The Call of His People

Nelson Holmes, an African American who has passed for white for twenty years, has advanced himself from office boy to the position of general manager of the Brazilian-American Coffee Syndicate. Nelson is visited by James Graves, a black boyhood friend from the South looking for a job as a Spanish correspondent. Fearing that his secret will be discovered, Nelson urges Graves to pose as a Spaniard, but Graves refuses. Finally Nelson agrees to make Graves his private secretary if he will remain quiet about Nelson's true race, and Graves accepts, though he feels contempt for Nelson. Deeply affected by seeing Graves again, Nelson pays a visit to Graves' sister Elinor, who was his childhood sweetheart. Elinor receives him coldly, however, angered by his denial of his own people, and remains adamant in her refusal to resume their friendship even after Nelson rescues her from a man annoying her. When a representative of the Santos company, a competitor which the syndicate is trying to put out of business, offers Nelson a bribe to destroy some contracts that could ruin his company, Nelson indignantly refuses, but their conversation is overheard by Beauregard Stuart, manager of foreign sales, who earlier was vexed that Nelson had received the promotion to general manager rather than him. That night, Graves overhears Stuart make a deal to get the contracts for the Santos representative. As Stuart is about to take the contracts from the company safe, Graves attacks him, concealing his identity, and during their struggle, retrieves the contracts. After Graves runs off, Nelson returns to the office, and Stuart mistakes him for his attacker, then accuses him of the theft. Graves, meanwhile, shows the contracts to Elinor, saying he now has power over Nelson. Elinor is tempted to destroy the contracts, hoping that Nelson would then be forced to return to his people. The next morning, as Stuart accuses Nelson to their boss, Lionel Weathering, Elinor arrives with the contracts and a letter from Graves, which proves Stuart's guilt. After she leaves, Nelson, extremely grateful for Elinor and Graves' loyalty, finally informs Weathering that he has been passing for white. Weathering assures Nelson that it is the quality and not the color of a man that counts, and Nelson asks Elinor for her hand in marriage, once again proud to be black.