By the Faith of a Child

Delaying his return to guard duty, Stephen, an Austrian soldier, is anxiously watching by the bedside of his dying wife. He gets to his post in time to take the place of the retiring guard. While he keeps sentinel, his little girl comes to him to tell him that her mother is dying and is calling for him. A war within himself is waged betwixt love and duty. Love wins, and, though it means martial punishment, he leaves his post and runs to see his wife before she dies. He arrives just in time to bid her a last farewell, and while bowed down with sorrow a detachment of soldiers comes to his home and arrests him for breach of military discipline. He is tried by court-martial and sentenced to death. His little girl, who is now left in the care of a friend, loves her father dearly and constantly prays for his reprieve, and is determined to intercede in his behalf. Inspired with childlike faith that her father will be saved, she goes alone to the Grand Duke Otto and appeals to him for her father's pardon. The Grand Duke listens to her story about her dying mother calling for her father and how she went for him. The Duke is so touched by her simple and honest plea that he signs a pardon for her father and hands it to an officer to carry in haste to the place of execution, to which the soldiers are now taking the prisoner. Mounting a horse and lifting the little girl into the saddle, they ride at the top speed to where the death sentence is about to be carried out, just in time to stop it. The child, handing the pardon to the Captain, rushes into her father's arms, crying: "Papa, you are saved!" while he clasps her in his arms and weeps for joy.