What Women Suffer

In England, Edith Norton is married to a dashing naval officer, Lt Coventry, who bears a resemblance to Jack Baxter, a common thief. Edith's father is killed by Baxter and Coventry is framed for this by the evil Herbert Standish who has designs on Edith. Partly convicted on the testimony of his son, Cedric, Coventry is thrown in prison.

Years earlier Standish had abandoned Nance, daughter of the old gardener, Meredith, leaving her to starve. She married Baxter, who gave her a terrible life.

Edith and Cedric are lured to a sawmill by a forged letter from Standish. Standish places the boy on a saw bench and threatens to cut him unless the girl marries her. But Coventry escapes from prison in time to rescue the boy and the girl. Baxter confesses and Coventry and Edith are reunited.^[4][5]

The chapter headings were:^[6]

• The return of Lt Coventry
• The fatal resemblance
• The Murder on the Lawn
• Coventry accused of the crime
• His own child convicts him
• The daring escape from the quarry
• The great thrilling sawmill scene
• Out of the jaws of death
• At the point of the revolver
• The confession
• Hunted by the police
• Freedom at last.

• Alfred Rolfe as Lt Coventry
• Ethel Phillips as Edith
• Stanley Walpole as Standish
• Charles Villiers

The film was based on a popular four-act melodrama which had been produced on the Australian stage by Philip Lytton.^[7][8][9]

According to contemporary reports the film "was produced at enormous cost solely for the Lyric" Theatre in Melbourne.^[10]