Liberty (1916)

Episode 1: "The Fangs of the Wolf" James Horton dies at his hacienda in Mexico, leaving a will which makes Major Richard Winston and Senor Pancho Lopez the trustees of Horton's vast estate, and they are created guardians of his daughter and only child, Liberty Horton, aged seventeen years, the will commanding that Liberty must not marry before reaching the age of twenty-one without the written approval of both trustees. Liberty spends a year at the Winston home, and then goes to her late father's estate in Mexico. A fiesta is held in honor of Liberty's arrival, with feats of horsemanship. Theresa, a Mexican girl, is in love with Manual Leon. She becomes maid to Liberty. Captain Rutledge is in love with Liberty and she has much affection for him, but Trustee Leon's son, Manuel, becomes Rutledge's rival. A grand ball concludes the fiesta, and here Pancho Lopez secretly plots against his employers by conspiring to abduct Liberty, the prospective money to be used to finance a revolution. The plan succeeds. Pedro escapes from his captivity with the Lopez band and hurries back to the Horton estate, where he tells of the abduction of Liberty and the Texas Rangers are summoned. Manuel tries to dissuade the rangers from setting out on the rescue mission, claiming the quest too hazardous, but Rutledge spurns his advice, and the latter finally concludes to accompany the expedition. The Lopez gang succeed in carrying Liberty to a high mountain fastness. A message is found demanding $10,000 as ransom to release Liberty. Rutledge shouts up the mountainside that if Liberty is harmed all the Lopez gang will be punished by death when caught. Lopez sends words to an insurrecto chief, Alvira, to prepare for an attack on an American town near the border. Pedro, the servant, manages to creep into the Lopez camp, finds Liberty and aids her to escape. Alvira and his insurrectos meanwhile are marching to attack the American town. Captain Rutledge and Manual Leon quarrel, and agree to fight a duel.