his worst fears are realized; his man is the inferior of the two. He tries to bribe him, but is roughly handled, then he resorts to treachery, and by that means disables him. On the morning of the fight, Jack receives a wire telling him of Jim's disablement. For a moment he is stunned, then he resolves to enter the ring himself. At the club all is excitement. Morton's man is in the ring, but neither Jack nor his man have yet arrived. At last Jack enters in fighting kit. He explains to the astonished members that as he did not name his man, he himself is at liberty to defend the bet. With that, he springs into the ring, and the fight commences. Jack is in the ring fighting for all his worth, for the man against him is no mean opponent. Finally, in the tenth round, Morton's man is knocked out. Then follows the discomfiture of Morton; he is accused of murderous assault by Jim. The clearing of the Colonel's debt closes the picture with Mary clasped in the arms of Captain Jack.