The Touch of a Child (1914)

movie

Country: USA
Genres: Drama, Short
Release: 1914-02-23
Director: N/A
Writers: N/A
Language: None | English
Stars: King Baggot , Howard Crampton , David Lythgoe , Stuart Paton
Runtime: min
Awards: N/A
AKA: The Touch of a Child (United States of America) , The Touch of a Child
Plot: Paul Vivian, a rich American artist, is sojourning in Paris with his sister when the latter is suddenly taken ill. A French doctor is called in on the case. Just at this time Paul is the victorious principal in a fatal duel; he has to leave the country. A thief whom Paul had incurred the enmity of, is a witness of the duel gives the dead man's brother (a noted French doctor) a wrong version of the quarrel and the consequent fatality. The brother swears to kill the man who has killed his brother. Paul's sister in the course of time recovers, and marries the doctor who has brought about her recovery. The doctor is none other than the brother of the man that Paul has killed, but neither the sister, doctor, or Paul are aware of it. Paul goes to South America, where he remains for five years. The doctor and his wife move to New York. Five years elapse. Paul returns to his own home. On the way to his sister's house he saves a little girl from being killed by an automobile. It is his sister's child whom he has saved. In the course of time the child learns to love Paul. Maurice (the doctor) has acquired an immense practice, has everything to make him happy, but notwithstanding, grows more melancholic. At last his grief reaches such a stage that he informs them that it is because of a vow he made, to kill the man who had killed his brother, and had as yet never fulfilled. When Maurice tells them of the circumstance, and shows them the foil, Paul knows it is he whom Maurice means, but that he, Maurice, had been grossly misinformed as to the cause, and the manner of the killing. When he tells him the real truth of the circumstances Maurice will not listen to him, but insists on an immediate meeting on the field of honor. Paul sees that his brother-in-law is bent on killing him, and at last agrees to a duel of a novel nature, and that is the both of them shall sit on the sofa, neither of them speaking, and the first that little Mimi (Maurice's child) shall touch when she enters, that one shall take the revolver and kill himself. They hear the little girl coming, both take their places and wait. She enters, and, as neither one will speak, thinks they are playing some new game, so running behind the sofa, throws her arms about both their necks. Maurice now sees that fate has intervened and a reconciliation between him and his brother-in-law ends the story happily.
IMDB:tt0400892