The Little Detective

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Boarding-school pupil Kitty is fond of detective stories and mercilessly teased by her schoolmates about it. When Jim Blake introduces his accomplice Nell, into the school as his ward, as part of a plot to rob the school. Kitty overhears them. This is her opportunity and she resolves to watch Nell without confiding her suspicions to anyone. The expensive trinkets worn by the pupils and a large sum of money for cashing their checks is sufficient booty for Nell, who plans her getaway. At a dance the night before, Kitty confides her suspicions to Harry Ellis, a boy from home who's sweet on her. They overhear Nell when she phones final instructions to Jim to meet her at the depot next day, and plan to thwart the conspirators. Next morning Nell raids the dormitories, but is observed by Kitty, who conceals herself in a closet in Nell's room. Kitty is able to recover the stolen jewelry, but is herself discovered by Nell, who locks Kitty in the closet and, setting fire to a curtain in the room leaves Kitty to her fate. Nell hastens to the office to get the larger prize, a satchel full of money. By a ruse she induces Mme. Sterret, the principal, to open the safe. An opportune alarm of "Fire!" takes Madame away, leaving the safe and its contents at Nell's mercy. She grabs the satchel and makes good her escape. Kitty is released in time to phone Harry, who hastens to the depot. He has two detectives posted and with their aid is able to head off the thieves at the moment of their escape by train. The crooks are led away much crestfallen, and Harry, triumphant, starts for the school with the satchel of money. At the school, Kitty is in disgrace for not reporting her knowledge of the plot, but the arrival of Harry restoring the lost money turns the current of Madame's wrath and when the young people joyfully embrace, she smiles on their happiness and tactfully exits.