The Honorable Algy (1916)

Algernon, the youngest of four sons, is sent to America to contract a good marriage and bring money into the family, in order to save the estate of his father, the Marquis of Monteith. A fortnight later he starts, after bidding farewell to his sweetheart, Patricia Leslie, the Vicar's daughter. On board ship he meets Lord Rockmore, who has a bad name. Rockmore is accompanying Dryker, a millionaire, and his wife and daughter to New York. Algernon is introduced to the Drykers. They have placed for safe-keeping, considerable jewelry in the purser's safe, including a rope of pearls, valued at sixty thousand pounds. Dryker has been followed since purchasing the pearls by Bud Harvey, a shrewd crook, who sees the purser returning with the tray, collides with him and drops, unseen, a pill into the glass. The purser drops asleep, and Harvey secures his keys and steals the Dryker jewels. The robbery is discovered on the following day, and Harvey, knowing his cabin will be searched, ties the jewels in his handkerchief, which he attaches to a string, and drops them down one of the ventilating funnels on the upper deck. Algernon, sitting in his room, sees the handkerchief come swinging down through the ventilator, reaches up and unties it, and drops back in amazement when he sees the jewels. He decides to keep them, and hides them in his tobacco pouch underneath the tobacco. Harvey reaches New York with the jewels, undiscovered. Rockmore and Algernon put up at the same hotel. Rockmore's picture is published in the society columns, and Belle Delmore, a dancer, with whom he used to be thick in London, learns of his arrival and intentions with regard to Miss Dryker, and swears that she will send his letters and a statement to the Dryker girl. Algernon decides not to keep the jewels, and puts them in a box, which he mails to Miss Dryker. Rockmore plans to intercept the package of letters, and watches the letter carrier, and just before the package is delivered, rings the bell of the Dryker residence, and is talking to the butler when the postman delivers a package, which he steals without the knowledge of the butler. Algernon arrives a few minutes later, and discovers that Rockmore has evidently taken the package, whereupon he bundles Grace and her father into a machine and tells the chauffeur to drive to the hotel. They arrive in time to capture Rockmore, and recover the jewels. Algernon tells Grace Dryker of their rotten luck back home, of Patricia and of the family council. He asks her what he should do, and she suggests that he go to work. He has never thought of this solution, but it appeals to him, and he is eventually employed as a broker's clerk with a tidy salary. He ventures his all in speculation. When Christmas comes, he is invited to the Dryker house, and after all receive their presents. Miss Dryker and his employer, who is engaged to Grace, announce the last present is for Algernon. His present is Patricia. His employer whispers that the "spec" is a big success and Monteith Hall is safe. He is pushed toward Pat, and the curtains drop together and Algernon hears Grace crying in her lover's arms and knew that they were tears of happiness for him. He gathers Pat into his arms.