Gij zult niet dooden

Summary

Ruth Herwood, the childless wife of a wealthy naval officer, adopts Mary, the daughter of the drunken cobbler Jones and sends the father to Australia. Mary grows up to beautiful womanhood knowing nothing of her true parentage. Bob, her childhood sweetheart, goes off to seek his fortune.

Jones returns together with a woman called Palmyra and they take a low tavern in Limehouse, where they are soon in league with Ling Soo, keeper of an opium den. Palmyra demands that Jones blackmail Ruth and bring back Mary to serve in the bar. Mary is abducted and taken to the den. However, she is rescued by Bob. Jones again approaches Ruth and she, in desperation, gives him a poisoned drink. Jones returns to London and dies in agony. When John Herwood comes home, his wife confesses what she has done. He recoils in horror and she dashes off to a lawyer who has always loved her. At the trial, however, Bob confesses that, in order to prevent Jones taking Mary from Ruth's care, he changed the poison bottle, followed Jones to London and there gave him the drug. As Bob is sentenced to imprisonment for the term of his natural life, Mary kisses him as she once did in their childhood.