The House of Temperley (1913)

Owing to the gambling extravagances of Sir Charles Temperley, the careless, good-natured, elder son, the House of Temperley is on the verge of ruin. While he is spending his time in reckless dissipation, creditors invade Temperley Manor, to the distress of Lady Temperley and the younger son, Captain Jack. Sir Charles, on his return, realizes the seriousness of the situation, and promises his brother to give up card playing. Unfortunately Sir John Hawker, an unscrupulous gamester, playing with marked cards, has gained a hold over Sir Charles, his cheating being noticed by Jakes, a bookmaker, whose enmity he has incurred. Sir John persuades Sir Charles to play for still higher stakes, but Captain Jack arrives, and reminds his brother of his promise. Sir John Hawker discovers a young pugilist of great promise, Gloster Dick, and, seeing in him a further opportunity of fleecing Sir Charles, suggests a match, the fight to be for very heavy stakes between two fighters who have never been in the prize-ring before. The challenge is accepted after the terms have been modified to include any man who has not been in the ring tot five years. This enables Sir Charles, in default of a better nominee, to make use of the services of Ginger Stubbs, an old prize-tighter who has been to the wars with Captain Jack as a servant. In the meantime, Lady Temperley has persuaded her ward, Ethel, who is an heiress in her own right, to marry Sir Charles. Ethel, who has lived with the Temperleys all her life, is much moved by Lady Temperley's distress, and agrees, although she is really in love with Jack Temperley. Later, when Jack declares his love, Ethel tells him of her engagement to Charles, and Jack, broken-hearted determines that when the forthcoming fight is over he will leave the country. Sir John Hawkers receives disturbing reports of Ginger Stubbs' progress in training, and fears the result. He arranges with Jakes to have Ginger Stubbs carried off on the eve of the fight. The fight will then be awarded to Gloster Dick. By a ruse Ginger Stubbs is accordingly seized and carried off, but, at the last moment, just as the referee is about to award the match to Gloster Dick, Jack Temperley, himself a skillful amateur, throws his hat in the ring, fights for Sir Charles, and wins an exciting battle. Sir Charles has previously discovered that Ethel is in love with Jack, and knowing that Hawker is a dead shot, sees in a duel an opportunity for him to clear the way for the two lovers. Sir John Hawker unsuccessfully schemes to break up the ring; Sir Charles accuses him of this, and, after an angry scene a duel is arranged. Sir John fires before the signal is given, wounding Sir Charles, who returns the fire with fatal effect. Sir Charles Temperley, in the final scene, joins the hands of Jack and Ethel, contented in the knowledge that the fortunes of the House of Temperley are now safe.