The Barrier
Directed by William BowmanSergeant Wade is promoted to a lieutenancy, and the day he receives official notification of his new rank he has been writing in his dairy the innermost secrets of his heart, for he is in love with Grace, the Colonel's daughter, and has never dared to communicate to her the affection he bears her. Corporal Sullivan, much the worse for an evening spent in the saloons of the settlement, comes in and finds the diary, and goes to the bunk house where he entertains the soldiers by reading it aloud. Wade comes into the room, and tears the book from Sullivan's hand, and, greatly mortified, rushes to his room. The drunken Sullivan follows him, and Wade, driven to desperation, strikes him. A terrific struggle ensues, and Wade picks up a heavy water pitcher and strikes Sullivan, who falls unconscious. Wade is arrested and court-martialed, being sentenced to a prison term at Ft. Leavenworth, and is sent away escorted by an armed guard. Grace, who is secretly in love with Wade, feels his disgrace keenly and decides to go east for a while. She goes away in the stagecoach. In the meantime the Indians have been acting in an ugly manner, having trouble with the government agent, and they break out and go on the warpath. The agency is burned down, and then they see the stagecoach approaching. The escort sees the Indians approaching and by a clever trick manage to get Grace secreted in the hills, and they gallop away with the Indians in pursuit. The entire guard is killed off, but not before they have put up a great fight for their lives. Wade takes advantage of the carelessness of his guard and makes a thrilling escape, taking to the hills. He meets Grace just as the Indians, who have discovered the ruse that was employed, are following her trail. Behind the rocks Wade fights for his life and that of Grace, and, in a narrow pass he holds the redskins at bay, though wounded a number of times. The soldiers at the fort, discovering the massacre of the Indian agent and his staff, are in pursuit of the Indians, and hearing the firing ride madly to the scene. A sensational fight takes place before the Indians are finally driven back and Grace and Wade rescued. Wade is carried back to the fort and tenderly nursed by Grace. The Colonel makes a personal appeal for him to Washington, and in view of his heroism Wade is restored to his rank of lieutenant and the findings of the court-martial set aside. The last scene shows the happy man with Grace, who has confessed her love for him.
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