The Connecting Link - Production & Contact Info

The Connecting Link (1915)
Short | Short, Drama, Western

The Connecting Link (1915)

Short | Short, Drama, Western

John Redmond, a widower, and Phillip Markham are joint owners of the Ten Strike Mine. Redmond is always on the square, but Markham is an unscrupulous crook. For years he and his accomplices have been secretly stealing from the mine. One ...See moreJohn Redmond, a widower, and Phillip Markham are joint owners of the Ten Strike Mine. Redmond is always on the square, but Markham is an unscrupulous crook. For years he and his accomplices have been secretly stealing from the mine. One day Redmond is caught in a cave-in and when rescued is found to be fatally injured and dies the next day. He makes Markham the guardian of his daughter, Ruth, and the trustee of his fortune. Ruth is attending school but hurries to the mine and is given a sealed envelope left by Redmond. Markham has opened the envelope and found it to be the will of Redmond whereby everything was left to Ruth, but makes it plain that in case of her death, Markham is to receive the other half of the mine. Redmond also expresses a wish that she and Markham marry. Ruth dislikes Markham and she and Earl Hampton, the honest and conscientious foreman of Redmond's mine, become close friends. This is a great blow to Markham, but he keeps in the background, knowing how much the girl will respect her father's wishes. Earl and Ruth fall very much in love with each other, and she finally tells him of her father's will. Markham, believing that his scheme to win Ruth will fail, determines to destroy her. Ruth notices a metal ring which Earl wears on his wrist and in reply to her inquiry as to where he got it, tells her that he found it in a cave. An old Indian told him that it will protect the original finder, but that harm would befall the one who steals it from him. Earl is also informed that it is a cure for rheumatism. Morton, Markham's accomplice, overhears the latter part of the story and determines to steal the ring for his rheumatism. Earl absently lays the ring aside one day and Morton steals it. Earl and Ruth become more affectionate, and she tells all to Markham, who promises not to interfere. After leaving her he begins to lay a trap which will put her out of the way. He lays a line of wires to the powder house and attaches a cap to it near the dynamite. One of the miners has stumbled across the wires and broken one of them. He fastens the ends of the wires together but the strain on the wire gradually worked the ends loose so that there is about an inch difference between the contacts. Markham takes the girl out for a walk, intending to take her to the powder house. He loses control of himself and tells the girl how he has planned to destroy her. Markham carries the girl to the powder house, locks her up and gives the signal to his accomplice to close the circuit. But there is no explosion. He hurries to his accomplice to find out why he has not carried out his orders but Morton shows him the closed switch. They begin to investigate, unconsciously leaving the switch closed. Ruth, upon recovering consciousness, succeeds in breaking out of the powder house and hastens home. Earl meets her and learns what has happened. Markham hastens to the powder house to see if Ruth is still there, while his accomplice begins to investigate. Earl comes upon him just as he has found the break in the wire and they have a fight. Earl strikes him a terrific blow and Morton falls with sprawling arms outstretched. The arm with the wrist ring settles directly over the broken ends of the connection, making a complete circuit. There is an explosion; the powder house is blown to pieces. Earl has no sooner left Ruth when she hastens after him. She sees a man running in the distance whom she thinks is Earl, but she soon discovers that she is mistaken and that it is Markham. She sees him go into the powder house. She then comes upon Earl and Morton in the fight and sees Morton fall. Earl discovers her and tells her that he will now go after Markham. but she silently points to where the powder house once stood and tells him that Markham will never bother him again. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
6 cast members

Name	Known for
Sherman Bainbridge Phillip Markham Phillip Markham See fewer	The Raid of the Human Tigers (1913)
Rex De Rosselli John Redmond John Redmond See fewer	Rescued by Wireless (1914)
Edythe Sterling Ruth Redmond - John's Daughter Ruth Redmond - John's Daughter See fewer	The Further Adventures of Stingaree (1917)
Norbert A. Myles Earl Hampton Earl Hampton See fewer	The Daughter of Dawn (1920)
William A. Crinley Actor Actor See fewer	The Radio Detective (1926)
Betty Burbridge Actress (as Elizabeth Burbridge) Actress (as Elizabeth Burbridge) See fewer	In the Clutches of the Gangsters (1914)