The Telltale Knife

The Telltale Knife is a 1914 American short silent Western film starring Tom Mix and directed by William Duncan.^[1]

This summary of the plot was published in The Moving Picture World for November 7, 1914:^[2]

Mabel Madden, a typical western girl, thrown upon her own resources, inherits a saloon from her father. She is somewhat infatuated with Tom Mason, against whom suspicions have been aroused of rustling cattle from the neighboring ranchmen. But she is also a great admirer of the intrepid sheriff, who posts in her bar-room an offer of a reward of $500 for the capture of the cattle rustlers.

Tom Mason is really a rustler and with his band makes depredations until one day two of them have a narrow escape from being caught In the act of branding a steer. Mabel has presented Tom with a knife, which he leaves behind when he runs away from the approaching range rider, who discovers them. The range rider gives the knife to the sheriff, who identifies Tom thereby. A pistol fight follows. Tom and his gang escape temporarily, only to be wiped out by the sheriff and his posse. It Is a most vivid picture with a lot of shooting, real fighting, hard riding and love making. The sheriff wins Mabel and announces the saloon for sale.

"C. D." (Nov. 4).— This picture tells the story of Ralph Tillman, a clever United States Secret Service Agent and telegraph operator, who is instructed to report to the War Department. He is sent to General Sickles to become a Northern spy. He chooses Frank Lyons, another telegraph operator to accompany him. Before leaving Washington, he calls upon his fiancee, Vera Colby, and tells her of his perilous assignment.

In the South, Tillman meets Roxy, a beautiful waif, who understands telegraphy. She falls in love with him, but discovers that he is a Northern spy. She catches him telegraphing important news, covers him with her revolver and telegraphs to the Confederate camp that she has caught a spy. He tells her of his love in the North, and she permits him to escape. Tillman goes North to his sweetheart, finds her married, and returns South to bring love and happiness to Roxy.

• Tom Mix as Tom Mason
• Charles Tipton
• William Duncan
• Myrtle Stedman
• Rex De Rosselli

• Hoot Gibson filmography

• The Telltale Knife at IMDb