The Palace of Flames (1912)

Evariste Marny, a business rival of Andrew Vivanti, is threatened with ruin, and to eliminate competition hires a town vagabond, Tonio, to fire the factory of Vivanti. Changing his clothing after having fulfilled his part of the bargain, Tonio carefully preserves a card bearing Marny's handwriting, an agreement as to the time for the deed to be committed, etc., etc., believing that someday it might be of value. Several lives are lost, and suspicion of having set fire to his own establishment for the insurance benefit is cast upon Vivanti. He is tried, found guilty, and sentenced to prison for life. Marny prospers, and becoming conscious of the wrong he has done, adopts Vivanti's young daughter to make amends to his conscience. After thirteen years in prison, Vivanti makes his escape. Disguised as a rag picker, he begins a new life in search of his daughter and of information that will prove his innocence. He takes up his abode in an inn of low repute and begins his search. Amongst the crowd of assembled ruffians and drunkards is Tonio. Tonio has been living a carefree life since his crime, depending upon money extorted from Marny for his existence. Vivanti adopts the name "Old Andrew," that he may conceal his identity. Soon after his entrance to the inn, Old Andrew is set upon by Tonio, but the difference is patched up and they become fast friends. His money exhausted, Tonio visits Marny and makes demands for more. He is refused, but Marny yields when shown the telltale card. He barters with Tonio, and a price is put upon the card. The money is paid, and after a scuffle Tonio snatches the card away from Marny and departs with both money and card. Tonio returns to the inn intoxicated and exhibits the money to Old Andrew. He accidentally drops the card and falls into a drunken sleep. While picking over his rags, Old Andrew spies the card on the floor, and noting the writing, etc., it comes to him that Marny is the one guilty of the crime of which he has been charged. Vowing vengeance upon Marny, he hastens to his home. On his way to Marny's rooms he passes his daughter, Lydia, now grown to womanhood, and Marny's son. He does not recognize his daughter, and she shrinks from what she supposes to be an intruding ruffian. He finds Marny in his room, and by aid of the card convicts Marny. He is about to do violence to Marny when he is bade, "look from the window." Marny explains that the loving pair he observes is "your daughter and my son, now strike if you will" With supreme self-sacrifice Old Andrew withdraws, leaving his daughter to her happiness and ignorant of his existence. At the inn, Tonio has awakened from his drunken slumber, to find that the card has gone, and believing that it has been taken by the agents of Marny, hastens to his home in a frenzy. He gains admission to the house through the cellar grating, and demented with rage at having lost the blackmailing card, fires the house. Old Andrew, wending his way up a hill on the outskirts of the town, turns for a farewell look toward his daughter's home and sees the palace in flames. He hastens back to her rescue. In the mansion the scene has become terribly dramatic. Tonio, struggling in his own trap, perishes in the flames. Livid tongues of flame leap out through the mansion, and the occupants rush about frantically. Then through the flames and up the staircase comes Old Andrew, bent upon his daughter's rescue. He finds, however, that she has already been carried to safety by Marny's son and that Marny alone of the occupants has been left to his fate. Parts of the floor have fallen, the staircase is ablaze, and flames are licking the entire building when Old Andrew makes his way up the stairway to the rescue of his enemy. He wrenches a door from its hinges, bridges over part of the fallen floor, and finally comes upon Marny lying prostrate upon the drawing-room floor. He carries him out to the stairway, but finds that the flames have beaten him and part of the stairs have been burned away. Rescuer and rescued hang in a perilous position, supported only by Old Andrew's firm grip on a pillar, until the fire-fighters arrive, spread a life net, and catch the two men as they fall. Marny receives mortal injuries and is dying. Upon his deathbed he confesses his guilt and tells Lydia that she is the daughter of Old Andrew. Weeping over the bier of Marny, Lydia and her sweetheart find that although they have lost one father they have found another in the Palace of Flames.