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1-13 of 13
- Chapter 12 - A Fight for the Franchise: Helen Holmes (Helen Holmes) and Roy Wilson (William Brunton), president of the K and W Railroad, become suspicious of the dealings of Thomas Desmond (J.P. McGowan), the railroad superintendent, with Boss Hogan concerning the railroad company that will be granted the Copper City franchise. Through an open window at Desmond's house, they overhear the plot to double-cross them and give the plot to The Eastern Railroad Company. They see the contract placed in a desk and overhear the scheme to send Wallace Burke (Leo D. Maloney) to Copper City the next day to get Hogan's signature. They make a copy of the contract and place the A and K Railroad on the franchise line. They them secure the services of Lightfingered Tom (Marvin Martin), to pick Burke's coat pocket and switch the contracts. ,
- A train that is carrying the formula for a valuable form of granulated gasoline disappears before it reaches its destination. Railroad investigators and the authorities try to determine where it is and who took it.
- Whispering Smith, a railroad detective, is sent to Medicine Bend to suppress the looting of cars. Smith meets two childhood friends, Murray Sinclair and his wife, Marion. Smith's arrival kindles an old spark of love in Marion's bosom. Sinclair is discharged for looting wrecked cars and Marion leaves her husband when he threatens to ruin the road if he is not put back to work. After trying for weeks to get an interview with Bucks, general manager of the railroad, Murray Sinclair and his followers, Du Sang and Karg, are granted an audience. They state their side of the case. Bucks refuses to put them back to work. He says that McCloud was right in discharging them. Sinclair becomes violent and tries to attack McCloud but is prevented by Whispering Smith. During the scuffle, Du Sang manages to secure a wire that has just been delivered to McCloud. The wire reads: "Notify Dunning Cattle Co. shipment of $65,000 delayed till No. 10 Friday." They decide to hold up the train, get the money, and leave the country. In the Three Horses saloon Sinclair plots to kill McCloud before they hold up the train and Du Sang agrees to do it for him. Tony Wickwire, the Mexican whose life McCloud saved at the Central Mine, walks up behind them and overhears their plan to kill his friend. He shadows Du Sang. Du Sang takes his place at the window of a hotel and waits for McCloud to pass. Wickwire hides behind a lamp post and when Smith and McCloud appear, he warns them in time to save them from Du Sang's bullets. Du Sang thinks McCloud is dead and repairs to a gambling house. Smith, Wickwire and McCloud follow him there. Smith tells him he must leave town or he will "rope him like a cow and drag him down Front Street." The following day Sinclair, Du Sang, Karg and three other followers hold up Number Ten, and kill the messenger. Before he dies, he tells that he recognized Sinclair in the gang. McCloud, notified, starts to the scene of action with the sheriff and a posse. Whispering Smith takes Wickwire, Lloyd and three other men and starts for Williams Cache to head off the bandits there. In the meantime the gang has split into two factions; Sinclair and two followers have decided to leave the country and Du Sang, Karg and Sam have decided to go back to their rendezvous, Williams Cache. Before starting out of the state, Sinclair turns a switch against the relief train which he is sure will be sent out. The train runs into the open switch and crashes through a string of cars on the siding. The posse get out their horses and start in pursuit of the robbers. They finally run them down, but Banks, the sheriff is killed. They return to Medicine Bend with him. Du Sang and his men beat Smith to the cache. Rebstock, who controls the cache, refuses to help Smith run down Du Sang, so Smith and his men start to round up the cattle that have been stolen and hidden there. They clean out the cache and then Smith, Wickwire and Lloyd start after Du Sang. They meet and a fight follows in which Du Sang and Karg are killed and Sam taken prisoner. Lloyd sees Smith thrown from his horse and thinks he is dead, so he rides to Medicine Bend for help. Marion hears him say that Smith is dead. She is carried to her house where she lies ill. Sinclair and his men return to Medicine Bend the same night. Sinclair insists that his wife accompany him out of the country. She refuses. He is about to kill her rather than leave her for Smith, when the doctor arrives and tells him to get away, before the town learns he is there. Sinclair takes his advice. That same evening Smith rides into town with his captives. On his deathbed Banks gives Smith the warrant for Sinclair's arrest and tells him to serve it. After several days of trailing them, Smith and Wickwire came upon them in an arroyo drinking from the stream. They dismount and Wickwire starts to skirt out around to take them on the flank. After Wickwire leaves, Smith shoots and kills two of the men leaving only Sinclair who manages to wound Smith in return. When Smith falls, Sinclair sneaks through the brush and coming upon Smith, tells him he is going to kill him. He reloads his revolver and is about to shoot Smith, when Wickwire reaches a higher spot of ground and sees it all. He draws his revolver and fires at Sinclair killing him before he has pulled the trigger, and Smith's life is saved. When Smith is well enough to travel, he goes to see Marion. They come to an understanding and are married.
- Whispering Smith is a virile, fearless type of the true American whose theory of life is to give every man a chance to show what is in him. There is nothing of the bully or braggart about him. He is just a man who knows instinctively what is right and never falters in his steps to see that justice is given where it is deserved and crime punished on the same basis. Whispering Smith loved Marion, a carefree, beautiful Western girl. His love was that of the strong, clean-living man, who knows no physical danger, but is reticent and bashful in his love affairs. Lacking as a suitor the characteristics that made him esteemed and feared among his fellow-men, he was beaten out for her hand by Sinclair, a dashing devil-may-care sort of fellow among the women, but an unscrupulous and vindictive man at heart. Marion's life with Sinclair was not all joy and happiness. Slowly he was killing her love for him, but in the manner of his kind he believed that harshness was the way to rule women. When the story opens, Sinclair, who is foreman of a wrecking crew on a mountain section of a transcontinental railroad, is living in one of the company's cabins in the small division terminal, "Medicine Bend," a typical Western railroad and mining town. This town was located at the foot of a steep declivity, noted for the frequency of the wrecks occurring there, particularly among freight trains. The officials of the road were worried at the great number of the wrecks, but were more concerned with the robberies that took place after each collision. No trace of the thieves could be found. The railroad detectives had about given up in despair when Whispering Smith was sent to "Medicine Bend" to put an end to the robberies. Sinclair was never suspected. Smith, however, discovers soon after his arrival that Sinclair is the brains of the gang engaged in looting the freight cars. Smith, to save Marion the disgrace of having her husband branded as a thief, does not expose him, but causes the division superintendent, McCloud, to discharge him. Life for Marion soon becomes unbearable and she leaves him. This arouses to frenzy the desperate man, who plans to get revenge on the railroad by burning the "Smoky Creek" trestle. Assisted by several of the band who had been engaged in looting the cars, Sinclair sets fire to the trestle, causing a disastrous wreck. Smith, determined to capture the men responsible, discovers that Sinclair is at the bottom of the plot. Again his love for Marion induces him not to expose her husband until he talks with her. He effects a reconciliation between Sinclair and Marion and upon the former's promise to lead a better life and to leave "Medicine Bend," Whispering Smith lets him go with his wife, and the girl he still loves.
- Glory Moore, a young girl, finds herself left unprovided for after her father's death, as the farm has to be sold to pay his debts. She writes to her aunt in New York, asking for help in obtaining employment in the city. The aunt, Mrs. Lawrence, is in reality an adventuress, and accomplice of two card sharps and confidence men, Milt Bannon and Harvey Dix. They decide to bring Glory to the city in order to use her as a decoy in fleecing rich young men. Jim Danvers, a rich young fellow who is going the pace, is one of their victims. The unsuspecting Glory believes she has found a loving aunt and a luxurious home, and is for a time deceived. She finally realizes the truth. She exposes the swindlers in a card game in which they are cheating Jim. Mrs. Lawrence, infuriated, locks Glory in her room. Glory, in wild panic, escapes through the window, climbs a fire-escape, wanders over adjacent roofs and accidentally falls through a skylight into an apartment which proves to be Jim's. Jim, who has fallen in love with Glory, befriends her, but Dix's appearance, while Jim is absent, frightens Glory and she runs away. She hires a furnished room and advertises for employment. She is followed by Bannon, who, by means of a decoy letter, brings her to his bachelor apartment. Meantime Dix and Mrs. Lawrence have quarreled with Bannon over the division of their spoils. Dix threatens revenge; Bannon in turn, threatens to expose Dix as an escaped convict. While Glory is denouncing Bannon for having tricked her to his rooms, Dix shoots Bannon through the window and escapes. By a combination of circumstances Jim and Glory are accused of the crime, taken to police headquarters, and put through the "third degree." Then both are separately released to further the plans of the police. Glory suspects Dix, but is not sure of it. She entices Dix into Jim's rooms and pretends to be in love with him. She is about to obtain a confession from him when Jim bursts in and denounces her. Glory is unable to reassure Jim of her love for him, as this will prevent Dix's confession. Accordingly she drives him away, admitting her love for Dix. Dix confesses. Glory then tells him it was all a trick on her part to save Jim and find the real murderer. Dix resolves to silence her forever. He attacks her. The room is wrecked. But just as he is about to kill her, Jim arrives with the police inspector. Glory accuses Dix. Dix jumps from the window and is killed by the fall into the court below. Glory and Jim are united.
- Thomas Emory, manager of a local branch of the Buckhorn and Antioch, finds one day that he is minus a position due to his negligence in office. In his place is appointed temporarily his former assistant, Gordon Holt. Later, on an unexpected trip to the branch office, General Coming, the president of the B.&A., and his private train are narrowly saved from accident by the act of one of the minor superintendents along the division, Dan Oakley. In reward for the deed of daring which shows to the company's president of what stuff the young mechanic is made, Oakley is made manager over the head of Holt. With the introduction of new blood into "the works" the old regime of banker's hours and shiftless work is dealt its death blow. As a consequence the radical young manager incurs the enmity of the editor of the Antioch Herald and the leader of the Labor Party, one Griffith Ryden, who stirs up the men against him. But in spite of opposition the new manager "makes her pay." Due to the activities of the Labor Leader, a strike is called. Although the subsequent turmoil, hunger and dissatisfaction among the strikers is distasteful to the fighting manager, he stands his ground and keeps up his record by means of the men who remain loyal. A personal bitterness grows up between Ryder and Oakley since Constance Emory, the daughter of old Thomas Emory, the former manager, has evinced an interest in both which sways from one to another as her father's sympathies vary. The strike culminates in the cutting of the pipes leading to the water tanks, which results in the explosion of an over-heated engine boiler and a fire. The journey for aid to the next town to get the fire-fighting apparatus through a roaring forest fire which threatens to lick up the puny train with its tongue of flame, falls to the brave young manager. On his return he has won not only the hearts of his men, but that of the beautiful Constance, who promises to become his partner for life.
- En route to the west, Mary and Joe Thompson are left orphans through the death of their parents during an Indian raid on their wagon train. Joe manages to escape with Mary in his arms and they eventually reach a little western mining town, where Bill Jenkins, a prospector, finds them and takes them into his home as his children. About the time Joe reaches manhood, Jenkins is mad sheriff. Joe has developed vicious traits, and has been making a practice of highway robbery. Unknown to Jenkins or to his sister, he one day holds up a stage. After it has passed him, the messenger dismounts from the box and starts back to see if he can capture the bandit. A gunfight follows in which Joe is seriously wounded. Joe makes his escape and arrives home weak from loss of blood. Mary demands an explanation of his condition and he confesses his crime. He tells her that he will surely be captured and urges her to go east with him. She agrees on the condition that he leave his plunder there to be found later and restored to its owners. He reluctantly agrees. They go to the railroad station where an engine tender sees them aboard the train. In the meantime, a the stage has arrived and the news of the robbery is spread. The citizens organize a posse to try and capture the bandit. Jenkins, the sheriff, goes to the house, where he finds the blood stains and the money which Joe left in his flight. Just then the posse enters. When they see the unmistakable evidence of robbery, they accuse Jenkins of being the guilty one, and are about to lunch him when the engine tender comes upon the scene and tells of having seen Joe and Mary leave town. Jenkins boards a light engine and starts in pursuit of Joe and Mary. At a town not far down the track, Joe, too weak to travel further, leaves the train with Mary, and they go to a hotel. Jenkins hears of this and trails them there with the posse. To avoid suspicion, Mary registers for Joe, showing them as man and wife. They are caught, and Joe surrenders. Mary goes on east where she secures employment in the laboratories of a young inventor. The later marries him and still later he succeeds in selling an invention which leaves them independently wealthy. Joe, in the meantime, has escaped from prison and no one has been able to locate him. Mary's husband meets and becomes infatuated with a cabaret singer, the same woman who was in the western town at the time of Joe's capture. Mary learns of her husband's infidelity and goes to him to plead for his reformation. Upon her entrance into the room, the singer who has been there with the husband, hides herself in an adjoining closet where she sees and hears all that takes place. After Mary's departure, she tells the husband about the episode in the west and that Mary is married to a criminal. The husband immediately starts divorce proceedings. He will not listen to Mary's side of the story. He sends for and receives the register which he holds as evidence of Mary's previous marriage. Joe is nowhere to be found, so Mary cannot get his testimony regarding the affair. About this time the city is thrown into a furor by the news that a second story man is working there, and always eluding the police. This gives Mary an idea. She decides to enter the office of her husband's attorney and steal the evidence contained in the register. She puts on man's clothing and effects an entrance. At the same time, the second story worker enters the same house from another window. They encounter each other in the dark and Joe flashes a light in her face before shooting. He recognizes his sister and is making an explanation when a detective who has seen Mary enter the house, comes into the room. The detective fires at Mary in the dark and wounds her. The noise brings in the lawyer and Mary's husband, who is in conference with him in another part of the house. Mary, wounded, insists upon telling her story. They listen, and when she has finished, Joe comes forward and confesses himself the escaped criminal and corroborates all she has said. In the face of this, Mary's innocence is not to be doubted and a reconciliation follows. Through the power and influence of Mary's husband, Joe's path in it all is kept from the police, and he reforms.
- Episode 1: "The Lumber Pirates" "Dollar" Holmes, so called because of his greed for money and power, is a small timberland owner in a region where both the trust and a tribe of Klamath Indians hold similar lands. He is under contract to the combine to deliver to it 10,000,000 feet of timber by a specified date. It is a rich deal. His wife is about to become a mother, and Holmes has set his heart fiercely on a boy to inherit the fortune he means to pile up. A forest fire sweeps away half of Holmes' standing timber. Greer, president of the trust, learning of this, writes a sneering letter hinting at Holmes' ruin unless he fulfills his contract on time. This he cannot do unless he obtains possession of the Indian lands adjoining his. Sleepy Dog, chief of the tribe, refuses to sell. Holmes' wife gives birth to a daughter, and he in a wild rage of double disappointment curses her and the babe, and rushes out of the cabin into the deep woods. He comes upon Dill, a bootlegger, surreptitiously selling whiskey to his loggers. Holmes promises to forebear punishing him if he will go into the Indian camp, from which Sleepy Dog is absent on a trip, and sell his stuff to the savages. The Klamaths are made drunk, and when they demand more whiskey Holmes offers them $100 apiece if they will deed their timber lands to him. They do so, and Holmes wires Greer that he will fulfill his contract; also that with acquisition of the Indian lands he has obtained exclusive right to use of the region's one river for log-floating purposes, thus cutting off the trust's lands from the market. The trust capitulates and accepts Holmes' terms, by which he is given a heavy interest in the combine and made a director. Sleepy Dog returns. Holmes quarrels with him, murders him and throws his body over a cliff. The crime is witnessed by Holmes' wife, a fact which he discovers. In terror of her life, the woman flees the cabin, carrying her infant in her arms. In trying to reach the farther bank of the river over a jam of logs she is hurled into the stream when a blast of dynamite blows up the king-log, and is whirled away in the current, clinging to a log and holding the babe in her arms.
- Episode 1: "Helen's Race with Death" Helen Holmes, age three, accompanies her father, General Holmes, president of the C.W.R.R., to the beach depot each morning as he departs for his office. The nurse takes her to the park, and while her erstwhile guardian chats with the family chauffeur Helen forms a chance acquaintance with a stray dog. The pup, unused to affection, runs away and Helen goes in pursuit. Nearby is a miniature railroad and Storm, an orphan newsboy, seeking to learn the mysteries of the small engine, has struck up an acquaintance with the engineer. Storm is ambitious; he has dreams of operating a real locomotive when he grows up. The miniature train pulls out with its load of passengers. The pup, with Helen in close pursuit, runs in front of the train. Throwing aside his newspapers, Storm dashes forward, and seizing Helen, throws her out of harm's way. Helen likes her rescuer and he tells her of his great ambition to run a big locomotive just like his father before an accident ended his life. Meantime the nurse and chauffeur gather Helen up and she waves a farewell to her new-found friend. The years roll by. Helen, raised in luxury, has developed into a beautiful young girl, in whom is centered all her father's affections. She receives a message from her father, telling her to meet him on No. 19, and that he is bringing home his nephew and a friend of the latter's. After years of disappointments and hard work, Storm has become a fireman on the road presided over by General Holmes. On this day he pulls out on No. 245 over the Black Rock Pass. Half way over the grade the air pump on his engine breaks. The long train is brought to a stop. Connecting up an emergency telephone, the conductor, talking to the dispatches receives orders to "bring on train by hand brakes." With the crew on decks, No. 245 is again in motion. Passing the summit, the crew realizes it can no longer control the long drag of cars, for the freight's speed has put it on the schedule of No. 19, the passenger aboard of which is General Holmes. The crew decides to cut off the caboose and escape, but Storm doggedly insists on sticking to the engine. Writing a message on a white signal flag and wrapping it around a wrench, the conductor hurls it through the window of the first telegraph office they pass. The operator wires news of the runaway to the next station, but it is too late; No. 19 has left. This put the passenger in the path of the runaway. Helen learns of the danger from the operator, where she is waiting. She rushes out and mounts her pony and rides for the bridge, but reaches it just as it is raised to permit the passage of a battleship. Digging her spurs into her mount, she makes a wild attempt to reach it, but fails. Into the river go horse and rider. As she rises to the surface Helen strikes out for the opposite shore. The two trains are drawing closer together. Arrived on shore, Helen mounts her pony and resumes her race with death. Down the track she gallops to a switch, the lock of which she breaks with a stone. Seizing the lever, she throws the switch as the head end of the freight thunders into the passing track. The hind end just clears the switch as the passenger tears by. At the far end of the passing track three box cars are standing. As Storm, still at his post, see the impending collision he jumps to safety. Helen rushes forward and picks up the gallant fireman. She has repaid her debt to her newsboy hero.
- Jack Levine and his wife, Nancy, are the occupants of a room in one of the tenement houses of the slums. Nancy presents her husband with a baby girl, but he refuses to have anything to do with it and deserts her. Nancy becomes delirious and threatens to kill the child, is restrained by a youth, Leslie Warner. Nancy is dying and, realizing this, directs a note to John Martingale, head of the iron works, which is delivered by Leslie. The note reads, "I leave my baby to the care of your god." Leslie then goes to his home, where he lives with his widowed mother, and they decide to adopt the baby girl. Sixteen years later Leslie Warner has become a prosperous businessman. Nancy has been well educated and is a beautiful and good girl. Leslie finds that his affection for the child has grown into a love for the woman. In the meantime Jake Levine has become a criminal and leader of a gang in the underworld. He tells them he has a plan on foot whereby they can secure a big sum of money. He has learned that John Martingale, a wealthy manufacturer, had, years before, cast off his only daughter after she had eloped with a married man. Some two years later Martingale received a note from his daughter telling him she was leaving him a legitimate grand-daughter and that she, herself, was dying. Martingale has been unable to find the girl and, therefore, decides to adopt an orphan girl from the slums and leave his wealth to her. Jake's plan is to provide a girl from the slums whom they can control, and to split the old man's money between them. As they are talking William Preston, manager of the Martingale factory (of whom Leslie Warner is assistant manager) enters and joins in the scheme. Leslie and Nancy are engaged to be married and one morning after leaving home in his car Leslie turns his head to wave goodbye and accidentally runs down a man. He is carried into Leslie's home, where it is found he is not seriously hurt. He tells Nancy he is an orphan and she in turn explains to him her own position. This man is the double of Jake and tells Jake and the gang about Nancy. They agree that she is just the girl they want. Jake goes to Leslie's home, recognizes him and discovers Nancy is his own daughter. He entices her to the rendezvous of the gang, proves to her that he is her father, and tells her their plan. He tells her her grandfather was a murderer, her father a thief, and her mother a rich man's daughter who became a dope fiend in the slums. Nevertheless, Nancy refuses to have anything to do with the plot. Jake locks her in the room and leaves. Meantime, Leslie has been searching all night for her, but without success. The next day Nancy tells Jake she is engaged to marry Leslie. The gang arranges with Preston to get Leslie in trouble. Preston leaves a package of money in Leslie's care, but later returns himself and removes it. Leslie is accused of the theft and arrested. Jake then tells Nancy what they have done and says unless she will do as they want, Leslie will be sent to prison. She still refuses. He then sends one of his pals into the room, a hideous hunchback, but Nancy's beautiful nature conquers his evil heart and wins his support. He assists her to escape that night. Meantime, a discharged employee observed Preston take the package of money from the safe, and goes to Martingale's home and informs him of this fact. Leslie is at once released and Nancy also returns and warns Martingale of the danger he is in. Martingale comments on Nancy's likeness to his own lost daughter and it is discovered that she is his granddaughter. He adopts her to avoid embarrassing explanations. At a meeting of the gang Jake tells them that Nancy has escaped and that he is through with the life he has been leading. The hunchback unexpectedly sides with Jake, and in the fight which follows they are the winners. They leave their old haunts and go to Martingale's residence, arriving there at the time of a reception given in honor of Leslie's engagement to Nancy. His identity is made known to Martingale, who at first refuses to have anything to do with him, but later yields to Nancy's pleas. Later Jake and the hunchback are given good jobs at Martingale's factory, of which Leslie is made manager following Preston's discharge.
- Two rival mountain clans that have been feuding for years begin a new battle over the moonshine whiskey trade. A young man and a girl from each of the different clans try to end the feud, and wind up falling for each other.
- Helen, a "diamond runner," reaches South Africa. Among her letters of introduction is one to Sir Thomas Holstead. She visits the "business quarters" of the ring of diamond runners of which Paul Hurst is the head. Hurst informs Helen that she can easily gain access to the diamond mines by attending the Holstead reception and becoming acquainted with the Holsteads, who own large mining properties. Helen attends the reception and is received with great favor by Sir Thomas and his son Forty. After a dance with Forty, they repair to the conservatory, followed by Inspector Harrington. Paul dispatches one of his henchmen to convey the message to Helen. The messenger finding Helen, writes Hurst's message on the window in chalk. This is seen by Harrington. Helen makes ready to leave. Forty invites her to visit the mines. Next morning Forty and Helen visit the mines, closely trailed by Harrington. Coming to the place indicated by Hurst's chart, Helen sits down to rest. While Forty busily points out to her different places of interest, she craftily scoops up the diamonds which have been cached under the stone upon which she is sitting. These she puts in her bag, watched all the time by Harrington. Harrington accuses Helen of stealing a number of diamonds. Helen cleverly embeds the diamonds in the hearts of rose buds of a bouquet. Before passing into the chamber to be searched, she hands the bouquet to Forty. He gives Inspector Harrington and the mine manager each a rosebud. Returning from the fruitless search, Helen passes out accompanied by Forty, who sees her to the hotel. Shortly after Harrington discovers the presence of the diamond in the rosebud. Meantime, Helen hastily plucks the stones out of the buds. A number of detectives rush to the hotel. She hears them approach and wraps up the stones and attaches them to a toy balloon which she sends out of her window. After a fruitless search, the detectives leave. Hurst comes in. Harrington follows shortly. In her inner chamber Helen tells Hurst of the balloon. He starts south, locates the balloon and recovers the stones. Hurst arranges for Helen to leave at once for the States, and tells her the package of diamonds will be delivered to her at the dock under the letter "H" in the baggage room. The Holsteads plan to leave on the same vessel. Their maid's name is Helen also. By chance, the maid Helen is under the letter "H" in the baggage room when the messenger approaches, and forces the package into her hand. Inspector Hudson is detailed to sail and scrutinize Helen's actions. He meets Helen through Sir Thomas. Helen, accidentally discovers the package in the maid's trunk. Hudson protects Helen when she is attacked by Hurst. Upon landing, Helen gets into a taxi pre-arranged by Hurst to carry her to their rendezvous, where she is kidnapped and searched. Hudson follows closely with the police, who rescue Helen and capture the band of smugglers.
- Bruce Kerrigan, a member of the traffic police, is selected to act as a graft-collecting tool for Mat McGuire, a politician. While directing traffic at his corner one morning, Kerrigan becomes acquainted with the mayor's daughter, Ethel Drew, when her auto collides with another machine. Ethel requests her father to have "Officer 405" assigned for special duty as doorman at the Mayor's reception that night. While on duty at the reception, Kerrigan captures Whitey, the dope, who enters the mayor's study to steal evidence which the mayor has secured regarding the operation of gambling houses and other vice centers. Later Kerrigan is caught in the act of collecting graft, and when he will not divulge the name of the man higher up, he is discharged from the police force. Assuming the disguise of a crippled tramp, he gets employment as a janitor in McGuire's political club, where he is able to steal the evidence secured by Whitey from the mayor's home. Ethel is kidnapped and carried to the house of Madam Adelaide, where the mayor is lured to be enmeshed in a scandal. Kerrigan discovers the fate of Ethel, and hastens to the house, where he finds her locked in a room, and escapes with her from the house. Upon the mayor's arrival, he is lured to a room in which he is locked with a woman, to be discovered there in a few minutes later by the ring of grafters. Returning to his home, the mayor finds Kerrigan and his daughter. He wrongly accuses Kerrigan, and orders him from the house. Kerrigan meets Ethel outside and she persuades him to go to her father to explain his and her presence at the Madam's. The mayor will not listen and Kerrigan is again ordered to leave the house. A hand is seen to enter between the curtains of the mayor's study, firing a shot which kills the mayor. Ethel finds her father dead. Kerrigan climbs in through the window at the sound of the shot, and the two are in the room with the mayor's body, when police arrive at the summons of the butler. Although Ethel tries to confess the murder, Kerrigan is accused by Whitey. Kerrigan escapes from the room, and assumes a disguise to ferret out the murderer. During a secret meeting with Ethel, Kerrigan's disguise is penetrated by Whitey, who learns that Kerrigan is to deliver convicting evidence to Ethel at evening, and Whitey, awaits in ambush, and when Kerrigan arrives, they knock him out and kidnap Ethel. Later. Kerrigan follows them to an outlying house, where he rescues Ethel, who has saved the documents. Between them, Ethel arranges a plan whereby McGuire, Bellaire, and Whitey are to be gathered together at the rooms of the clairvoyant. Kerrigan arranges for Ethel to take the place of the seeress, and through arousing the superstitions of the weak-minded Whitey, she forces him to confess, and throw the blame for the origination of the act upon McGuire. As the picture fades out, the hands of Kerrigan and Ethel clasp over the crib of a baby, and the chevroned sleeves of Kerrigan show his reinstatement to position and honor.