Flames and Fortune

A southern woman, widowed during the early days of the Civil War, lives with her new baby in her home in a small village. Receiving word that the enemy is approaching, and that the Confederates mean to make a stand in her house, she hastily departs, after ordering her faithful servant, Sam, to hide her money and jewels. Sam performs his mission, selecting a hiding place which he believes no one will discover, and is about to join his mistress when he is killed by a stray bullet. And the secret of the hiding place dies with him. Forty-eight hours later, the only members of the family are two girls, grandchildren of the woman who ordered the treasure put safely away. They have a desperate struggle to get along, but the elder girl supports them by sewing. There is a mortgage on their home, which is held by a miserly old man, who refuses to show them any mercy. He is willing, however, to give the girl the home if she will marry him, but she hates him and is in love with a younger and better man who, however, is poor. But she loves her little sister and while willing to stand poverty herself, cannot bear to think that the child will suffer. So she finally decides to accept the offer and goes to the man's house, prepared to tell him she will make the sacrifice. The child is left alone in the house, and being warned not to play with matches, she naturally does so, and sets the place on fire. The big sister bears the news while she is telling the man she hates that she will marry him. She runs off to the fire, followed by her unwelcome suitor. There she finds the house blazing fiercely. She tries to enter the place but is held back. Her unwelcome suitor has a chance to win her love, but is not man enough to make good. But the lad she always dashes through the fire and smoke and saves the little girl. The big sister decides that she will not sacrifice herself, that somehow, in some way, they will get along. She spurns her wealthy suitor, and he goes away, vowing vengeance. And good fortune comes through the fire. The little girl is playing around the fire ruins, delighted at the scene of disorder, and comes upon the treasure hidden years and years ago by the faithful servant of her ancestors. It came at the right time and proved that sometimes buried treasure is best buried until the time comes that somebody who readily needs it and can appreciate it, comes along. - IMDb