Mrs. Dane's Confession (1921)

Living with her wealthy uncle Dorothy is betrothed to her cousin, William, until an adventurer, Harry Harwood, determines to win her hand and fortune for himself. As one of a gang of crooks he forms a conspiracy to make himself so attractive to the girl that she eventually consents to marry him. Meanwhile Harry has killed the uncle and allowed another man to suffer imprisonment for the crime; but of this Dorothy is not aware until much later. Some time after the wedding Harry commences to spend his wife's money in a wild orgy of extravagant parties and he even suggests that Dorothy shall obtain more money by listening to the love-making of a wealthy admirer. Eventually he deserts the girl altogether, and she is forced to bring up her baby in the infirmary. Here mother and child are discovered by William, who cares for them both. Harry turns up again and compels Dorothy to return to him in order to force more money from William, and at last the girl realizes that, while the man lives, she will never be free from persecution and she fires the fatal shot.