Plot

Turrenne, feeling certain that he has discovered the secret of making gold, requests his employer, Carton, to lend him aluminum cylinders to complete his experiments. Carton refuses, telling Turrenne he is mad. Turrenne steals into the laboratory at night and uses the cylinders there, but by accident sets fire to the building. He and his wife escape, but the building is burnt to the ground. Claire, his wife, seeking among the ruins next morning, recovers two of the cylinders. Turrenne finds the experiment has been successful, and that he has really discovered the secret of making gold. Carton has surmised how the fire arose, and also recovers the two remaining cylinders. He is dumbfounded to discover that they contain gold. Carton threatens that unless Turrenne will become his partner and reveal the secret, he will accuse him of arson and have him imprisoned. Turrenne refuses, and is arrested. With the aid of his wife he escapes, swimming the river across the border into the neighboring state. This state is in a great tumult owing to the government being bankrupt. He proves his ability to make gold, and undertakes to relieve the country of its trouble. Turrenne does not reveal his secret, but makes the gold and mixes it with sand, which he scatters on an old mine. This sand is then recovered and the gold worked from it, Andrew Turrenne taking 10 percent of the profit. He thus keeps possession of his secret. He declares to the ministers, "The country is saved and my work finished." Alarmed at the prospect of his going away, they incarcerate him in an asylum. Carton reads that Andrew Turrenne has found gold-bearing land in the adjoining state, but that having saved the country, has become of unsound mind, and is in an asylum, where he constantly repeats to himself, "I am master of the world." Carton disbelieves Turrenne's insanity and obtains permission of his government to try to release Andrew and bring him over the border again. Disguised as a beggar, Carton manages to enter the asylum grounds and drops a note at Turrenne's feet telling him and his wife to meet him next day and be prepared for flight. Turrenne, his wife, and Carton escape to a motor launch on the river, and set out. The watchman discovers them with his telescope and informs the authorities. He explodes the loaded mines on the river when the launch approaches. Carton is killed, but Turrenne and his wife make the opposite bank safely. Turrenne and his wife are received by the king and raised to the peerage. He erects a gold factory, with the state as co-partner. Neighboring states become jealous, and decide to make war, so Turrenne works with superhuman speed to make as much gold as possible. Working at the furnaces wearing an asbestos mask, Turrenne falls victim to a terrible accident. He is brought from the factory and attended by doctors and ministers of state. In delirium he sees the aluminum cylinders swinging round in the flames. This fades away and an image of the Great Napoleon rises in its place, to whom he says, "Thou were master of the world once; now I am." Then he imagines he is standing on a pedestal and showering gold upon the people; then the nations of the world come to do him homage, and a great snake dance is performed for his pleasure. After these things fade, Father Time appears, saying, "Once you were master of the world; now I come to claim you." He awakens, knowing his end is near. He calls to wife and attempts to put his secret into writing. Too late. He dies carrying the secret to his grave.—Moving Picture World synopsis