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Neither director Henry King nor star Richard Barthelmess could do much with the cliched situations of this dark melodrama. Joe Newbolt (Barthelmess) goes to work for farmer Isom Chase (Charles Hill Mailes) to save his mother (Mary Alden) from the poorhouse. Chase is a cruel taskmaster and he also abuses his wife Ollie (Mary Thurman). To escape her situation, Ollie has an affair with a traveling salesman and makes plans to elope with him. Because of his religious convictions, Joe tries to talk her out of her plan. Chase catches them together and thinks that the two are plotting against him. He grabs his gun, but accidentally shoots himself. To save Ollie's name, Joe keeps quiet and he is arrested for Chase's murder. He is convicted and sentenced to hang, but escapes. Ollie finally tells the truth, and Joe is cleared of any wrongdoing.