Independent Moving Pictures Co. of America (IMP)

William Garwood

Violet Mersereau

Robert F. Hill

Willard Foster becomes an idler and gambler. Owing to his family and social connections, he is able to retain his membership in several exclusive clubs, and has entree to the best society. Summer finds him in the country, where he...

The Destroyer

Willard Foster becomes an idler and gambler. Owing to his family and social connections, he is able to retain his membership in several exclusive clubs, and has entree to the best society. Summer finds him in the country, where he meets Dorothy Trask. He wins her love and promises to marry her. The summer passes and Dorothy finds herself deserted. Under cover of night she steals away to hide herself and her tragedy in the city. Foster, too, is back in the city gambling. Edgar Trask, Dorothy's brother, is an eminently successful young businessman married to Helen Jordan, daughter of his wealthy partner. They have one child, little Billy, whom Trask worships. Helen devotes her time to society. Trask is notified by his mother (who is still living "back home" in the country) of Dorothy's disappearance and the cause. Trask confides his sister's story to no one. He employs Ray Hamilton, one of the shrewdest detectives in the city, to aid him in finding Dorothy. His wife overhears part of their conference. Her suspicions and jealousy are aroused and she accuses Trask of spending time and money on another woman. He refuses to explain. This precipitates a quarrel. Trask is introduced to Foster at the club and not only detects Foster cheating at cards, but also discovers that he is a thief. Rather than have a row, Trask lets the matter drop, but Foster, after the manner of his kind, hates the man who has found him out and vows to be revenged. The following week Foster meets Helen, Trask's wife, at a reception. They are mutually attracted to each other, and unknown to Trask, they become friends. Dorothy secures work in a department store. One day, owing to a chance meeting, Foster accompanies Helen on a shopping expedition. Dorothy sees them coming down the aisle. To avoid recognition by Foster, she turns her back. Helen, with the importance of persons of her class, complains to the manager of Dorothy's lack of attention. Dorothy is discharged. The friendship between Helen and Foster progresses rapidly. Helen thoughtlessly accepts the many little attentions which Foster knows so well how to bestow. He calls frequently to see her. One evening Trask returns home unexpectedly and finds them under rather suspicious circumstances. He denounces Foster as a gambler and a thief, orders him from the house and forbids Helen to see him again. The same night Trask receives a note from Detective Hamilton stating he has at last discovered Dorothy's hiding place. Trask thoughtlessly tosses the note in the waste-basket and hurries away to find his sister. His wife finds the note, and thinking it has reference to "the other woman" of her imagination, becomes insanely jealous. Foster, who has seen Trask leaving the house, calls again. Helen, angry, jealous, and in a reckless mood, is now willing to listen to him. Using the note as proof, Foster convinces Helen that her husband is false to her. Renewing his declarations of love Foster urges her to go away with him that night. Dorothy is unable to find other employment. Her savings are soon exhausted. She is without food and unable to pay her room rent. She is on the point of ending it all when Trask finds her. Fearing she will repeat the attempt to take her life if she is left alone again, he induces her to go home with him. Helen, dressed for traveling, is packing her satchel and preparing to leave. Foster, waiting for her, is impatiently pacing the living room. There Dorothy and Trask find him. When Trask discovers that this man who is trying to wreck his home is also the one responsible for the tragedy which has clouded his sister's life, his fury knows no hounds. Helen and Dorothy, mute with terror, witness the desperate fight between the two men, in which the furniture and the house are nearly wrecked. Foster is thrown down the steps and his hat and cane thrown after him. Helen slips away to her room. With a prayer of thanksgiving that she has been saved from an abyss of shame, she hastily removes all trace of her intended departure. Picking sleepy little Billy up in her arms, she joins her husband and his sister in the beautiful scene of reconciliation with which the picture closes.

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The Destroyer

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