Two Men and a Woman (1917)

When Tony Merritt returns from college, his guardian, Bruce Donaldson, introduces him to Ethel Walling, with whom Bruce is secretly in love. Tony falls in love with Ethel and asks for Bruce's blessing. Bruce, believing that he is too old for Ethel, encourages the romance and Ethel consents to the marriage only to please Bruce. Meanwhile, an emissary of a foreign government steals the plans for a diving bell upon which Bruce has been working, and the theft is blamed on Tony. The plans are finally recovered, and upon returning home, Bruce discovers that Wanda, a girl of questionable reputation, is demanding money to release Tony from his promise of marriage. To save Tony, Bruce compromises himself with Wanda and allows Ethel to discover them. This forces Tony to realize the sacrifices that Bruce has made for him and he rushes to Ethel to confess. Finally realizing Bruce's love for her, Ethel goes to him and they are united.