Cheating Herself (1919)

Patience Hilton is convinced by her father's kindly head bookkeeper, Magnus "Magpie" MacDonald, that one can only be happy by living the simple life. However, she fails to convince her millionaire parents and her boyfriend, Hale Thompson, to give up their lives of luxury. Believing it would be better for her father to work for his money rather than simply worrying about it, Patience and Magpie rob his safe, assisted by their butler, Dugan, an ex-burglar. Two men disguised as policemen intercept Patience and Magpie, chloroform them, and steal all Mr. Hilton's securities. Patience is cured of her "back to nature" beliefs when the family begins a life of toil and drudgery. Hale tracks the crooks and finds that they were led by Dugan. When the money is recovered, Hale proposes to a changed Patience.