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- A Jewish prince seeks to find his family and revenge himself upon his childhood friend who had him wrongly imprisoned.
- A group of starving artists try to survive in 1830s Paris, including a seamstress and the would-be playwright she loves.
- The story of the famous battle between the Scots clans of Macdonald and Campbell, and the young woman who comes between them, Annie Laurie.
- A wrongly-convicted English gentleman goes from galley slave to pirate captain.
- Conflict ensues when a young man's childhood sweetheart becomes betrothed to his older brother.
- Mahlee, the Eurasian granddaughter of an avaricious Peking woman, is known to the Chinese as "devil feet" because her feet were never bound. Following her grandmother's death, Mahlee falls in love with Andrew Templeton, whose father runs the American mission, and she embraces Protestantism. Mahlee is introduced to Sir Philip Sackville and his daughter, Blanche, whom she discovers are her birth father and half-sister. Andrew falls in love with Blanche and shuns Mahlee because of her Chinese heritage. The dejected Mahlee collaborates with another Eurasian, Sam Wang, in bringing the Boxer Rebellion to Peking. During the Feast of the Red Lantern, Mahlee dresses as a celestial goddess and is paraded through the streets on a litter, blessing the Boxers and encouraging the people to join the rebellion. She then learns that the mission is in danger and warns the occupants, but Sir Philip will not take her with them as they escape. Mahlee has lost the trust of the Boxers, and Wang dies protecting her. After the rebels are defeated by the Western Allies, Mahlee drinks poison and dies.
- Fely and Anne are twins orphaned when their mother dies en route from Ireland to America. Fely is adopted by the O'Tandys, who live in New York's Shantytown, and Anne is adopted by the wealthy De Rhondos. Fely grows up without knowing her sister and becomes a dancer in Tony Pastor's theater. Dirk De Rhondo, Anne's stepbrother, is attracted to Fely, and after protecting her during the great Orangemen's riot falls in love with her. She consents to his proposal but later retracts when Dirk's father dispossesses her family. Fely's father, however, becomes wealthy when his investment in Edison's incandescent light pays off, but Dirk's father is ruined. Fely saves De Rhondo's bank from a run by making a large deposit, thus winning over Dirk's family and paving the way for their marriage.
- While traveling by train from Denver to Washington, DC, wealthy young Grenfall Lorry meets a beautiful young girl. When they are accidentally left behind in a mining town, they race through the mountains and finally catch it. They travel to Washington and have a great time, but they soon part. They meet again later in the small European country of Graustark, where Grenfall and his friend Harry rescue her from kidnappers, and they then discover that she is actually the country's Princess Yetiva. She is engaged to Prinze Lorenz of Asphan in order to pay off Graustark's enormous debt from the war, but Lorenz is murdered and Grenfall is framed for the crime. Complications ensue.
- Two young lovers escape their past lives to Paris until fate separates them.
- A gruff Marine sergeant and a handsome new recruit compete for the affection of a nurse.
- A farce in which the German Kaiser and the Crown Prince are defeated and made sport of by a plucky American girl and several American prisoners of war.
- A myth about ship is of fundamental ones in the Western culture. Film-lecture "Catalogue of Ships" is an attempt to draw the history of this myth in all details. It's made of fragments from classical masterpieces of painting, music, cinema, and poetry that were devoted to this universal image.
- Disillusioned in marriage, Jacques Leroi attempts an airship flight across the Pacific Ocean, but crashes and washes ashore on an island populated by a peaceful tribe of completely happy people. The islanders have divested themselves of selfish motives and social conventions and live in perfect harmony. There Jacques falls in love, but although he senses the island is his only hope of true happiness, his conscience demands that he try to repair his wrecked life back in civilization. Returning to New York, he finds a difficult decision awaiting him.
- Richard Gaylord, Jr. is a modern Lothario who has so many sweethearts that his father does not know what to do with him. Tired of paying to get his son out of one romantic entanglement after another, the elder Gaylord sends his son to the Basque region of France, believing that the women there will accept attentions only from their own people. Almost immediately, a local girl, Yvonne Hurja becomes infatuated with Richard, whom she sees as being able to help her break free from the unwanted attention of local guardsman Julio. A rivalry grows between Richard and Julio.
- A tour of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio in 1925 is given to meet the people who make the movies there and see how movies are made.
- Family ties and duty are tested as a pair of feuding tenement housewives cope with their sizable broods and the rocky romance of Mrs. Callahan's with-child daughter and Mrs. Murphy's wastrel son.
- Carl Behrend, son of a wealthy businessman, marries Pauli Arndt, daughter of a pacifist professor. When World War I breaks out, Carl is drafted. Pauli and her family and friends are left behind to experience the suffering which befell civilians during the war. Her luck worsens when her father is dismissed from his professorship for teaching that war is evil. Her father argues violently with Carl's father, and degradation and despair descend on Pauli and her family as they await Carl's return from the front.
- A modest man unknowingly has a baby with a woman from a affluent family.Through a series of coincidences he is reunited with his daughter, forcing the family to confront its secrets.
- A French orphan who grew up in a convent sets out to see Paris. It turns out that she is the heir to a fortune but doesn't know it, and has been lured to Paris by one of the heirs who does know who she is; he plans to swindle her out of her inheritance so he can have everything.
- When Stephen Harlow, Jr., fails his course in Turkish history, his father, a founder of the school, sends him to Turkey to learn his lessons and fires Gilman, the history teacher, whom he could not bully into passing his underachieving son. Stephen, Jr., to make amends, has Gilman reinstated, and, after a thrilling adventure in Turkey in which he rescues the sultan's son and is given a coveted medal, returns to school and presents the medal to Gilman.
- Claire Masters, motherless daughter of a powerful financier, is kept in the rut of society by her strong-willed father, who believes that women are out of place in the business world or any of the real activities of life. But Claire has inherited much of her father's initiative and strength of will, and finding the life of the society butterfly utterly empty, revolts. Her revolt is increased by the contents of a letter left for her by her mother in which Mrs. Masters warns her daughter that the financier needs guarding against himself, that in the heat of business battle there was always danger of his overstepping the bounds and doing something that would compromise the family's good name. Claire breaks with her obdurate father and goes out into the world to learn the business game. In this she is helped by Ralph Burnham, son of a rival house, and the one man who counts in Claire's life. At a crucial time in the affairs of Masters, Claire prepared by a thorough schooling, secures a position in the office of her own father, and during his absence manages under an assumed name to get herself appointed his private secretary. On his return he finds himself assisted by the daughter he had sworn never to speak to if she left the parental roof. The old man has a grim sense of humor, and ho lets the situation stand. Meanwhile Claire gets wind of just such a shady deal as her mother feared he would enter. He tries to break the house of Burnham, and is determined that no scruples shall stand in his way. Claire secures evidence that will convict her father in a court of law, and confronts him with it. He is forced to call off the deal, and gives his consent to the marriage that he had so strenuously forbidden.
- Able wilderness fighter Colonel O'Hara loves Rene, daughter of the commander of the French forces during the French and Indian War. The Indians, under Pontiac, kidnap Rene. O'Hara hopes to rescue and wed her.
- Nathan Forge, romantic son of a cruel businessman, publishes in a local newspaper a poem about a girl who once befriended him. The girl, a student in a nearby school, reads the poem and recognizes herself. Years pass, and Nathan goes through various hardships, including an unhappy marriage, imprisonment, and the war. Then in Siberia, working for the International Red Cross, he meets the girl who is the subject of his poem and thus achieves happiness.
- Santussa is sent to New York to be cared by for her grandfather. She is sent with jewels, and after being separated from her nurse, is cared for by gangsters.
- After the overthrowing of Duke Senior by his tyrannical brother, Senior's daughter Rosalind disguises herself as a man and sets out to find her banished father while also counseling her clumsy suitor Orlando in the art of wooing.
- A young soldier is discharged from the service and has trouble making a living. However, when he inherits a great deal of money, he finds his troubles only beginning.
- A woman sacrifices everything for her husband's career.
- Col. Jessup of Mayville does not waste any affection on his young wife, who finally runs away with a theatrical company, taking her son with her, but leaving her baby daughter. Later, she dies, and the boy, Byron Bennett, known as Buddy, is leading man for a theatrical company playing one-night stands, but this season has been disastrous and the company is about to disband when they receive word that the house is sold out for the performance at Mayville, so they hang on. However, the manager collects the receipts for the performance and takes the first train, leaving the company stranded. Buddy secures a position as Instructor for the Jessup Volunteer Hose Company which is to give an amateur theatrical performance. He persuades Grace Jessup's father to allow her to take the leading part in order to out-do Hose Company No. 1, which also plans a performance. Grace becomes interested in traveling salesman Percy Pennington. He tries to persuade her to elope, but she refuses until he makes a definite promise of marriage. He boasts to Buddy and his friend Skinny and intimates that the promise will not be carried out. Soon after, he starts out riding with Grace. Buddy is suspicious and follows on a bicycle, but is outdistanced. At last, however, he sees the horse tied by the roadside, and hears Grace scream. Rushing to her assistance he overcomes Percy, and carries a wilting Grace home.Col. Jessup, thinking Bud is the culprit, fires at him twice. One bullet lodges in the shoulder; the other is stopped by Buddy's watch in which he carries a picture of his mother. Grace regains consciousness and explains matters, and Jessup is amazed to find that the picture in the watch is that of his wife. The doctor advises that Buddy will recover, and there is a reconciliation among father, son, and daughter.
- This silent film presents drama to prevent a train from falling from a damaged railroad bridge.
- Robert Parker, a sincere young man temporarily out of work, innocently becomes the accomplice of Jim Bailey, a veteran thief. When he learns the truth, Parker attempts to shield Bailey and at the same time to return the stolen payroll to Mr. Quayle, president of the robbed bank.
- Lilly Meany, a member of a London underworld gang, poses as a faith healer to fleece wealthy hypochondriacs. On the recommendation of socialite Mrs. Prall, Lord Asgarby beseeches Lilly to cure his young crippled sister Eve. When Lilly mends a broken doll, she inspires Eve's confidence, and soon Eve is cured. Then Lord Asgarby falls in love with Lilly, and she confesses her scheme. He forgives her and they marry.
- On a visit to the city of Boston, a village girl is taken advantage of by a man there and returns home feeling sullied and ashamed. A young man who had once sought her hand returns from years away in Europe and reiterates his suit. She returns his love and agrees to marry him, but has difficulty telling him the truth about her misadventure. When she finally does, his response seems to doom the pair to tragedy.
- Greg, an arrogant entertainer, gets drafted into the army and runs up against tough drill sergeant Sgt. Diggs. Not wanting to stay in the army, Greg sets out to annoy and aggravate Sgt. Diggs so much that Diggs will have him thrown out. To make matters more complicated, they both have their sights set on pretty Betty Wayne. Complications ensue.
- Barry Houston, the superintendent of a gang building a railroad tunnel through a Colorado mountain, warns John Keith, the project engineer, that he is doing too much blasting, thereby placing the crew in danger from avalanches. Attempting to set a record, Keith ignores Barry's advice, and, as a result of continued blasting, there is an avalanche that destroys the line camp, knocking out telegraph lines and the commissary. John and Barry go for help, returning with food and medical aid. Buck Carson, half-crazed by hunger and despair, attacks Robinette, and she throws boiling water in his face; Buck then blindly chases her toward a precipice. Barry saves her from Buck, and she confesses her love for the burly superintendent.
- Joline, a cabaret singer in Paris, models for her lover, painter Paul Granville. Paul becomes famous for his paintings of Joline in the guise of famous women like Cleopatra and Salome. But when he paints Joline as the Madonna, a miracle occurs which transforms her life and ultimately saves his.
- When eccentric Colonel Wynn threatens to kill Joe Benson if he marries his daughter Dorothy, the couple wed secretly. Their honeymoon at a resort is interrupted by Barbara Dow, a friend who threatens to expose the marriage unless Joe announces that Barbara is his wife. Then Myra Gray, a divorced friend of Joe, appears, followed by her enraged ex-husband, who believes that Joe has stolen his wife's affections. Joe and Dorothy attempt to escape the ensuing chaos, and after a series of misadventures, the colonel becomes enamored of Myra and accepts his daughter's marriage.
- Two women crave the love of the same man; one is pretty, proud, spirited, and poor; she offers him love. The other is equally pretty, proud, and spirited, but rich; she offers him everything money can buy. The rich one wins. This was not really the beginning of the rivalry of Madeleine and Jeanette; they had had petty differences in their home town when Madeleine, the poor girl, had refused to bend the knee to the other. But with this victory in love is born a new hatred, which Jeanette proceeds to intensify by having the other girl's father discharged from his position, thus forcing her to leave school and work for sustenance. Madeleine goes on the stage, and years later she is a popular actress. Jeanette, meanwhile, has discarded Paul, in favor of Henry Mortimer, a rising young lawyer to whom she has become attached. Mortimer becomes enamored of Madeleine, who considers him just another of her army of admirers and leads him on as is her custom. Jeanette sees that her rival is trifling with the affections of the man she loves. She goes to Madeleine and beseeches her to send him away or she will ruin two lives. Madeleine consents to her request, but then comes recognition all the old hatred returns. She retracts her promise and determines to marry Henry, though she does not love him, to strike at the heart of the woman who had caused her so much pain. After the marriage she is cold to the affection he showers upon her. Then her path crosses Paul's once more and her old love for him is rekindled. Henry learns of their association and orders Paul never to enter his house again. A new love is born in Madeleine's breast, the love for her husband. But there is a wide breach between them now caused by her associations with Paul and her gambling habits of which Henry disapproves. He refuses to pay her debts. When Paul calls on Madeleine for a loan, she refuses him and he rifles Henry's safe. That night, Henry notices the deficit and thinking his wife has taken the money to pay her debts, he accuses her of theft and leaves her. Rumors come to his ears that Paul is with his wife, and placing a revolver in his pocket, he starts for the house, intent on settling the affair. Paul, meanwhile, is trying, with small success, to regain Madeleine's love. When his attentions begin to get offensive, she threatens him with a revolver to keep his distance. Under the influence of liquor, Paul advances toward her, and stumbles over a chair, bruising his head. Madeleine rushes out to the kitchen to get some water, and, while there she hears a shot and returns to find Paul dead and Henry standing over the body. Each believes the other guilty and takes the responsibility for the crime. Henry is taken into custody; Madeleine's story is not believed. At the trial Henry is saved from dying for another's crime when Jeanette breaks down and confesses that she had been hiding in Madeleine's room on the day of the murder, and when the latter had gone for water she had grasped the opportunity to shoot Paul who, she said, had been planning to tell the truth in regard to the robbery. Knowing that this would bring about a reconciliation between Henry and his wife and that she would never be able to win his love, she had shot Paul and is now willing to suffer for her crime. Out of sorrow and suffering, come faith and love forged anew for Henry and Madeleine.
- "The war with Mexico serves to bring together American officer and Mexican senorita, the former all ardent and the latter defiant because of the fact that their countries are at war. Coincident with the American victory is the successful conquest by the 'gringo' of the girl's heart."
- Alice Schuyler, a feckless, not too sympathetic flapper, rushes into marriage to escape from her family. But she is still way too immature and careless and routinely takes off from her husband to go dancing with friends or out to drinks.
- The journalist Don Davis becomes involved in a murder case, where Chrystal Malone is part of it. Davis follows Chrystal to China. When Chrystal arrives in China, Davis has to save her from an execution.
- Tom Steele, lineman for a power company, meets Nancy Brewster, daughter of a rival capitalist. Both companies want rights to a strip of land, the ownership of which is to be claimed by the first to stake it off. Against tremendous odds, and with help of Nancy, whom he rescues from a storm in the mountains, Tom beats Brewster and wins his daughter.
- Naomi, a girl of the studios in New York's artist quarter, is possessed of a superabundance of vitality and a desire for continuous frolic and adventure. One night, at a gay party, Naomi's effervescent spirits deceive one of the men into thinking that she is far more unconventional than she herself has any idea of being. His companions tell him that she is not the sort of girl he thinks she is, but he insists that he can prove that she is; he even makes a wager to that effect. He tricks Naomi, who is really quite unsophisticated, accompanying him to a hotel of questionable repute, where the two, innocent of any wrongdoing, are captured in a police raid, and Naomi has an unpleasant experience in the night court. Friends come to her aid and she is released. Not long after this, Frederic Harmon, a broker, comes into her life. The two fall in love and are married; the birth of a baby completes Naomi's character and she cares only for her child, her husband, and her home. The husband, however, does not settle down to home life. He is still much inclined to the gaieties of the set in which he had become acquainted with Naomi, and when she refuses to take further part in the revels of the Bohemian crowd, he goes forth by himself and soon meets Helen Carew, a woman with a past and without a conscience, who fascinates him partly for her amusement and partly for mercenary reasons. Eventually Harmon's infatuation for the other woman becomes known to Naomi. She is heartbroken, particularly when Harmon asks her to divorce him so he can marry Helen. This she refuses to do. Helen, anxious to get the man entirely into her clutches, enters into a plot with a crooked detective whereby Naomi is to be caught in a compromising situation, thus giving her husband grounds for divorce from her. The detective picks up a convict just out of Sing Sing and by means of a decoy message Naomi is induced to go to a hotel room where the man from Sing Sing is waiting for her. Once the two are in the room together it is raided by newspaper reporters and a photographer, and a flashlight of Naomi in the arms of the convict is obtained. The husband brings suit for divorce, offering as evidence the stories of the witnesses at the raid and the flashlight photograph. He also asks custody of the child. Naomi startles the judge and spectators when she declares that she should be allowed to keep the child, because Harmon is not its father. The judge, however, suspects that Naomi is sacrificing her reputation in order to keep her baby, and calling her into his private office, he gets the truth from her. Meantime there has been an unexpected development in the affairs of Helen. The man from Sing Sing had been her lover before he went to prison, and she is unpleasantly surprised when the detective's use of him brings him again into her life. The ex-convict is in Helen's rooms, trying to renew their old association when Harmon comes to see her. Helen hastily hides the jailbird, but while she is talking to Harmon the convict comes out and tells Harmon of the woman's past and his connection with it. Horrified at the revelation of Helen's true character, Harmon goes out of her life at once and forever, but in the course of time succeeds in winning his way back into his home.
- College youth J. Dabney Barron regularly fails in his examinations; in disgust, his father deprives him of money and tells him to go to work, betting him $6,000 that he cannot hold a $60-a-month position for that time period. J. Dabney agrees, and with his valet Perkins he goes to look for a job. In a park he meets heiress Betty Arden, whose car has broken down. Her guest, Lord Lawrence, is incapable of helping her, and Dabney hastens to her assistance. She hurries away as soon as her car is repaired. Installing himself and his valet in a room in a lodging house, Dabney reads the want ads. Answering an advertisement for a bookkeeper, he stands in a long line of applicants until he grows tired; his valet, who has taken his place, gets the job. Finally Dabney obtains work through his friend Jim Foley of a detective agency. John Arden, millionaire gem collector, has a priceless emerald called "The Lady of the Sea." He fears it may be stolen and as a matter of fact his guest Lord Lawrence, better known to the English police as "London Larry," is planning to steal the emerald. Foley tells Dabney that to guard the emerald he must pose as butler in the Arden home. No sooner does Dabney enter upon his new work than he discovers Betty Arden, his employer's daughter, to be the girl he helped in the park. In an attempt to retain his dignity in her eyes he tells her he and his sister inherited an enormous fortune from an uncle; that the uncle had a secretary a villainous chap named Slime who forced him to make a will disinheriting Dabney and his sister; that Slime and his accomplices made the old man drink nitroglycerin but unfortunately for them permitted him to fall down when he exploded burning up the will; that the villainous secretary had then overpowered Dabney and run away with the girl, whom Dabney had ever since been seeking, hence his presence in the Arden household as butler. Betty pretends to believe the story, although she has been aware of Dabney's identity all along. Dabney continues to attend to his duties as butler and to guard the jewel from "London Larry." Finally the month is up, and Dabney, in great glee at having won the bet from his father, dares to make known his love to Betty. She returns his affection, and they are discovered in a fond embrace by John Arden, who instantly discharges Dabney. That night he is about to take his departure when he surprises "London Larry" opening the safe in Arden's library. He overpowers the would-be jewel thief, and throws him into the safe. Arden, coming downstairs, liberates Lord Lawrence, who tells him Dabney is the real culprit, and together they overpower him and tie him to a chair. Dabney urges them to send for Foley, to identify him, and the detective, arriving, makes haste to free Dabney and arrest "London Larry." Dabney, cheered by Betty's promise to marry him, goes home to collect his $6,000, having proved himself his father's son.
- An unkempt chorus girl is arrested on a minor charge. In court, she is spotted by a novelist who is looking for someone of her type on whom to model a character in a book he is writing. He takes her into his home where she is looked down upon by his snobbish family. But the girl brings something to the family unlike anything they have known before.
- Unnerved by the superiority of John Cook, the new president of the Securities Company, Wall Street business leader Amos Merrill begins to speculate with the trust funds in his control, ultimately losing all the funds. Amos, faced with discovery and disgrace, lies to his daughter Hope that Cook has ruined him; soon after, Hope meets Cook and conceives a plot for revenge. In the meantime, Cook has protected the frail Merrill from prosecution and paid back his debt after sending him away on a vacation to recover his health. Hope, knowing nothing of this, marries Cook and makes his life unbearable, finally conspiring with his business rival Gerald Hastings to ruin her husband and gain control of his funds. When Amos returns from his vacation, he is stunned at what Hope has done and reveals that his lie has resulted in a terrible mistake. Hope begs forgiveness from Cook and they go West together to begin a new life.
- Jan Bokak, an ignorant mine laborer engaged to Mary Berwick, is accused of the murder of her brother, Anton, on the night of his betrothal and accepts the blame to save her other brother, Alex. He escapes and makes his way to the steel mills owned by Cinder Pitt, where he becomes a leader among the workers and wins the admiration of Pitt, who has long tried to become his friend. Labor agitators try to wreck the mill, and Jan is seriously injured as he saves the life of Clare, Pitt's daughter; Pitt takes Jan to his home to recuperate, and Jan and Clare become engaged. In the mining town, Mary's mother reveals on her deathbed that she is the runaway wife of Pitt, the mill owner. When Mary finds her way to the Pitt home and sees Jan with Clare, she accuses him of the murder; at the mill, in dramatic fashion, Jan proves his innocence and forces a confession from Masarick. On the day of the wedding, Mary is hurt in an automobile accident, and Jan decides to marry her instead, incurring the wrath of the workers. Pitt learns of Mary's parentage and quells the mob, assuring them that Jan will get half interest in the mill.
- Horace Parker is a wealthy young man who is exceedingly selfish and self-centered. He is engaged to Minnie Talbotr who has discovered his selfishness and she is on the brink of calling off the engagement. On Christmas Eve, a messenger from Mars comes to Earth to show Parker the error of his ways.
- Society children Madalyn Harlan and Bob Elkins separate the day they are to be married. Madalyn marries her chauffeur, Jerry, while Bob falls in love with unsophisticated Ruth Cassell and, after careful consideration, marries her. Madalyn's marriage is unhappy, ending in a double suicide after Madalyn's parents disown her and Jerry's family proves to be lower class.
- A young girl is reared on a desert island by natives and led to believe that she is a goddess. One day an outsider comes to the island, and persuades her to accompany him to preach about the kindness and love she has experienced. She agrees, but she's soon confronted by the problems and travails of the "outside" world.
- A young bourgeois Dominique Prad spurns his family's lucrative silk business for the bohemian life of an artist. Fleeing his estate to join a band of gypsies, the mentally unstable painter falls in love with a pretty gypsy maiden, Silda.
- Paul Granville becomes a famous painter for his portraits of great women as modeled by the beautiful Joline Hofer. When one of Paul's paintings appears to result in a miracle, Joline's life is changed forever. She leaves her previous life to live one of service and piety, a decision that ultimately saves Paul's life.
- Bill Peck is discharged from an army hospital and goes in search of a job. Cappy Ricks hires Bill, but gives him an seemingly impossible test of finding and buying a particular blue vase to prove he can handle a challenging job in China.
- Wealthy young Charles Carpenter is pressured by his family to marry Suzanne, even though he is really in love with young "flapper" Valerie. He gives in to his family's pressure, however, and marries Suzanne, after which Valerie leaves town. Years later, after Charles and Suzanne have had a child, Valerie comes back to town and Charles realizes he is still in love with her, and she with him. Complications ensue.
- Drakma, an international spy, seeks the possession of the triangulator (a device emitting electronic death rays), which radio expert Alan Holt invented for the United States Government. Mary Walsworth manages to smash the machine before Drakma can get it; therefore, the villain captures Alan and Mary, puts Mary on a rum-runner, and leaves Alan on an island to build another triangulator--under threat of Mary's death. Instead, Alan builds a radio and broadcasts an SOS, which is answered by Admiral Walsworth, Mary's father. Alan gets to the rum-runner on a raft, and holds off the crew until sailors arrive to the rescue.
- In order to save his family from financial ruin, an English aristocrat agrees to come to America and marry the daughter of a wealthy businessman. Once he gets there, though, he can't bring himself to do it, and is reduced to taking a job as a waiter. At work one night he gets into an argument with a well-known prizefighter and knocks him out; a fight promoter signs him to a contract, and he becomes a professional boxer.
- Famous playwright Paul Worden takes a country bungalow to write a new work and rehearse with Marjorie Sinclair, his leading actress, who is staying nearby. When riding one day, Paul helps his neighbor, Diana Ardway, the spoiled teenage daughter of a steel magnate, when her horse gets the better of her. Diana, at first insulted by Paul's interference, develops a passionate interest in him, leading her to spy on him, provoke a hair-pulling fight with Marjorie, and destroy one of Paul's rooms after he treats her like a child. When Paul wires his brother Tad, known for his successes with women, to relieve him of Diana's attentions, she rejects Tad. Knowing that her father will return soon from Europe, Diana gives the Associated Press an announcement of her engagement to Paul and kidnaps him to make it appear that he compromised her. After her father returns, Paul, thoroughly beaten, realizes his love for her and accepts his fate.
- Lieutenant Crane (Tim McCoy)of the U. S. Cavalry is assigned to clean up and bring law and order to a frontier town and area ruled by a gang of cattle rustlers. His only help is Molly Graham (Dorothy Dwan) and her brother, Jim (Rex Lease), who run the town newspaper after their father was murdered by the outlaws.
- Dancing through the forest surrounding a lake far up in the mountains, Anita of the Forest, a beautiful child of nature, sees two campers on the opposite shore. Frightened, she runs away. The following day she suddenly comes face to face with Earle, one of the campers, and he falls in love at first sight. They gaze at each other a brief moment, then her shyness causes her to dash into the dense woods and hide. She meets Herbert, the other camper, who attempts to seize her, but she quickly eludes him and goes to her only friend and confidante, an old minister. She tells him of the two strangers, and he warns her against Herbert. Earle and the forest girl meet again, and she introduces him to the old minister, who approves of the young man. Later, they confess their love, and Earle places a ring on her finger. Then, for the first time, a man's lips touch hers. Shortly afterwards, the girl is caught by Herbert, who attempts to force his undesirable attentions upon her. Just then the minister appears, and warns the fellow to keep away from the girl. When Herbert learns Earle is engaged to Anita, he endeavors to persuade him to renounce her, telling him of the aspirations he is leaving behind for the sake of an unsophisticated girl. Anita overhears them and sorrowfully hands her ring to Earle. He tenderly replaces it and tells Herbert he intends to marry Anita and that their friendship is at an end. The two men part company and Earle and his bride-to-be go to the old minister, where, amidst the beautiful woodland bowers, they are made man and wife.
- A young gambler resorts to unscrupulous means to recoup his losses in an all-night round of gaming, but with the help of his new bride redeems himself.
- Jack finds a way to see Bess after her father ships her off to boarding school. Jack follows her and manages to get in communication with her by climbing a tree outside the window of her classroom. Bess manages to escape from the Preceptress's vigilance long enough to tell Jack the girls are to have a sheet and pillowcase party that evening. If he will come, they will see that he is furnished with the pillow and sheet so that he may be with them without fear of detection. Jack agrees to this plan and is on hand at the appointed hour. The girls soon have him disguised in the regulation outfit, the same as everybody else. Everything is going along swimmingly, when Jack, forgetting himself, sticks his feet out beneath the sheet. The Preceptress comes in and detects Jack's presence. He is told to make himself scarce and the girls are sent to their rooms in disgrace. A short time afterwards, when all is quiet, and the Principal thinks she is alone, Professor Dinkey cautiously approaches and whispers words of love in her ear. They sit upon the stairs and he places his arm around her waist and is just about to kiss her when the girls, who have been watching, rush down the stairs, with shouts of laughter, point reprovingly at them. The Principal and the Professor confused try to excuse themselves. The girls threaten to publish their little escapade, if they are not allowed to have gentlemen callers. Permission is given and immediately Jack is called back and told he can visit Bess at least once a week.
- Doris Morse, the daughter of wealthy copper magnate Digby Morse, is eager to escape the unwelcome attentions of the many fortune hunters who pursue her, so she steals away to Atlantic City for a vacation. There she falls in love with Philip Hazard, an earnest and hard working young man, but because his income is so meager, she poses as a Macy's counter girl to avoid wounding his pride. When, by accident, he finally learns of her wealth, the two quarrel. In order to save the romance, her father pretends to disown her, but at the wedding, he secretly gives her a large sum of money in bonds. Doris soon wearies of her modest home and begins to spend the money on furniture and servants, which so piques her husband that he decides to steal the bonds from her safe. Doris is awakened by the noise and fires a shot, wounding Philip. The shock of injuring her husband brings Doris to her senses, and she agrees to live solely on his income.
- Georgine Mazulier, the daughter of a French furniture dealer, is exploited by her father and Snyder, an American hustler, to sell fake antiques to millionaires. Concerned by Georgine's fascination with Pedro Carrova, a gigolo, the Mazuliers take Georgine to the U.S., where they target "Kippered Kod" tycoon Wellington Wick as her prospective husband. Wellington falls in love with Georgine, but she remains loyal to Pedro. While visiting Palm Beach, Florida, she is outraged at the sight of Pedro with his lover, the wife of an elderly millionaire. The millionaire is equally outraged and attempts to shoot his faithless wife, but accidentally wounds Georgine. She then realizes that Wellington is a worthy suitor and consents to marry him.
- Jack Craigen, an engineer who has just finished a construction job in South Africa, returns to New York. There, at the home of his Uncle Cannell, he meets stage-struck society girl Helen Steele and her playwright fiancé Tracey. Scheming to win the lead in their new production, The Siren , Helen wagers Cannell and Tracey that she can vamp Jack--a notorious woman-hater--and have him propose to her in a week. She succeeds, but when Jack learns of the ruse, he resolves to teach her a lesson in primitive emotions. When she teases Jack about him kidnapping her as natives in Africa do to their prospective mates, he takes her away to his mountain lodge. There, comic escapades follow, including his chaining her ankle and the arrival of various characters--a lunatic who imagines himself to be Napoleon, two drunks, a reporter and Tracey. At the end, Jack's caveman tactics have won the heart of Helen, and she agrees to be his wife.
- Two distinct stories of New York life are told in this film. In the first, Daniel, a foundling, is given a home by Robert Reid, an East Side pawnbroker. He is a good boy but is led astray by evil companions until a dream shocks him into the realization of what his life may become; Daniel then resolves to "go straight." In the second episode, wealthy Wall Street financier Charles Redding plunges into despair and dereliction after he learns of his fiancée's elopement with another man. Sometime later, a bachelor party of 13 brings him in from the street to alter their number. When the guests urge Redding to tell his life story, it is revealed that the host is the son of Redding's former fiancée. She and Redding are then reunited.
- Childhood sweethearts, David Horton and Beatrice Elton are inseparable; 15 years later Beatrice goes abroad, and while there she is heartbroken to learn that David has married social-climber Margaret Forsythe. Margaret starts to entertain on a lavish scale; to pay the bills, David speculates, but when he loses everything, his wife elopes with dashing Army officer Captain Clifford. Beatrice returns from abroad, meets David, learns all, and urges him to go West and start all over again. He does so and locates at Ranchville, where he buys a small ranch. Meanwhile, Clifford has tired of Margaret and deserted her. He later meets Beatrice, they marry, and he takes her out West with him. Beatrice meets David at his ranch and tells him she is married. David meets Clifford, but keeps silent about Clifford's former life. Beatrice plans to reunite Margaret with her husband and invites her to Ranchville. When she arrives, Beatrice begs David to give her another chance, pleading so hard that he finally takes Margaret back. Foreseeing trouble should Margaret and Clifford meet, he urges her to leave that section until the Cliffords have gone. Unfortunately she does meet Clifford, he threatens her, they struggle and she is accidentally killed. David finds the body and a clue to the guilty one. He accuses Clifford, who breaks down and confesses the whole truth, which Beatrice overhears. She tells Clifford that it is all over between them and he kills himself. After the funeral, David and Beatrice go back East together, determined to forget the past and start life anew as husband and wife.
- Wall Street financier John Morrison is in the habit of bringing home to his wife daily a bunch of beautiful roses. Delevan, a recognized Money King, meets Helen, the financier's daughter, upon whom he immediately exerts a hypnotic influence, and she becomes infatuated with him. Payne Morrison, Helen's brother, recognizes Delevan as the man who forcibly took the last life-preserver from a woman in a shipwreck, and warns her against the man. She ignores the warning and Delevan secures her promise to elope with him. The sudden illness and death of her mother prevents this. The shock of Mrs. Morrison's death deranges John Morrison's mind, and the business is carried on by Payne. Delevan again tries to get Helen to elope, but at the critical moment her mother's face appears to her in a vision and she refuses. The rascal then schemes to ruin the Morrisons through their holdings in railroad stocks. He discovers they hold a thousand shares less than his company in a certain stock and plans to have himself elected president of the road. Delevan's stenographer, whom he professed to love, prior to his attachment for Helen Morrison, hears of his engagement, and in revenge, informs Payne of the scheme to ruin him. Remembering that his father had once presented Mrs. Morrison with a block of that particular stock, Payne realizes if he can locate them, it will throw the balance of power into his hands. He seeks his father about them, but John Morrison remembers nothing of it. In despair, Payne is about to give up when the spirit of his mother appears and points straight at the family Bible. Between its leaves are found the five thousand shares and the excitement of it all clears John Morrison's mind. At the directors' meeting, the Morrisons vote in the extra shares, completely defeating Delevan, and John Morrison, now himself again, is asked to take the president's chair, while a beautiful vision of Mother appears and smiles upon them.
- After serving time in Sing Sing, for which he was unjustly sentenced, and encouraged by two "sharpers," Richard Goodloe returns to the home of his wealthy southern mother in dread fear that she and Virginia Sanders should learn of his prison record--a fear which is constantly nurtured by his rival, Con Arnold. Richard enlists the aid of his two friends to help Dixie, his mother's horse, win the Kentucky Derby. Realizing Dixie's inability to do so, they substitute Calamity Jane's Lightnin', which does win the race. Arnold exposes the substitution and Richard's past, but his triumph is interrupted by a detective, who arrests Arnold for past crimes.
- Dr. Claude Drummond, a young English doctor in India, saves Ameia, a young girl, from being sacrificed to the priests of the temple of Krishna by buying her as his wife. Returning to England upon the death of his elder brother, who was the heir to the estate, Claude finds that his father has arranged a marriage between himself and Olive Dennison, the daughter of the Major-General. To please his father, Claude is about to submit to the marriage, although neither he nor Olive love each other, when Ameia arrives from India. Discovering that her existence is a barrier to her husband's advantageous alliance, Ameia takes poison but is saved by an antidote administered by Claude. It is then discovered that Ameia is actually the daughter of Major-General Dennison, by a native wife whom he had deserted. Thus, Claude finds it possible to be true to his love and to his father's wish that he marry the general's daughter.
- Both deadly rivals for the hand of the Widow Hathaway, Kirkland and Livingston, gentleman farmers, are so bitter, they do all possible to break up the love match between Dick and Florence, their respective children, causing great unhappiness. Dorothy, a city friend of Florence's, arrives on a visit at the Livingston's. Seeing the two old fellows endeavoring to monopolize the fair widow's attentions. Dorothy asks what it all means. Dick and Florence tell her and she determines to help the young lovers. Florence, with a camera, hides in a doorway, and when Livingston comes by, Dorothy flirts outrageously with him with the result that they sit on a nearby bench very close together. Florence clicks the camera just as Livingston kisses Dorothy. Then they work the same scheme with Kirkland, Dorothy pretending a sprained ankle. Florence's camera snaps them with Kirkland 's arms around Dorothy's waist. Then Florence threatens to show the photos to the widow. Livingston and Kirkland are forced to withdraw their objections to the marriage of their respective daughter and son. When Kirkland and Livingston again call on the widow, they are handed a letter, explaining that she has gone away with an old sweetheart, adding that she hopes they will find their happiness in that of their children whom they have foolishly tried to keep apart. Agreeing that they have been a couple of old fools, the two men shake hands, and give their hearty endorsement to the marriage of Dick and Florence. Their "dads" lose and they win.
- Buying farms in the country is a much more congenial occupation than laboring over a desk in the sultry atmosphere of the crowded city. Unable to get his boss to give him a vacation, Harold decides to be overcome by the heat and thus obtain the desired rest. In Pumpkinsville he announces his intention to buy a farm, and all the neighborhood real-estate owners flock around to offer him their wares. The one who had sense enough to bring his comely daughter along wins the first point when Harold consents to spend a week at his home to enable him to thoroughly inspect the property. Just as he is having a glorious old time, the boss comes along in his auto, and Harold's vacation abruptly ends.
- A young man finds himself forced to take a trolley car and a motorcycle in order to get to his wedding. Complications ensue.
- Hannibal Pillsbury, famed for his prowess in cooking flapjacks for the Cadman lumber camp, meets Alice Dryden while she is visiting her fiancé, Andrew Cadman. Discharged for a practical joke, Hannibal meets Alice again in a Greenwich Village restaurant named the Purple Guinea Pig. Capitalizing on Hannibal's cooking talents, the two buy the restaurant, which becomes a big hit. A newspaper story of their partnership brings to town Alice's Aunt Ellen and Cadman, who collaborate to lure Alice away from her Hannibal. They invite Alice onto Cadman's yacht with the intent of abducting her, but Mickey, Hannibal's young friend, overhears their plot and informs Hannibal. Hannibal swims to the rescue, and Alice realizes that she loves her lumberjack chef.
- Freddie, arriving in a country village, secures work in the local newspaper office. The owner of the paper is backing a candidate for Assemblyman against the town Political Boss. Freddie is abused by the Boss for some trivial incident and becomes a personal as well as business enemy. Election time draws near and Freddie's employer, working for his candidate, draws voting strength from the political boss, who finally decides to employ repeaters at the polls. The night before election, Freddie overhears on the party wire, the Boss giving orders to secrete the gang of repeaters (or "floaters" as they are called) in a certain barn. Freddie arouses his employer, and they vainly try to get the gang arrested, but Freddie succeeds by a ruse, in getting the floaters and their leader locked in the barn. He keeps them there all day, until, when the hour is getting late and the votes are going against him, the Boss sends some huskies to the barn for the floaters. They rescue the gang but the floaters arrive too late to save the day for their Boss, and the new candidate is elected. Freddie is rewarded by his employer and satisfaction reigns supreme.
- Babs Weston agrees to marry adventurer Richard Forestall before his hasty departure, accepting his ring and promising to be faithful. Richard returns to find that his fiancée has become a "victim of jazz" and is engaged to two other men, one of whom is not yet divorced. He leaves Babs and visits his parents on their island in the Caribbean Sea, where, by coincidence, Babs and some of her thrill-seeking friends become stranded. Richard proceeds to reform the young wastrels by giving them useful occupations, and wins Babs over to a more healthful life.
- Freddy is reduced to his last dollar and the landlady has stated emphatically that unless he "comes across," out he goes. Despite his gnawing hunger, Freddy is a true sport, and cannot resist taking a flyer on a 100 to 1 shot on the ponies, with the result that he goes flat broke. On his forlorn way home a longshoreman has a family row and slings a can of beans through the window, which hits Freddie on the head. Happy once more, Freddy picks up the can and hastens home to enjoy his unexpected feast. But a chorus girl who rooms across the way weeps and weeps until poor Freddy can stand it no longer, and, before partaking of the luscious beans, he shares them with her, with disastrous results to the beans. Then a friend visits him, and before Freddy can take a mouthful starts in on a long tale of the delicious meal he had the night before, meanwhile quietly spearing beans with a toothpick and eating all but one lone, solitary legume. Freddy shows him the door, then enjoys to the full that one little bean. Immediately afterward, McKann, a food expert, visits him, saying he must get up an article on beans right away. The stores are all closed and there is not a bean in the house. He offers the dazed Freddy ten dollars for one bean, and the poor lad collapses completely.
- Matters come to a climax in wealthy John Winchell's quarrels with his spendthrift son Craig when the latter becomes involved with divorcée Clara Marshall, and Craig breaks with his father. In the village of South Paradise, Craig happens to meet Mary Murdock, the daughter of a minister, and falls in love with her. They marry and move to the city. When Winchell refuses to meet Mary, believing that she must be the wrong kind of woman, the couple resolve to make it on their own. Craig goes to work, and Mary becomes Winchell's secretary, making a favorable impression. Soon Craig is back to his dissolute ways, seeing Clara. Eventually Mary is revealed as Craig's wife, and she rescues Craig from Clara's wiles, intending to leave him. Mr. Winchell and Craig plead for a reconciliation, and the future looks bright for Craig and Mary.
- Rose Hillyer, the sweetheart of cowboy Tod Walton, is about to marry Edward Gordon a slick con-man and a bigamist. Tod has proof of Gordon's bad deeds but it is late in arriving and he has to resort to many tricks to keep the marriage from happening... including kidnapping the minister.
- Sir Daniel Grey, dying in India, begs his daughter, Joanne, to marry the man of his choice, Mortimer Fitzhugh, and she finally consents, although disliking the man. The marriage ceremony is performed at Sir Daniel's deathbed, and at its conclusion, all present receive a shock when a former mistress of Mortimer's confronts them. Joanne, horrified at the woman's story, refuses to live with her husband and runs away to America. There she receives news of her husband's death while hunting in the wilds of British Columbia, and her relief is great. But two years later she hears that her husband is alive, and the old fear returns. Determined to prove for herself the truth, Joanne leaves for the railroad construction camp high up in the mountains of British Columbia. She is maliciously directed to Bill Quade's place, thus falling into the clutches of the worst men in the camp. He conceives a violent love for Joanne and tries to force his caresses upon her, but is prevented by John Aldrous, a young novelist and explorer and his companion, Donald McDonald, typical old mountaineer. Bill swears he will have the girl, and John places her under the protection of his friends, Paul Blackton and his wife. She and Aldrous fall in love, but her former marriage is a barrier to their happiness. While watching blasting operations Joanne and Aldrous wander into the cavern which is to act as the air chamber for the explosion of several tons of dynamite and are trapped there by a landslide. Expecting death momentarily, they are saved by the fact that the exploding wires were broken by the landslide and they are rescued. Meanwhile, Quade and his gang have been on the trail of Aldrous and Joanne, and after some exciting adventures, one of the crooks turns out to be Joanne's first husband. In a struggle with John he is killed, freeing Joanne forever and when John has recovered from his experience, he and Joanne are reunited in permanent happiness and love.
- King Rudolph of Rugaria sends his son, Prince Boris, to America to marry into wealth so that the country can recover from its financial difficulties. Rich Mrs. Hanway, eager to have her daughter Althea become a princess, takes her with Boris to Rugaria. Meanwhile, Rupert Danza, a Columbia University student, is told by a mysterious envoy that he is needed in Rugaria to lead a revolution. Although he laughs at first, he follows, when he learns that his sweetheart Althea has gone there. While Rupert's knowledge of democracy inspires the revolutionaries, his sword play enables him to rescue Althea from Boris. After an anarchist wounds the king, Rupert is arrested, but as a firing squad prepares to execute him, Countess Olga reveals that he is really the king's son who was kidnapped as a child and sent to America to absorb democracy for the coming revolution. After Rudolph dies, Rupert declines the crown, but is elected president of the newly-created republic. Althea then becomes his First Lady.
- Wiggins takes the girl, Mabel, to the theater, where they meet Freddy and deliberately snub him. Mabel flirts with the handsome actor playing "Hamlet" and meeting him at the stage door after the performance, leaves Wiggins flat and accompanies the actor to a drug store for an ice cream soda. Freddy has observed all this and tells Wiggins where his girl has gone. Wiggins wants to throw something at the actor, but Freddy stops him and leads him off to a friend of his, a prize-fighter, to teach him how to box so he can lick the actor. At the training quarters, Wiggins proves such a joke that Freddy leaves him in disgust. He trails the actor and Mabel again and overhears the villain promise to make her a famous actress if she will go with him. She consents and then Freddy decides to butt in. He changes places with the driver of the cab in which the pair are about to take a ride, and drives them to a lonely spot where the cab breaks down. He then jumps down and pulling the actor out of the cab denounces him and they fight. Freddy trounces the actor, who runs. Taking the harness off the horse, and detaching it from the cab, Freddy assists the girl to mount, then mounts himself and they ride home, while the actor is left to walk the railroad track back to town.
- Cassidy, a derelict suffering from tubercular lungs, who is stranded in San Francisco, realizes that death is imminent and desperately seeks to return to his home town of New York. Determining to rob a house in order to procure the funds to complete his journey, Cassidy breaks into District Attorney Grant's home but is caught by Grant. After hearing the boy's story, Grant is so touched that he gives Cassidy money to return home. Cassidy is able to repay his debt that very night when the district attorney's daughter is kidnapped by his political enemies. Learning the girl's whereabouts from his friend, the bartender, Cassidy rescues her and takes her home. Then, badly wounded, he makes his way to the railroad station where he dies.
- Saved from a terrible shipwreck by Stephan Royston, son of a farmer. Nana, orphaned by the catastrophe, is adopted by the family and the two sons, Stephan and Godfrey, fall in love with her. Stephan's artistic tendency for painting, etc., is classed as foolishness by his stern father, while Godfrey, realizing that the girl favors his brother, determines to get rid of him. He poisons his father's mind against him, and Stephan is ordered to stop painting or leave the farm. Godfrey then sets fire to the barn where Stephan's paintings are stored, accusing his brother of being the incendiary. Stephen rescues some of his pictures, and unable to clear himself in the eyes of his parents, goes to the city. There he finds himself unable, for want of money to engage a suitable model, to paint his greatest picture. By good fortune, he secures Elsie, a poor flower-girl, to pose for him. Meanwhile, Godfrey, failing to get Nana to listen to his love, intercepts Stephan's letters. She still remains true, however, and on receiving a small legacy from a distant relative, goes to the city to find Stephan. Elsie becomes seriously ill, but bravely keeps it from Stephan, as she wishes him to complete his painting. At the last sitting, she faints and while his landlady puts the girl to bed, Stephan hastens for a doctor. Nana arrives during his absence and seeing Elsie, thinks she is Stephan's wife. Leaving a note for him saying she now understands his silence, and bidding him a heart-broken goodbye, she returns to her lodgings. There she becomes despondent and wandering down to the river, tries to drown herself. Stephan hears her cry as she leaps from the pierhead, plunges in and rescues the girl from drowning for the second time. He hurriedly explains all, convinces her of the truth, and the lovers are joyfully reunited.
- A widowed mother, the poorest of the poor Irish peasantry, tries to make life cheerful and pleasant for her two little ones. She tells them fairy tales from Irish folklore. The one that pleases them most is about the fairies who boil buttercups from the fields into gold. Her children decide that they will follow the example of the fairies, gather some buttercups and boil them into gold. A generous huntsman coming that way empties his purse into the kettle with the buttercups. They call their mother and she is soon possessed of sufficient means to relieve her needs. Surmising the source from which their wealth has come, she thanks God for his goodness. The children are convinced that the good fairies have imparted to them an endless source of supply.
- Richard Manning falls in love with Rose Winters, a heartless flirt. She soon tires of him and goes to the city, where she takes up a business course, while Folly, an allegorical figure, slowly picks off a petal from the rose he is holding in his hand, symbolical of the spirit of Rose Winters. Tom Blake, a young student of the business college, falls in love with her, and after squandering his class fees on dinners and theaters, is turned out of college. She flouts him and the rose loses another petal. The girl secures a position as stenographer for a broker. The broker's wife sees him kiss Rose, institutes divorce proceedings and the broker commits suicide. Folly exultingly snatches several petals from the rose. Her next position is in the office of a café manager. He invites her to lunch, she accepts and, as the waiter pours wine, the rose loses all its petals but one. Later, Blake, who has followed the downward path, sees the girl enter the café and makes a scene in which he scornfully denounces her. Her escort interferes and Blake stabs him. Blake is sent to jail and Rose, accused of being the cause of the whole affair, is arrested. Manning learns she is in trouble, and coming to the city, secures a lawyer for her. The judge decides she may go free provided she marry Manning and leave the city. She agrees and they return to the country. Here, by loving kindness, Manning gradually wins her love, and within a year Folly is obliged to replace all the rose petals, even to a new bud emblematic of the birth of their child.
- Ill and destitute, Harry Van Courtland, the wayward son, appeals to his father for aid, but Jacob Van Courtland is of a stern, unforgiving nature, and the letter is returned unopened. Van Courtland is known as "The King of the Tenements" because of the large number owned by him. His secretary, Bratton Powers, is in love with Courtland's daughter, Eileen, but the "King" frowns upon the match. Eileen does what she can, personally, to relieve the suffering of the tenement dwellers. On one of her rounds she finds her brother. She appeals to her father for forgiveness and aid, but he flatly refuses both. Then Eileen, without her father's knowledge, sells her necklace. Van Courtland learns that some of his tenements, due to be condemned, may be saved through political influence, and he sends Bratton with a letter to Gantling, enclosing a large check as a bribe. His daughter happens to see the letter. Courtland discovers the loss of the necklace, and when Powers, unable to see Gantling, returns, he is arrested and accused of stealing the necklace. The paste jewels which Eileen had ordered made and asked Powers to get for her, and the bribe letter are found in his possession, but keeps silent. Courtland claims the letter, but the policeman informs him all articles found must go to headquarters. Eileen whispers to her father that unless he rebuilds his tenements and consents to her marriage with Powers she will see that the letter goes to headquarters. Van Courtland promises, but angrily orders Eileen and Powers from his house. Eileen, however, gains his forgiveness.
- Steve Harney, a bullying deputy sheriff, orders Walker, a professional gambler, out of town. Both Harney and Jack Brandon, a young miner, are infatuated with Sue, a mountain girl and an irrepressible flirt. After promising to go to a dance with Jack, she goes with Harney. Jack disconsolately goes to Benson's saloon to drown his sorrows and later joins in a card game with Walker. Harney returns from the dance and a quarrel starts between him and Jack. Benson flees to the sheriff's and Walker watches the fight from outside the door. Just as Harney is about to stab the half-intoxicated Jack, Walker rushes in, snatches Jack's knife, kills Harney and flees. When the sheriff arrives Jack is found half stupefied from liquor with the fatal knife, hearing his name, beside him. He is arrested and sentenced to twenty years imprisonment. Conscience-stricken that Jack is paying the penalty for a crime which he himself committed, Walker helps Jack to escape from prison without admitting his guilt. Both flee to the Far West. Upon their arrival at Silver Gulch, Walker opens up a saloon with Jack as his partner. Jack meets Amy Green, daughter of the Justice of Peace, and falls in love with her. Huggins, an old cell-mate of Jack's, wanders into town, recognizes him and starts to blackmail him. Jack thrashes Huggins, and the rascal exposes Jack's past to Judge Green. He doubts Huggins' story until Jack himself confesses that he is an escaped convict. The Justice reluctantly places Jack under arrest. Walker, standing nearby, turns on Huggins to kill him, but the jailbird shoots first. Walker dying, confesses that he killed Harney, and Jack, who suffered for the crime, is pardoned and exonerated.
- Brought up by his father in total ignorance of his blindness and the fact that other people can see with their eyes, while he sees only with his ten fingers and that wonderful inner consciousness of the nearness of objects which the blind possess. Paul's awakening to a knowledge of his infirmity causes him the keener anguish. It develops through a meeting with Mary, a young girl neighbor, who, with the ruthlessness of youth, convinces the boy he is blind. Filled with pity for his helplessness, she kisses Paul tenderly. The memory of Mary and the kiss remains with him, and he one day climbs the garden wall and trudges forth alone, to find her. Strangers understand little the boy says, except the words, "ship" and "Mary." They accordingly guide him to where the sailing ship, "The Mary Croft," is docked, supposing the lad has wandered away from the boat. Stumbling aboard, Paul falls into an open hatchway onto the "tween deck" below and is not discovered until the vessel sails. Then he learns why the "Mary Croft" is noted among sailors as a "man-killer." The rough crew in the fo'c'stle come to believe the boy is faking blindness because of his wonderful ability to move about, and his life is made miserable. During a terrific storm Paul, with several others, is sent aloft to the very top of the mainmast, and while there the "Mary Croft" is struck by lightning. Clinging to the swaying yard-arm, the boy finds, to his utter bewilderment, that he can see with his eyes. The lightning stroke has jarred the optic nerve into life. The mast, weakened by the fire, is snapped off by the tremendous force of the wind and flung into the sea. Paul manages to regain hold of the spar and is later picked up by the "Franklyn," on which are his father and Mary. The meeting between the boy and girl is touching in the extreme, for he finds, as he gazes at her in reverent adoration, that she is even more beautiful than he had supposed.
- June, sixteen years old, lame and daughter of a lodging house keeper in the poorer districts, spends most of her time when not sewing for her ill-tempered chorus-girl sister, Nance, in making doll clothes for the children of the neighborhood, who idolize her. The father, feeble and good-natured, is June's good friend and chum, and the two often indulge in surreptitious feasts to which they invite John Lincoln, an impecunious young writer who lodges with them. Gradually a tender love develops between John and his little lame friend. To satisfy her insatiable craving for pretty clothes, Nance steals from an elderly lodger, who notifies the police. The money is found in a bureau used jointly by Nance and June. The former flatly accuses her sister, her mother upholds her, and June is sent to a reform school. There her sunny disposition slowly transforms the whole atmosphere of the school. She gets the roughest element to spend their spare time dressing dolls for the children of the orphan asylum next door. Through her sweet influence, one of the hardest characters is reformed and through this June comes to the notice of the directors and a cranky old surgeon. He becomes interested in her case and pronounces June's lameness to be curable. Meanwhile, Nance has eloped with one of their lodgers, only to find at the birth of her baby that she is not his legal wife. She returns home and on her deathbed confesses the theft for which June is paying the penalty. The sanitarium gives a fair, in which dolls made by the inmates are put on sale. June dresses as a doll, poses on a pedestal with the sign, "Not for sale," but John Lincoln, now a successful author, sees the girl, and offers her a loving heart as the purchase price, which Jane smilingly accepts.
- A young girl living a secluded and unsophisticated life is suddenly thrust into a great wealth and a frightening social whirl.
- At a fashionable winter resort, Marcus Holmes and Hiram Gore, of Nebraska, two old millionaires, meet and renew friendship. Gore is introduced to Lilly. Holmes' daughter, and greatly pleased with her beauty and grace, Hiram whispers to Holmes a suggestion of a match between Lilly and his son, Reuben, who is now out in Nebraska on the farm. Holmes thinks that a fine idea, and Reuben is accordingly sent for. When Lilly hears of the project, she immediately decides that if Hiram is a "Rube," what must his farmer son be. So she scoffs at the idea of a match. Lilly does not know that Reuben is a Harvard graduate, and with several round-the-world trips to his credit, is anything but a "by Heck." As for the "Little farm,' that is a twenty-thousand acre plot with fifteen thousand head of cattle feeding thereon. Reuben gains a hint from his father's message that the girl in the case thinks of him as a bumpkin, so he decides to have a little fun. He borrows a real "Rube" outfit, and after alighting from his private car in the city, calls on Lilly in his ridiculous costume. It happens that both fathers are away at the time. Meanwhile, Lilly decides to shock the young countryman a little, and in that way put a quietus on the match. She piles on the rouge, puts on a rather abbreviated costume, and when Reuben arrives, he finds her nonchalantly puffing a cigarette. After many ludicrous happenings, Lilly offers him the family album and a cocktail, while she fights off a growing sickness from the cigarette. Both become a little suspicious that the other is faking, and Reuben leaves as soon as he dares to. That evening, dressed in immaculate evening clothes, they happen to meet at a fashionable reception, and the secret is out. Reuben, looking every inch the polished gentleman, leads Lilly, now a sweet and gentle lady, to the conservatory, proposes and is accepted. Then they go to their dads, and the "game" ends with a double benediction.
- Widower Jonathan and Hannah Tubbs have been engaged for the past 20 years and are no closer to the altar. Freddy is deeply in love with Jonathan's daughter Sallie, but Jonathan does not favor Freddy's suit. Learning that Jonathan is wealthy, the Widow Smiles determines to win him by fair means or foul. She decides to try foul means first, and Jonathan immediately "falls" for her and forgets Hannah, who threatens to sue him for breach of promise. Jonathan, frightened, decides to leave town, but before he goes, Freddy exacts a promise from him that if he should fix things up, he shall have Sallie for his reward. He allows the rumor to circulate that Hannah has inherited a fortune, and every eligible bachelor in town calls on Hannah and proposes marriage. Hannah, amazed at her sudden popularity, decides to choose while the choosin's good, and settles on Ebenezer. They decide to have a hasty wedding, but while they are on the way to the parson, Jonathan, who has heard of the inheritance, rushes up to renew his suit. Although at first he is scorned, Hannah finally weakens and marries him. Freddy comes just in time to see Jonathan fall into his own trap. Seeing the lay of the land, he exits hastily for parts unknown.
- Sheltered young Sylvia Fairponts reads about the scandals originating from the Beaulieu Inn and determines to go there at any cost. Anxious to know whether life promises any excitement for her, Sylvia consults clairvoyant Mme. Claire St. Claire, who, for a large fee, predicts that she will soon meet a dashing young lover. That afternoon, Sylvia meets handsome Jack Bradley, who, although strongly attracted to her, is horrified when she demands that he take her to the Beaulieu Inn. She insists, however, so Jack arranges to dine at the inn and, with his brother's help, forever cure Sylvia of her desire to experience the seamy side of life. He hires a number of exotic dancers to gyrate wildly in one room, while in another, hired chorus girls give Edwin Booth D'Aubrey, an unemployed actor dressed as a man-about-town, a champagne shampoo. Sylvia's disgust turns to panic when hired policemen raid the inn, but moments later the real police arrive, and everyone is taken into night court. Jack's friend arranges to have them released, whereupon Sylvia starts to happily look forward to a quiet married life with Jack.
- Part One. To start a little in advance of our story, Lord Rintoul, of the English nobility, finds a little Gypsy girl three years old, who had been deserted by her parents. Fifteen years later, Gavin Dishart, the Little Minister, receives an appointment, his first, at Thrums, Scotland. This was made possible through the self-sacrifices of his widowed mother, to educate him for the ministry. The community of Thrums is made up of weavers, who work hard, have little and accomplish much. They are ultra-religious and look upon their pastor with such reverence that he is a little lower than the angels. While naturally intelligent, they are grounded in dogma and intolerance. Just after the Little Minister takes charge of the "Auld Licht Kirk" and the Manse, the weavers resent a reduction, by the manufacturers, in their pay and a strike is declared. To protect themselves against the inevitable and unexpected arrival of the police and soldiers, they have sentinels stationed at the four approaches to the town. Lord Rintoul has established a large country residence at Thruns. He holds himself aloof from the townspeople and he is looked upon as a great and mighty peer. The soldiers, whenever they come to Thrums on their incursions of suppression, always stop at his dwelling to consult him or pay their respects. They do not make this particular visit an exception and do not fail to acquaint him with their plans. The rioters are all gathered together in the square and the Little Minister implores them to disperse and peaceably go to their homes. While he is addressing them, a Gypsy girl mounts the steps from which he is speaking and cries out to the people to stand firm in declaring their rights, "The soldiers are on their way even now to arrest you." The Little Minister is appalled at her temerity and he denounces her as a shameless woman. This is the introduction of "The Little Minister" to "Babbie," although he had seen her in the wood, when she appeared as a nymph-like vision of loveliness. Then the soldiers sweep into the square and drive the people before them as they scatter to the woods. Sanders Webster, the only support of Nannie, his sister, is arrested as a leader in the strike and Nannie is left alone in poverty. Captain Nalliwell, in charge of the soldiers, orders the Gypsy girl's arrest for inciting riot. The Little Minister, notwithstanding his denunciations, loves Babbie, despite himself, and to save her from arrest, he passes her through the outposts as his wife. He offers to escort her to her home, although she has always declared her home was the wood. She insists upon seeing him home, and when they arrive there, he bids her good-bye and enters the Manse. She seats herself on a settee in his garden and discovers lying on it, his Bible. She picks it up and writes across one of its pages, "I will never tell that you allowed me to he called Mrs. Dishart before witnesses, but is this not a Scotch Marriage? Babbie." Part Two. The Little Minister proves himself to be a power in Thrums and he is beloved by the people. Through his preaching, Rob Dow, the village drunkard, takes the pledge and joins the church. Babbie, who is known as the Gypsy, in Thrums, is known as "Lady Babbie" in the home of Lord Rintoul, by whom she has been educated as a lady, befitting one whom he intends to make his wife. He sets the day and announces it with a great reception; "Tomorrow, he is to wed his ward, Lady Babbie," Doctor McQueen calls at the Manse and tells the Little Minister that he is coming to take Nannie Webster to the poorhouse and asks him to accompany him in his sad errand. Gavin goes to Nannie's hut and as gently as possible, tells her they have come to take her away. The poor woman sees no alternative, but she hesitates and lingers in the home, which, however humble, is the dearest place on earth to her. At this moment, Babbie, the Gypsy girl, appears. She is indignant that Gavin and the Doctor should he engaged in such an errand. She provides Nannie with money and tells her that she shall stay, and she agrees to furnish through the Little Minister, a sufficient sum each week to keep her in comfort until her brother is released. They cannot credit such a proposition, but she arranges to meet Gavin in Caddam Wood the next day where she will deliver into his hands the first five pounds of Nannie's support. Regardless of the warnings of others, and the belief that the Gypsy has bewitched him, Gavin keeps his appointment and finds her awaiting him, perched in a tree. The astonished minister almost believes she has been making game of him in her promised provision for Nannie, but she soon convinces him to the contrary, when she places the money in his hand. Part Three. The next day is Lord Rintoul's wedding day, and there is great preparation at the Hall. "Babbie" has purposely kept out of Gavin's way that he might not suffer on her account. They unexpectedly meet and he tells her that he will meet her at Nannie's that day. She implores him not to come, but he says, "I will he there." The farmers of Thrums suffer greatly from the prevailing drought. The elders of the Kirk call a prayer meeting for that night to pray for rain. The church is full to overflowing, but the Little Minister does not appear. He is at Nannie's with "Babbie." She pleads with him to give up his love for her, as she is unworthy of it and then she tells him what she has never told him before; that she is the ward of Lord Rintoul and must marry him that night. She also tells him how she overheard the soldiers' plans and warned the strikers. She hides nothing from him. Gavin asks her to go to Lord Rintoul and tell him that she does not love him, make an honest confession and throw herself upon his better judgment. She replies that Rintoul would not listen to her and if she returns to the Hall, Gavin will never see her again. Remembering that the Gypsies are at camp in the woods, Gavin proposes that they he married according to Gypsy rites. They go to the camp and are married over the fire-irons, which is the marriage custom of the Gypsy race. They are watched by members of the Kirk and Lord Rintoul. The marriage has scarcely been performed when the lightning flashes and the thunder roars, the heavens are darkened and all is blackness. When again the lightning flashes upon the scene, Babbie has disappeared and Gavin at once decides that she has been kidnapped. This was a correct conclusion, for indeed she had been kidnapped by Rob Dow, who could never forgive her for having brought reproach upon the Little Minister. Gavin plunges into the wood to search for her and the rain descends, and the floods cover the earth. He wanders on and on, until he drops helpless, where he is found. At break of day, having recovered his senses, he insists upon going to Lord Rintoul's home for he feels sure that Babbie is there. He is advised not to venture out in the floods. He will not listen. As he reaches the cliff overlooking the river, which is running torrents, he meets a shepherd, who, in distress, cries that a man is caught in the torrent below. He has sent a messenger to the town to get help. Gavin discerns through the mist that the man is Lord Rintoul. He plunges down the cliff, into the water and to his rescue. Instead of one, two are now in danger, as they stand on the small piece of earth between them and death. The villagers have come; all hope has deserted them, when Rob Dow rushes down the cliff with a rope in his hand, swims through the whirlpool and passes the rope to Gavin, then sinks and is swept away. Willing hands, who have held tight to one end of the rope, pull hard and Gavin ties his end around himself and the helpless lord and they are drawn to the shore in safety. With cheers and happy hearts, the villagers proudly escort the Little Minister to the Manse, where he finds Babbie, with his mother, awaiting him. Lord Rintoul, whom Babbie did not marry, relinquishes all claim to her and she and the Little Minister shortly afterwards, have a real "Auld Licht Kirk" wedding, making them man and wife until death do them part. Needless to say, that Lady Babbie, as mistress of the Manse, proves herself a true and godly minister's wife.
- Mary Ellen McKay, a country girl, comes to New York to become a singer. She stops at a furnished room house, and expends her savings on useless lessons, for her voice is only mediocre. Harry Weatherby is a disappointment of his millionaire father, who hopes to make him a captain of industry. Instead, Harry is a ne'er-do-well. While visiting Dr. Cameron, a friend of the family, he sees Mary Ellen across the way, and a flirtation starts. It eventually results in marriage. Harry is afraid to break the news to his stern father; his mother does, and he does. Enraged, Weatherby visits Mary and tries to buy her off. But she spurns his money, and he changes his tactics. He tells her he likes her, that he will give a party in honor of the marriage. He enlists the aid of Silk Harrington, who brings along a number of his smart tenderloin friends who pass themselves off as society. They influence her to drink, and soon she is acting very foolish. Harry arrives, sees her condition, and denounces her, thinking this is her true self. Harry's father leaves her a check for $10,000 before he goes, if she will promise never to see Harry again. She crumples the check in her hand, when the truth dawns upon her, and it is later picked up by Silk Harrington, who plans to use it. Mary goes home, thoroughly crushed and humiliated. She tries to commit suicide, but a friend. Kate Weld, a trained nurse, who lives across the hall, and Dr. Cameron save her life. Learning she is a stranger in New York, Dr. Cameron takes her to his country home to recuperate. Harry plunges into business to forget, and his father is happy. Mary recovers her health, but her faith is shattered. She wants to go out into the world now and have a good time. Dr. Cameron argues in vain. He decides to take her sightseeing. First he takes her to Cherry's, then to the Haymarket, where she sees the broken-down men and women. He tells her that is the price that must be paid. Lastly he takes her to his mission on the East Side. Here he tells her a story. He, too, was in love and lost. He tried everything in his pursuit of forgetfulness, and finally discovered solace for his sorrow in brightening the lives of others. Mary tells him she, too, wants to do this work. Meanwhile Harrington tries to pass the check. Harry is summoned to the bank and learns the truth through Harrington. He goes home and a big scene follows between him and his father. He eventually locates Mary. At first she does not want to forgive him, but she finally capitulates.
- Minding babies at so much down and so much an hour, according to the disposition and lung power of the infant, is a new occupation. When Harold sees that there is good money in the business, he decides to get some of it and gets to work. When Henry Peck's wife goes to the theater and gives him instructions to take care of baby, Peck does not relish the job. Harold comes to the rescue, and the baby is given into his care. At the theater, just as the villain is struggling with the fair heroine for the possession of the chee-i-ild, Mrs. Peck recognizes her darling offspring, which a "prop" boy "borrowed" from Harold without that worthy's knowledge, and after a struggle she rescues the infant from the villain's clutches. At home, hubby confidently takes her to the cradle, thinking that their child is peacefully reposing there. On removing the covers, he discloses a pickanniny that Harold has given him in exchange for his own kid. The noise that follows is enough to make a 42-cent sound like the breaking of the breakfast dishes.
- Brokenhearted over his young wife's elopement, Malvini retires to a monastery. After 20 years he returns to find his daughter Valeria accused of killing the man with whom his wife eloped. Mario, Valeria's lover, had shot the man in self-defense and the victim's last words accused Valeria. Mario goes temporarily insane, but at the last moment recovers and tells his story. The Priest then secures audience with the King and explains everything. Valeria is released and Mario pardoned. The Priest then unites them in marriage.
- Sylvia Mason, a mysterious girl, lives in a cabin by herself and sells her bead work to the visitors at a large hotel nearby. At the hotel, Sylvia meets Easterner Henry Hilliard, who falls in love with her, but she refuses to marry him and will not explain her reasons. Thus Henry returns East without learning that Sylvia's father had been murdered by his private secretary Jack Leslie in revenge for her refusal to marry him. One night after Henry's departure, Leslie, now known as the outlaw "The Shadow", breaks into Sylvia's cabin. There is a struggle that leaves Sylvia unconscious, and when she awakens she finds a note claiming that because Leslie has violated her, she must marry him. Meanwhile Henry's mother, horrified that her son wants to marry this strange girl, informs Sylvia that their marriage would destroy him. Sylvia agrees to give up Henry, but he learns her story from Padre Constantine and goes to search for her. Sylvia has gone to Leslie and Henry follows. In the ensuing fight, Henry forces Leslie to admit with his dying breath that he has lied to Sylvia.
- Although Earle Courtney has married factory girl Annie Leigh, his millionaire father, Major James Courtney, is determined that Earle will marry the wealthy Ethel Ainsworth. Courtney kidnaps his son and sends a message to Annie requesting an annulment, to which he signs Earle's name. All records of the marriage are then destroyed and Earle is led to believe that his wife has perished in a factory fire. Meanwhile, Annie goes to the city looking for her husband and there her child is born. While in the hospital, she reads an announcement of the wedding of Earle and Ethel. Obtaining employment in a film studio, Annie soon soars to stardom. When Mexican investments result in financial disaster for the Courtneys, Annie takes over the mortgage on their estate and produces a picture based on the story of her betrayal. When Earle views it, he learns of his father's treachery and the major, overcome with remorse, begs Annie's forgiveness. Nothing can undo Earle's unhappy marriage, though, until Ethel elopes with artist Paul Roubais, thus removing all obstacles in the path of Annie and Earle's reconciliation.