Her Bleeding Heart (1916)

Marion Lane lives with her parents in a small town in the Middle West. Being the possessor of a fairly good voice, Marlon is jollied along by her vocal teacher and her friends who insist that if she could only get to the city and complete her studies she would become a second Patti. Marion persuades her parents to let her go to the city and later through a girl friend, who is studying art at the Academy, Marion is introduced into the best social set. She meets Allen Craven who takes advantage of her innocence and then runs away, leaving Marion to bear the responsibility of her indiscretion alone. Later at the maternity hospital, Marion meets Dr. George Page, who becomes interested in her, believing her to be a poor young widow. Marion grows despondent and tries to commit suicide, but is prevented from doing so by Dr. Page, who cheers her up and gives her a new incentive in life through a suggestion that she study nursing. Upon her recovery Marion takes a course in nursing and after her graduation she becomes Dr. Page's most valuable assistant. Gradually Page and Marion grow to love each other, and after a time Page proposes marriage, but Marion will not listen because of her past. Finally through reading a book that dwells with great emphasis on the very same subject, Marion changes her mind and becomes the wife of Dr. Page. For a while all goes well. Then one night Dr. Page takes Marion to a skating rink. Among the skaters Marion recognizes Craven. He is in the company of a celebrated Russian dancer, who has been his mistress for years. Dr. Page seeing Marion's agitation, thinks her ill and takes her home, where unable to stand the strain any longer, Marion confesses her past, withholding nothing. Although crazed by grief at Marion's confession, Dr. Page in his bigness blames only the man and prays that the time may come when he can get his hands on him. After Dr. Page and Marion depart from the rink, Craven and Sonia leave their seats and at Sonia's solicitation, telephones to Dr. Page and asks him to join them at supper. Page declines, but in return invites Craven, who is his old-time pal, to come to his (Page's) house, saying that he (Page) is in deep trouble and needs a friend's advice. Craven goes to Page's house, but leaves Sonia outside the door to wait for him. In the meantime Marion, believing that her confession has put an end to everything, has gone to her room and secured her husband's revolver and is just about to kill herself when she overhears Page and Craven talking. With the revolver clutched in her hand, Marion creeps softly downstairs to the room where the men are and suddenly the realization is brought to Dr. Page that the man who has been his life-long chum, is the man who ruined his wife. Marion seeing the horror in her husband's face, faints, and Page with the cry of a maniac throws himself upon Craven. A struggle ensues during which each man strives to secure possession of the revolver. A shot is heard, and Craven sinks to the floor. Sonia, hearing the shot, rushes into the house later when the servants arrive accompanied by a passing policeman. Sonia says, "it was a clear case of suicide, I saw him shoot himself." Page with a look of gratitude to Sonia turns to Marion, folds her in his arms and leads her away.