The Haunted Manor (1916)

Zoe Trevor is an American adventuress living in luxury as the favorite of a high-born Indian Rajah. Zoe is apparently contented with the jewels and affluence showered upon her until a young American artist, Craig Fitcairn, traveling in India, enters her life. Zoe gets up a flirtation with Craig and allows him to call upon her. Their friendship soon ripens into love. The Rajah, suspicious of the pair, sets one of his servants, Singh, to spy upon Zoe in her apartment. Singh is present behind some portieres during a love scene between Zoe and Craig, and when Craig has gone. Zoo discovers the presence of someone behind the curtain. Thinking it to be the Rajah and mad with sudden passion, Zoe stabs the supposed Rajah and then rushes from the room. On the stairway she meets the Rajah, alive and well. With him she returns to the room. Singh's stabbed body is discovered and the Rajah tells her that unless she marries him the next day, he will have her tried for the murder of his servant. Zoe decides to flee to America. She is accompanied by a faithful Indian servant, Khula. She leaves behind her a note for Craig, telling him to follow her at once. After a bitter scene with the Rajah, Craig does so. In America Zoe and Craig are married. The warmth of her husband's love and the intimate appreciation of his character through her associations with him, brings to the heart of Zoe, the realization of her own unworthiness as his wife. Craig has married her without any knowledge of her past. Zoe decides that Edith, the daughter of her Cousin Mary, is perfectly fitted for the honor and duties of Craig's wife and plans to disappear from Craig's life before her happiness shall be shattered. Leaving a note to be opened in case of her death, in her writing desk. Zoe causes it to appear that she is burned in the fire resulting from an explosion in the automobile shed at the Pitcairn home. Edith who is not the sweet young girl Zoe has fancied her, but a greedy, designing young woman, finds the note and contrives to have it reach Craig. In the meantime Zoe, accompanied by her servant Khula, has gone into the secret chambers of the old home, waiting for an opportunity to disappear from the country. She has left her valuable jewels as an heritage to Edith. Celeste, a model posing for Craig loves him and is jealous of Edith. She causes suspicion to be directed towards Edith that points to the murder of Zoe, and not death by burning. Edith is arrested but in the investigations attending the accusations. Celeste's share of the trouble is discovered, and Celeste, Craig and Edith are arrested. The Rajah, intent upon revenging himself upon Zoe arrives from India at the same time. A mob from the neighborhood of Zoe's home, aroused at the rumors of foul play, make an attempt upon Craig's life, accusing him of the killing of his wife. With the mob at his very heels, Zoe, who has been wounded in her struggle to reach her husband, appears at the last moment, clearing Craig of the charge. The Rajah's threats are made harmless, by Khula's dramatic insistence that he killed Singh. Zoe assured that her attempted sacrifice has been wrong, finds happiness in Craig's affections.