Unable to get their uncle, an old recluse, named Silas Pegg, who lives with his ward, Alice Fisher, to give them more money. Will and Joe, nephews of the old man, threaten to kill him in order to abstract the hiding place of his fortune. The nephews also plan to divert the crime upon Tom, the sweetheart of Alice. Putting their malevolent intention into practice, the nephews enter Tom's room, take his hunting knife and handkerchief, both of which have his initials thereon, and go to Silas' library that night. The lights are quickly put out and in the faint moonlight rays that shine into the room, a knife can be seen dashing quickly and the dim figures of two men hurriedly moving about. The men escape before Alice, who, being summoned by the noise, appears. Unable to solve the upheaval she telephones for the police, who are stationed about five miles away. After a search the police discover the knife and handkerchief belonging to Tom. He is accused of the attempted murder and imprisoned. Knowing that the old man has a will secretly hidden and also knowing that due to the poor belief he holds in banks, he has his fortune concealed somewhere on his property. Will and Joe again try to make Silas, whom they have detained in the old barn, tell them of the whereabouts of the money. This is witnessed by Alice. She telephones to the police, and the call is received just as Tom is being released on bail. As the officers are on their way to the old barn atrocious arts are being perpetrated by Will and Joe. Old Silas is bound tightly beneath a heavy weight, suspended by a rope, which the nephews intend to cut if the old man again refuses to tell them where he keeps the money. Alice has been beholding the proceedings for some time. Her anger comes to a high pitch and she rushes into the barn, revolver in hand, and commands the release of Silas. But Will is too quick for her and she, too, is found. For the last time the old man is asked to disclose the concealing place of the money. His refusal causes Will, in a paroxysm of rage, to clutch his knife with which he intends to sever the rope. He drops it and in picking it up notices a secret door on the floor. He investigates and discovers that it is the hiding place of the money. Joe lights a candle and places it in such a position as to burn the rope when it has burned itself to a certain point. The two villains leave their captors to fate and make off to share the spoils. An argument ensues and Will kills his fellow confederate. Meanwhile Alice has managed to wrestle herself loose and rescues Silas just a second before the heavy weight falls crashing to the floor. The police arrive in their automobile and Tom goes in search of Will, whom he finds near the edge of a precipitous cliff. There follows a struggle, in which Tom is victorious. Silas Pegg is profuse in his thanks to Tom for his aid, and Alice places her future life in her sweetheart's care.
Where to Watch The Death Weight
