The Female of the Species
Directed by Phillips Smalley and Lois WeberA gypsy girl is brought to the sheriff by a ranchman with the demand that her people be forced to move off his land. The hot-blooded woman no sooner sees the sheriff when she falls in love with him. She displays her womanly charms and the animal instinct in him is aroused. Ella, the sheriff's sweetheart, is a simple sort of a country girl, yet the gypsy woman hates her and in turn, when the gypsy's name is connected with that of the sheriff by the town people, Ella also hates. She tells the sheriff that she will have nothing to do with him until the gypsy leaves town. Understanding, or believing he does, the sheriff goes to the gypsy girl, tells her that they are of a different race, that their places in life are widely separated and she consents to leave with her folks. After their departure the sheriff is notified that a notorious outlaw is in his territory. He rides into the mountains. The outlaw successfully seeks refuge with the gypsies, though the girl washes her hands of the affair. Later, the girl, though pursued and mortally wounded by the bad man, returns to where the sheriff had been left a captive by the gypsies, and releases him. She receives the knife meant for the sheriff and with the last spark of life, turns and stabs the outlaw to death. The sheriff carries the body of the girl to town. He is seen approaching with the body across his saddle by the sheriff's sweetheart. After disposing of it, he knocks at the door. It is opened, his sweetheart sees him and closes it in his face. The sheriff throws the locket containing her picture to the ground and tramples on it, disgusted with it all. It was the bad "good" woman who ruined the life the good "bad" woman had saved.
