The Sons of Satan (1915)

Henry Normand is the chief of a gang of thieves and murderers known as the Sons of Satan. Under the name of Paul de Villereau he is also a famous detective, and both he and his organization, "Freshley's Detective Agency," have at times been of service to Scotland Yard, though their real purpose is the levying of blackmail. De Villereau is attracted to Winifred West, an actress, who is engaged to Lord Desford, the son of the irascible Earl of Littleborough. Winifred refuses a gift sent by the detective, who determines to get the girl into his power by foul means. Dick Penton, Winifred's guardian and stage manager of the theater in which she appears, who loves Winifred, suspects the evil character of the detective. De Villereau's plans are facilitated by his relations with Desford's stepmother, who has been afraid that a foolish letter of hers will come into the hands of her husband. She pays heavily for its recovery, but the letter restored to her by De Villereau is only a forged copy. She is summoned to her tormentor's headquarters and there finds herself completely in the toils. The presentation of the Littleborough jewels to the new countess is to take place shortly. De Villereau has a description of the safe, and it is soon made clear to Lady Littleborough that she must assist him to obtain possession of the jewels. De Villereau effects an entrance into the grounds for himself and his gang. Lady Littleborough is forced to act as a confederate and bring the dressing gown which is to incriminate the unconscious Winifred, who has been invited to spend the night. A fragment of stuff found caught in the safe and a jagged rent in Winifred's dressing gown prove damning evidence against the girl. The distracted Desford tells Fenton what has happened and the stage manager is certain that Winifred is the victim of a plot. Desford consults Freshley's Detective Agency and engages De Villereau to find the real criminal. But the suspicious Fenton discovers that there is some understanding between Lady Littleborough and the detective. De Villereau realizes that she is dangerous to his scheme. She is accordingly gagged and bound, while the criminal hastens back to London to secure possession of Winifred. Fenton, disguised as De Villereau, releases Lady Littleborough and hears the whole story from her. Winifred has been cleverly abducted under the eyes of the police by De Villereau and his gang. Fenton determines to beard the villain in his den. He writes a note to the countess, which Desford is to give her at midnight if he has not returned by that time. Fenton interviews Freshley, but the man escapes and turns the tables upon Fenton by pumping a suffocating gas into the room. De Villereau seems to triumph all along the line. Winifred is forced to go on an errand which will bring the countess into the same trap. Finally De Villereau and his men drive away, bearing their drugged victim, Winifred, while Lady Littleborough and Fenton are left bound in an oil-soaked hut, the light fuse left by De Villereau creeping ever nearer to the oil. Young Lord Desford, however, has opened Fenton's note. The two victims are released just in time. As De Villereau sees the flames of the burning hut he smiles and exclaims: "The last possibility of evidence against us has gone." In the presence of Desford and Fenton, Lady Littleborough tells her husband everything and his love proves equal to the test. After considerable difficulty with Scotland Yard a raid is organized, led by Fenton, who is disguised as De Villereau. It is then that the latter drives up with the jewels and finds his stronghold taken. He realizes that the game is up, and facing the victors smilingly takes a gentle puff at a doctored cigarette, which kills him as it had killed a previous victim. His master, Satan, who has been shown gloating over his career at intervals, now receives his faithful disciple.