The Living Death

• 1915
• Other, Suspense

Dr. Farrell loves with a consuming selfishness his only child, Naida. When the young men begin to pay her too marked attentions, Farrell takes his daughter to a beautiful, but lonely place on the California coast, where he can be reasonably sure of keeping her to himself. But the romantic fates are not to be so easily forestalled. Tom O'Day arrives at Santa Lina to open his bungalow. He and Naida meet and fall deeply in love. The doctor discovers that Santa Lina is built over the buried remains of an old leper colony. A few days later he and Naida come upon O'Day, who has just unearthed, near his cottage, a man's skull. O'Day takes a whimsical delight in his find, carries it home and puts it among his treasures. When the doctor discovers that, on account of his opposition, the two young people are plotting a runaway match, he takes a terrible step. O'Day is suffering from a rash on his wrists. It is evident to Farrell that he has been poisoned by nettles or ivy. But the doctor tells him that he is a leper, that, probably, the skull has conveyed to him the disease. O'Day, in an agony of despair, but unwilling to take the coward's way, rushes to his motor-boat to sail at once for the isolation island. Naida runs after him. He tries to escape. The girl flings herself into the water, and Tom is obliged to take her into the boat to save her from drowning. The two start on their way together. But, before they reach the leper colony, Dr. Farrell overtakes them. He confesses his untruthful diagnosis. Realizing now what her love for Tom means to Naida, the father withdraws his objections and the young folks are married.