Shame (1917)

At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, John Grey enlists in the Army and leaves his sweetheart Mary for Cuba. Later Mary discovers that she is pregnant, but John is killed before they can legalize their union. When Mary dies, her daughter Little Mary is taken into an orphanage and adopted by Peters, a cruel farmer who turns her into a slave. Befriended by Seppe, a hunchback farmhand of similar parentage, young Mary escapes to the city where she finds work at a hospital run by Dr. Strong. Soon after, she falls in love with Strong's son Donald and accepts his marriage proposal. When Donald learns from Peters, who comes to the city to reclaim Mary, that she is illegitimate, he backs out of the engagement. To stop Peters from stealing Mary, Seppe shoots him, wounding him only slightly. The incident shocks Donald into rethinking his decision; but even after she and Seppe are freed from Peters and the law, Mary refuses to compromise Donald's reputation and returns to the country with Seppe.