The Protest

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Molly Fisher, an East Side factory worker living with her parents and 14-year-old sister, is subjected to her parents'--and the neighborhood's--taunts because of her aspirations to better herself. Political ward-heeler and gangster Skinny Walsh aids her, but his assistance is only a pretext to get her to live with him. By pretending that he loves Molly, he manages to hide the truth of the motives which prompt him to get Molly in his power, and he thereby gains her mother's consent to let her daughter marry him. But Molly will not listen; unable to tolerate her parents' persecution, she finally flees with her crippled sister. Some time later, Molly has gained a thorough knowledge of stenography and typewriting and she obtains a position, but because she refuses Walsh's insidious attentions, Walsh sees that she is summarily discharged. He then forces his unwelcome attentions with renewed energy, and Molly is about to surrender to him when she is prevented by her younger sister, and she drives the gangster from her home. The next day, being unsuccessful in securing a position in a department store, Molly, in a fit of desperation, steals a pocketbook she finds lying on the counter, which had been left there by Blanche Armstrong, a society woman and fiancée of Roger Hackett, the district attorney and son of the proprietor of the store. She is caught and brought before Hackett, who, notwithstanding the fact that he is a wealthy married man, has an inordinate lustful longing to consort with young and beautiful women. This desire evidences itself when he lays his eyes upon Molly, and he tells her that she may have her freedom if she will condescend to cast her virtue aside. Calloused, cynical and bitter, and knowing that her past experience with men of the lower walks of life has been such that a woman can rise to their favor if she does not consider her chastity, Molly acquiesces. Walsh, learns that Molly has yielded to Hackett, whom he knows, and he sets about to bring disgrace upon him. When Molly and Hackett have entered a private dining room in a notorious café, Walsh telephones Mrs. Hackett. Roger gets wind of the situation, and in an endeavor to save his father, is inveigled into the affair himself by the gangster, who has Jerry Flynn, a political boss, and two newspapermen on the job. Roger takes the blame when his mother appears, and Hackett tries to bribe Flynn, but to no avail. The reporters "cover" the event with the district attorney as the central figure. Blanche reads the story in the paper, and forthwith severs her engagement with Rogers, who, meanwhile, is telling Molly that his fight against the corrupt political boss is complete but for the acquisition of certain documents, which are still in Flynn's possession. The following day Molly puts into effect the scheme she has worked out in her mind, and is successful in getting employment in Flynn's office. She attempts to steal the documents, but is caught in the act, and faces the exposure of her double-dealing or the alternative of making her supreme sacrifice. She chooses the latter course, and goes bravely with him to his bachelor apartments. But she experiences revulsion and resolves that she cannot submit herself to the licentious demands of Flynn just as Roger, who, having learned of Molly's connection with Flynn from her crippled sister and who, believing that the incident of the day before was a prearranged affair in order that the corrupt political boss might learn through Molly how much material Roger has against him, arrives. Molly's decision crazes Flynn and he fires at her. His aim is bad, however, and he kills Walsh, who was entering through the window to warn the boss. Roger's sharp mind comprehends the situation immediately and his animosity for Molly turns to love. As the story ends, Roger wins his case, Flynn is jailed, and Molly is the affianced wife of the district attorney.