The Grip of the Past
Jane and Belle are alone on their dead father's Southern plantation. Jane is the elder of the orphaned sisters. They have been raised with Pedro, a Castillian Spaniard, who was brought to the plantation as a waif and has grown up with the girls as their constant companion. Gradually Jane has grown to love Pedro. Belle, too, has affection for the Spaniard, but remains silent when she learns of Jane's love. Craven, overseer of the plantation, is an unscrupulous character, who disliked Pedro. By the death of the father the superintendency of the plantation falls (through a mortgage) to Gray, a middle-aged man, and he grows to love Jane. About this time the plantation stables burn through Craven's neglect. During the fire Pedro saves Belle's life. Craven contrives to have Pedro accused of setting fire to the stables. This leads to a fight between the two men. In his fury Craven, in Jane's presence, declares that Pedro is not a Spaniard, but has negro blood in his veins. Pedro pleads with Jane not to believe this. As he embraces her, Jane, overcome by the horror of the thought that Craven's words may be true, shrinks from him. Pedro, broken-hearted, leaves the plantation. Before his departure he is met by Belle, who, for the first time, openly manifests her love for him. Several years later Gray has married Jane, but the two are gradually drifting apart. Pedro, now a surveyor, is encamped near the plantation. He has with him his faithful assistant, Zeb, who has remained loyal to him from the day Pedro left the plantation. Belle has never forgotten her love for Pedro. On the day that Pedro's surveying camp is located near the plantation, Belle finds her father's diary which shows that Pedro was brought to the plantation from a nearby Catholic mission and is a Spaniard, not a negro. Belle breaks the news to Jane the same day. Several hours later Belle and Pedro meet near the plantation, where Pedro is told the real story of his parentage. The two now openly profess their love and meet daily at a rustic platform built from the edge of a cliff over a deep river. Craven learns of Pedro's presence in the neighborhood and warns Jane's husband, Gray, to watch Jane and Pedro. Gray sees Jane and Pedro in an accidental meeting and sees enough to rouse his suspicions. Meanwhile Jane realizes that her love for Pedro has reasserted itself. But she knows now that Belle is the recipient of Pedro's affection, and this leads to an unpleasant interview between the two sisters. Belle, determined to wed Pedro, agrees to elope with him. They are to meet at the trysting place overlooking the river. Craven knows that Pedro will be out on the platform at a certain hour, and he tampers with a trap-door so that it will be sprung as soon as Pedro steps upon the platform and precipitate him into the river below. That evening Gray sits awake to watch developments, believing that Jane and Pedro are having clandestine meetings. Belle, ready to elope creeps from the house to make for the trysting place. Jane secretly follows her. Gray follows both of the women. Zeb has seen Craven tampering with the trap-door and hurries to warn Pedro. Pedro, realizing that Belle will reach the platform ahead of him, runs frantically to intercept her. On the way he meets the jealous Gray. The men fight and Gray is knocked out. Pedro, arriving breathless at the river platform, is about to be fired upon by Craven from ambush, but Zeb intercepts in time to save his life. The two men engage in death grapple. Belle has proceeded to the platform, ignorant of the fate that awaits her, but is saved in the nick of time by Pedro. In the struggle between Pedro and Craven, the latter is forced out upon the platform and he plunges through the trap-door to the river hundreds of feet below. He is drowned. Explanations convince Gray of Jane's innocence and husband and wife are reconciled while Belle and Pedro depart to be married.
