The Hero of the Hour (1917)

Billy Brooks is a popular young member of New York's smart set, but rather effeminate, while his father is a rugged self-made man, a native of the far west. At a party Billy hears of an exquisite perfume and, learning from the young lady that her uncle manufactures it, Billy conceives the idea of introducing it into the homes of the best people. His father is so angered by this news that he turns him out. Billy says he is going on the road. He offends many society women by breaking in on intimate drawing-room teas to sell the perfume. Father receives complaints of Billy's actions and calls up Billy's boss and threatens to put him out of business if he doesn't send Billy away from New York. While waiting on a train which has stopped at a water tank, Billy is pulled off by a company of cowboys. He is taken to a ranch, run by Mildred. That night at the table Billy is disgusted by the table manners of the cowboys. His attitude is so critical that one of the men hits him in the face with mashed potatoes. The next morning Billy is forced to do housework. He discovers a letter written by his father to John Nebeker, the proprietor of the ranch, an old pal of Brooks, Sr. The letter explains that the old friend is to put Billy through a course of sprouts on the ranch. Billy sees through the whole scheme, engages the cowboys in private conversation, and buys himself a cowboy outfit. There follow several events, in which Billy apparently shoots and wounds a number of the cowboys. The cattle are missing, an incident which has never happened before. Mildred is astounded to discover her mistake in Billy, but is forced to believe her eyes. She wires to his father to come and get his son, who has developed into a bandit. Mildred's father is then in Brooks' office. They are discussing the remarkable success the girl has had in managing Billy. Brooks decides to leave for the west at once in company with Nebeker. As Mildred and the foreman start off with Brooks, Sr., and Nebeker in a buckboard, a band of masked cowboys sweeps down on them and carries them to a cave in the hills. A guard is left over them, while the masked men are outside fighting the posse which is supposed to have pursued them. The party in the cave finally makes their escape and sees the ground strewn with the dead. They finally arrive at the ranch house, which they find brilliantly lighted. A dance is in progress, and the hoax is apparent. Billy eventually succeeds in pacifying Mildred's natural resentment at the deception.