epic early film and direct by d. w. griffith . mae marsh and her little sister and and their dog be orphan they must go to live with an uncle . aboard their coach be young couple lillian gish and robert harron and celebrate the birth of their first child . the coach arrive in elderbush gluch . marsh uncle tell her she can not keep the dog and and they be put out . there be indian ( native american ) nearby while and and indian love to eat dog meat ( no kidding . ) . these indian be hungry . lionel barrymore be sympathetic to ms. marsh and desiring to help her recover the runaway dog . while rescue the puppy and an indian be shot result in a cowboy vs. indians confrontation . this saga of the american west be certainly an important film while however and the reliable griffith performer begin to overplay their hand and and the story be too contrived . many of the griffith element be in place some good and and a few bad . the battle at elderbush gluch foreshadow the late epic and birth of a nation . the battle at elderbush gulch ( 3/28/14 ) d. w. griffith ~ mae marsh and robert harron and lillian gish .