Bonds of Love (1919)

Una Sayre is hired to work as governess to the son of widower Daniel Cabot. Cabot's son, Jimmy, forms an attachment to Una. Cabot's sister-in-law, Lucy Beekman, and her brother, Harry, having been living off Cabot, with Lucy running the household. The pair fear that Cabot may end up marrying Una, so they try to keep the memory of his dead wife alive. Often, Cabot stares at the portrait of his late wife. Lucy and Harry make life so miserable for Una that she decides to leave. As she is about to say goodbye to Jimmy, she sees the youngster get into a motorboat and start out for a joy ride. Una rushes to the docks, jumps in another motorboat, and heads off in pursuit. While a crowd gathers on the dock, Una sees Jimmy helpless at the wheel, and heading for rocks known as the "Devil's Backbone." Her boat gradually closes the distance, and she is able to lift Jimmy out of his boat before it crashes into the rocks. After this heroic effort, Cabot begs her to stay. Una later discovers the secret of Cabot's first wife. While she is examining the portrait of the woman, a letter falls out of the back of it. The letter leads Una to discover that Cabot's first wife had been unfaithful. She had been in love with an attorney, Barry Sullivan, but her parents had forced her to marry Cabot, whom she did not love. The wife then carried on an affair with Sullivan. Una decides not to tell Cabot the truth about his first wife. Una, Cabot, and Jimmy find happiness together.