The Misleading Lady

Helen Steele, who has theatrical aspirations, has been told by Sidney Parker that, owing to her lack of stage experience he cannot entertain her proposition of giving her the leading part in his new production, "The Siren." Believing that she can get Parker to consent if she is persuasive enough, Helen has her fiancé, Henry Tracey, invite the theatrical manager to the party to be given by John W. Cannell so that she may work upon him. At the affair Helen manages to obtain Parker's consent to give her a trial it she is successful in having Jack Craigen, a friend of Cannell, who has been living in Patagonia for a long time and who is a woman hater, propose to her. Helen works her wiles upon the adamant Craigen and finally elicits a proposal from him. The guests in the next room, who have been listening, come out at the critical moment, and congratulate her. Craigen demands an explanation, and he is told that it is all a joke. He refuses to accept the incident in such a light, however, and makes preparations to leave for his home in the mountains. At this juncture. Tracey, who had been called out of town on important business before the commencement of the party, returns. When told of Helen's episode with Craigen he becomes very angry and upbraids her. Tracey then goes in search of Craigen, whom he does not know, and mistaking Keen Fitzpatrick, a reporter, who has been waiting in the next room for an interview with Craigen on Patagonia, for the man he is in search of, he starts to pour a scathing indictment upon him. The guests hear the tirade and inform Tracey of the identity of the man to whom he is speaking. Meanwhile Craigen, having packed his belongings, is leaving in his auto. As he is passing the back entrance, Helen jumps in front of his auto and tells him that, inasmuch as he does not know anything about women he should adopt the Patagonian savage method and carry her off to his home where he could study her. He puts her suggestion into effect and Helen is carried off in the auto to his home in the woods, where he brutally orders her about. She attempts to escape, and Craigen chains her to the floor. While he leaves her for a moment to put his car into the garage, "Boney," an escaped lunatic, makes his way into the cabin. He styles himself Napoleon Bonaparte, and raves about his armies. As he is swinging his sword about the room, Craigen appears, and by diplomacy succeeds in getting "Boney" upstairs to review his armies where he is locked in a room.