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- Dr. Guy Hartwell, a young and wealthy Louisiana physician, was a man of strange personality. Five years previous to the opening of the story he married and bestowed sincere love upon his wife. In return she basely played him false and shortly afterward died. From that moment he was a changed man. Embittered against the world, mankind and even distrusting God, the silent and melancholy man lived on. With the doctor lived his widowed sister and her daughter, whom everyone considered as the heir of the physician's wealth. In the same city lived Beulah Benton, who was sent from the orphan asylum out into the world to earn her living as a servant girl, while her little sister Lillian found a home as the foster daughter of a rich lady. At the orphanage Beulah learned to love Eugene, another inmate, but he, too, was adopted by a wealthy family and sent abroad to be educated. He promised upon his return to make Beulah his wife. Beulah yearned to see her sister, but Lillian's foster parents forbade the two to meet. This affected Beulah deeply, but the crushing blow was about to descend. Lillian fell ill, and in spite of every effort of Dr. Hartwell the younger sister died. Beulah, seeing the crepe on the door, forced herself in and for the first time met the doctor. The kindness of his nature was reawakened by the grief-stricken girl, and he took her to his home, attended her through a serious illness, then placed her in school. But Beulah found her new surroundings far from pleasant. While the doctor as yet refused to trust any woman, he treated her with marked respect and consideration, but his sister fearing that the adopted girl would become the heir instead of her own daughter, lost no opportunity to humiliate Beulah. It was more than she could bear, and at last the girl sadly left the doctor's house and returned to the orphanage, but the doctor, however, brought her home again and provided other quarters for his sister and her daughter, both of whom were wholly dependent upon him for support. The years passed and Beulah's lover, Eugene, returned from Europe, a dissipated wretch, his love for the orphan girl forgotten and his hand pledged to the frivolous niece of Dr. Hartwell's false wife. The physician warned the foolish youth to give her up, pleading with him to remain true to his promise to Beulah, but without avail. It was now that Hartwell realized that he himself loved her and declared his affection. Beulah expressed her great gratitude, but still grieving over her false lover told him that she could not return his affections. Hartwell went North and Beulah became a school teacher. An epidemic broke out and people were perishing by the score. Doctor Hartwell returned to the stricken city. The doctor and Beulah met and side by side they fought the ravages of the disease. Clara Saunders a friend of Beulah's fell in love with Hartwell but becomes a victim of the plague, and with her departing breath joined the hands of the two, and bade them be happy. Through comradeship with Beulah, the doctor's faith in God and Man was restored, and his life made still brighter by her voluntary confession of her love for him. Their marriage followed, and Beulah and her husband fearlessly faced the future.
- Sylvia Smalley is the secretary of Charles Edmay, a distinguished blind playwright. Leroux, a producer, is eager to buy the play that Edmay has just completed, but the playwright is reluctant to sell. Leroux sends Alice Morgan to steal the script while he abducts Edmay and Sylvia. While Edmay is detained in the wine cellar, Leroux exercises his hypnotic powers over Sylvia, extracting a dictation of the entire play from her. Discovering that in a hypnotic state Sylvia has great dramatic powers, Leroux successfully casts her in the play's lead. Her effort is too great, however, and she succumbs to exhaustion. Leroux awakens her from her trance, and, realizing what has happened, Sylvia reproaches him so harshly that he consents to release Edmay from the cellar. Leroux then plans a dramatic end to his life by entombing himself alive. At that moment, Sylvia awakens and realizes that the whole incident had been a dream triggered by nervous exhaustion.
- No one seems to understand or love Fay, the little spoiled granddaughter of William Van Loan, a hard-hearted capitalist, but the old family butler, who tells her fairy stories. In Powhatan, a mining town controlled by Van Loan, Bessie, a sweet motherless child of Jasper Hunt, a mine foreman, lives with their housekeeper, Mrs. Flannigan. The mining company raises the price of food stuffs at the only store; the men resent this, and failing to get increased pay, strike. Van Loan refuses to yield and decides to use scab labor. Scenes of violence follow and, compelled to go to Powhatan, Van Loan takes Fay with him. Fay meets and plays with Bessie and for fun they change dresses. Separated, the unusual likeness deceives the Van Loan governess, who supposes Bessie to be Fay and whisks her away. Mrs. Flannigan finds and takes Fay, sick from exposure, to the Hunt home. Business hurriedly recalls Van Loan and mistaken for a changed Fay, Bessie revolutionizes the Van Loan household by her sweetness. Hunt, the real leader of the striking men, is summoned to meet Van Loan. During the unsuccessful arbitration meeting, Bessie comes in to bid her "grandfather" good night and, seeing her father, rushes to his arms. Hunt, busy with the strike, supposes her to be ill at home. They are all dumbfounded. Bessie tells them how she and Fay changed clothes. Looking up the family trees, the likeness of the "twin" kiddies is explained, and, completely won over, Van Loan yields to the men and Hunt is made mine superintendent. Years of dread follow, and just as a report of the other's death reaches him, his foe appears, immensely wealthy and wreaks the vengeance in a spectacular manner.
- Episode 1: "The Woman Alone" Horace Kennedy, a successful lawyer, is drifting from his attentive and loyal wife, Mary, for no apparent reason, save that she is fading and he is losing interest in her. On the charge made by Margaret Warner, a struggling magazine writer, Kennedy disbars Attorney Doyle, contending that as a man must protect the honor of his wife and home, so must we guard our courts from prowling jackals. Because of his masterly handling of the disbarment case, a magazine requests Kennedy to write twelve articles dealing with the subject. Mary, his wife, persuades him against his wishes, to write these articles, suggesting that she will take his dictation on the typewriter. She proves an inefficient helper and the first night on which they work she falls and sprains her wrist, making it necessary for Kennedy to look elsewhere for assistance. Margaret, living in a cheap boarding-house is poor, as her short story manuscripts are returned day after day by the magazines. Desiring to help her Kennedy engages her for the work. Doyle, forced out of his profession, continues his work in the field of crooked-stock jobbing, taking the hard-earned savings of the poor for bogus mining stock. The last night of their joint work, Kennedy accompanies Margaret home, but on their way they are caught in an accident. Kennedy escapes injury, but Margaret faints. Calling to her to speak to him, Kennedy, with Margaret in his arms, rushes to a physician. Is the girl he is beginning to love to be thus taken from him?
- After a love triangle results death, St. Elmo falls from grace and is eventually redeemed in this now lost silent film based on the best selling novel by Augusta Jane Wilson.
- Judge Livingston, a wealthy jurist, lives happily in a mansion with his young wife, Josephine, and his daughter, Eleanor, child of the judge's first wife. Dick Winthrop, the judge's private secretary, is in love with Eleanor, and she returns his affection. They become betrothed, and the judge approves their engagement. Mrs. Livingston, Eleanor's step-mother, buys goods extravagantly at fashionable shopping places, and has the goods charged to her account. Dick receives a letter from a bank, saying that Mrs. Livingston has overdrawn her account $1,100, and requesting settlement without disturbing Judge Livingston. Dick tries to persuade Mrs. Livingston to attend to the overdrawn account, but she becomes angry and resolves to break Dick's engagement to Eleanor. Mrs. Livingston then tells the judge that Dick is not a proper fiancé for Eleanor. Eleanor finds recreation in doing settlement work, attracting the attention of several men engaged in white slavery acts. These evildoers forge a note purporting to be from a poor woman, asking Eleanor to come to her aid in the tenements. Leaving the note on a desk in her home, Eleanor goes to render the aid asked, and when she arrives at the address given, the white slavers seize her and make her a prisoner. Dick accidentally finds the note and rushes to rescue Eleanor, as he feels that the note was forged. Dick arrives at the house where Eleanor is held captive, and, after a desperate fight with the plotters, the men are taken prisoners. Eleanor and Dick manage to return home. The debts Mrs. Livingston owes become pressing; she tries at night to steal funds from her husband's safe, and Dick finds her near the safe. To escape accusation, Mrs. Livingston charges Dick with the theft, and he, to shield her, shoulders the blame in the presence of the judge and Eleanor. The judge believes his wife, and tells Dick he must leave the house forever. Mrs. Livingston then repents, tells her husband she alone is to blame, begs his forgiveness.
- Bethesda Carewe is the spoiled daughter of wealthy indulgent parents. When Mr. Carewe loses his fortune, he plans to replenish his bank accounts by marrying his daughter to the rich Mortimer Hunt. Bethesda refuses to cooperate however, and when Hunt calls at the house, she does everything in her power to repulse him. This only excites Hunt into wanting her more, so he plots with Mr. Carewe to kidnap Bethesda. She is taken into the mountains and held in a cabin until she is willing to admit that she loves the man she is unwilling to love. Hunt then arranges for a gang of desperadoes to lynch him, and to save the man she unwillingly loves, Bethesda declares her love for Hunt and proclaims that she will marry him immediately.
- Just after Bob's fiancée breaks off their engagement, he meets young Mary, whose mother has just died, and the two of them comfort each other.
- The Red Circle is a birthmark, on the hand of the heroine, noticeable only in times of stress and excitement, which forces her to steal, leading to no end of complications and intrigue.
- Little Nan Griffing whiles away the hours on her parents' farm with Simple Simon Magee, an adult with the mind of a child. While rummaging through the attic one day, Nan discovers a costume that was worn by her mother Ethel when she was on the stage and begs to be taught to dance. Ethel complies, but the lessons are soon interrupted by several horrified members of the local church society. Next, Nan, accompanied by Simple Simon, visits her grandmother Anna and Aunt Grace in the city. Hidden in the orchard, Simon frightens the servants, who mistake him for a ghost. Nan becomes infatuated with Grace's fiancé, Morgan Thornton, and proposes, but when she steals away to his house intending to elope, Morgan summons her aunt and grandmother. Nan demands that he choose between her and Grace, and when he picks the latter, she decides to forsake city life and return to her parents.
- Having served ten years at hard labor, Robert Richards, Convict No. 832, regains his freedom from prison. Resolved to start life anew, he seeks employment, but the world looks askance at him, and failure meets his persistent efforts. Dejected and discouraged, he makes his way to a bench in a nearby park. A banker, peeved at the close proximity of the shabby man, hastens away. Richards notes that he has left his portfolio behind on the bench. He follows the banker and restores the case to him, receiving his thanks and a request to call at his establishment. As a reward for his honesty, Richards obtains employment. During three years that follow, Richards' judgment is given much consideration, and his employer reaps great financial benefits. Realizing his worth, the banker takes Richards into partnership. In society, he meets the wealthy widow, Mrs. Gordon, and a mutual interest is awakened. Many pleasant days follow, and cupid finally takes the pair in hand. Richards' happiness is now complete. Feeling the need of a servant in his new home, Richards engages what he thinks is a competent man. The new servant, a former convict and pal of Richards, discovers the identity of his employer and decides to use the knowledge for his own evil ends. Through threats of exposure he blackmails Richards. Fearful of disclosure, Richards proves an easy prey to the human leech and pays him liberally for his silence. The blackmailer's ill-gotten gains are soon spent, and he returns again to harass Richards. To escape his tormentor, Richards feigns illness and decides to go away to Switzerland for a vacation. The blackmailer follows him and gets aboard the same train. Making his way along the side of the train looking for Richards' compartment, he is swept off the running-board by a passing train. Fate has removed the "Nemesis" of Richards.
- Who Pays? (1915) was a series of twelve three-reel dramas, released between March and July 1915. Henry King and Ruth Roland starred in each episode, playing different roles each time, with a variety of supporting players who varied from one episode to another. Each episode told a complete and individual story, but they were all inter-related by a uniform theme. Although there were no cliff-hanger endings, each episode did, in fact, end with a challenge to the audience: Who was responsible for the misfortune of the principal characters? The titles of the twelve episodes were: #1: The Price of Fame; #2: The Pursuit of Pleasure; #3: When Justice Sleeps; #4: The Love Liar; #5: Unto Herself Alone; #6: Houses of Glass; #7: Blue Blood and Yellow; #8: Today and Tomorrow; #9: For the Commonwealth; #10: Pomp of Earth; #11: The Fruit of Folly; #12: Toil and Tyranny.
- Two miners, Jim Dawson and Jack Stone, on their way home after a lucky strike, are attacked by bandits. Their lives are saved by the timely arrival of Bob Cooper, another miner. Cooper sends a letter to Jane, his wife, by Dawson and Stone, telling of his discouragement. Arriving in the mining town, Dawson delivers the letter. Jane shows only disgust at her husband's misfortune. She is attracted by Dawson. One night at a dance two of the bandits who attacked the miners on their homeward journey, recognize Dawson and decoy him outside the dance hall. In the fight the two robbers are killed and Dawson wounded. He seeks refuge in Jane's house. Upon his recovery Dawson and Jane plan to go away. Cooper's father is suspicious and her infidelity is proved when he finds a note to Jane from Dawson. While trying to prevent the elopement the old man is shot. The couple flees. Jane is taken suddenly ill and they are forced to camp for a night. Cooper meantime reaches his home only to find his father dead with the tell-tale note in his clenched fist. Cooper starts in pursuit. Stone, fearing for Dawson's safety, gathers a posse of men and follows Cooper. Cooper overtakes the guilty couple in camp. In a struggle between the two men, Dawson loses his footing and falls on his own knife. Cooper stays with his sick wife and keeps the fires going through the night. But in spite of his ministrations she dies, and Cooper makes a dash for freedom. At daybreak, Stone and his men come upon the scene of the ghastly tragedy. Stone steals Dawson's gold bags and writes a letter to Helen, Dawson's wife, that Cooper has killed and robbed her husband. Helen and her brother, Joe, vow vengeance on Cooper. Cooper meanwhile has made a rich strike. News of the new vein reaches Joe and he joins the first gold rush. Arriving at the diggings he becomes friendly with Cooper, who is working under an assumed name. The claim proves valuable. Joe and Cooper start for home. The two men stop at a mining town where Joe becomes infatuated with a dance hall singer. Cooper, who tries to break Joe's attachment to the dancer, is recognized by Stone, now the owner of the dance hall. Stone threatens to arrest him. Cooper escapes, but in the general fight Stone is wounded. He tells Joe that Cooper killed Dawson. Joe pursues Cooper, overtakes him and in the struggle that follows. Cooper is injured and Joe is kicked by his horse into a ravine. Cooper manages to reach a house which is Dawson's home. Helen nurses him back to health. Her interest in him ripens into love, when she receives a letter from Joe. Revealing Cooper's identity. Conquering her love Helen sends a note to the mounted police disclosing Cooper's whereabouts. Cooper fully returns Helen's love and tells her of his past. Helen is overwhelmed by his confession, her husband's perfidy and the injustice she has done Cooper, who shows her the note wrenched from his father's dead hand. Thinking now only of Cooper's safety she helps him to escape, and when the police gallop up to the cabin she sends the men in the wrong direction, and rides after him, leaving a note for her brother explaining all. Helen finds Cooper exhausted under a tree, where he has fallen from his horse. She revives him; they pledge their mutual love and we see them riding away together toward the far horizon in the rays of the setting sun.
- A former Annapolis cadet is thrown out of the Naval Academy for cheating on an exam. Of course he was framed, but he must enlist in the Navy to clear himself. Meanwhile he and his sweetheart search for a buried treasure on Lost Island, which everyone is after.
- The only survivors of an annihilated wagon train, ambushed by bandits, are Fowler and his daughter, Teresa, and Hart. Teresa is wounded and Hart leaves them to seek aid. Fowler by chance discovers the famous lost "Peg Leg Smith" mine. This is shown on a map inside a yellow bullet left among nuggets by the miner just before he died. Fowler and Teresa later rescue Hart, who has succumbed to desert thirst. Fowler tells of his find to Hart, who that night steals Fowler's gold, their only canteen of water and abandons them. A scouting party led by Surgeon Lloyd rescues Fowler and daughter. They reach a ranch about the same time that Hart does. Fowler starts out to locate the mine. Hart divines his reason and follows. Fowler has duplicated the map. Hart follows Fowler to the shack. Fowler is bound and made a prisoner. Hart inflicts cruelty to force the secret from Fowler, who determines to die if necessary. A siege of cruelty and suffering follows between Fowler and Hart. Lloyd sets out at the head of a party to rescue Fowler. Teresa later steals away herself to locate her father. She becomes lost. Hart chances to see the searching party make camp. He determines to take Fowler to a more secluded spot. Through a chain of dramatic incidents Hart is killed by Fowler. Fowler, after much suffering, is rescued by Lloyd, who has also rescued Teresa.
- Department store clerk Martha, stops a fellow employee from stealing a pair of valuable earrings purchased by Mrs. Pierce, the store manager's mother, and as a reward, Mrs. Pierce hires Martha as her live-in secretary. Frank Pierce, the brother of Sam, the manager, steals his mother's expensive pearl necklace to give to his greedy mistress Coral, then implicates Martha in the crime. Frank's father, however, has already pilfered the necklace to pay off some stock market debts and has substituted the genuine pearls with phony ones. Recognizing the necklace as a fake, Coral humiliates Frank in the presence of Hamilton Cress, a playwright, who throws Frank out of Coral's apartment. Fired from her job with Mrs. Pierce, Martha shows up at Cress's office to work as a secretary. Later, Frank is shot and confesses his deed. Sam then rushes to the playwright's office and saves Martha from Cress's unwanted advances. Her name cleared, Martha returns to the Pierce home as Sam's wife.
- Jack Evans, ambitious clerk for a wealthy broker, Wilson by name, meets Estelle, a butterfly widow. After several calls a romance between Estelle and Jack culminates in an engagement, which is followed by a hand-to-hand combat between Jack and Estelle's lover, Brandon, resulting in a serious injury to little Hope, the widows four-year-old daughter. Hope wins the heart of Jack, an incident which helps to keep the new home together after the marriage of the butterfly to the ambitious clerk. Miserable months pass, during which Estelle sees that she made a grave mistake in marrying Jack. Her love for Brandon returns, wine parties are again indulged in. Jack's treasury diminishes, little Hope is led into dangerous influences, and all ends in Estelle taking Hope and eloping with Brandon. By the firelight Jack fondles a toy ship of Hope, dreams of the child he loved and settles back in loneliness. A few years later Jack becomes manager of the firm and the confidante of the owner, Wilson. Hope is now a girl of eighteen. Estelle and Brandon, nearing the margin through their life of sin, bedeck Hope with all the finery possible, anticipating profit through her disposal. Money passes into Brandon's hands from a slaver, who poses as a man of wealth, while the boys who are outdone discover his identity and he is arrested. A theatrical manager, seeing in Hope a possibility for his opera, makes her a promising offer and takes her home. In the home of Estelle and Brandon a fight results, as Estelle claims part of the money given by the slaver. The fight ends in Estelle shooting Brandon and her own death. Hope, accompanied by a mission worker, followed by the theatrical manager, comes on the scene, and Hope sees a new chance for life. She at first pledges herself to the mission worker, but later experiences a revulsion in feeling and becomes "Circe" in an opera. Jack, freed by the death of his wife, Estelle, is engaged to a society girl, but the engagement is broken by the girl's mother, who learns he is only a clerk. On the day of the canceled engagement, Jack inherits the wealth of his aged employer. Hope is true to her "Circe" role, acting the same when off the stage, to the chagrin of her admirer, the theatrical manager. The city rings with the name of "Circe." Jack, not knowing it is Hope, refuses all inducements to meet the famous star. Jack, bored by persistent women, escapes to the seashore. Hope in the meantime has reached the limits of her physical endurance, and a huge cabaret affair ends in her collapse, resulting in her secret escape from the theatrical manager to the same resort at which Jack is stopping. Jack and Hope, neither identifying the other, meet. A romance ends in their marriage and a honeymoon is followed by a great reception when Jack introduces his wife into society. Suspicions are awakened and gossip spreads the rumor that Jack's wife and "Circe" are identical. Hope pines for her old life. The opera company returns with its old manager, the old love of "Circe" awakens, she fits in the role of "Circe" owing to the sickness of the star, while Jack is supposed to be far away. Jack, having suspicions confirmed, awaits the return of Hope and her old lover, and as they revel in Jack's parlor, Jack appears as "Circe's Ulysses." Jack places poison in one glass of wine. Hope, still in her "Circe" gown, is forced to serve the two men at the pistol point. One cup is the cup of chance, the other death. The theatrical manager drinks his death, and Jack leaves for the seashore, giving all to Hope, who collapses. Later, in her wheelchair, Hope sees Jack by the shore. Jack refuses forgiveness. She, in desperation, hands him a picture of herself at the age of four. Her cry startles the nurse; Jack turns to forgive, knowing she is his own "Hope," but the wheelchair accidentally carries Hope over the cliff to her death.
- Erma Desmond gets a job as a companion to high society's Bertie Stanley, to whom she bears a striking resemblance. While her husband Hugo has been in Europe, Bertie has fallen in love with another man, so she makes plans to go to Reno for a divorce. She urges Erma to stay in the Stanley mansion and assume her identity while she is gone, so that no one will be aware of her absence. An obedient Erma agrees and the masquerade works perfectly until Hugo returns unexpectedly from Europe and Erma must fool the man who knows Bertie best. After some initial problems, Hugo gets along better with Erma than he ever did with Bertie, and as a result, when word comes that Bertie has a fresh divorce and a new husband, Hugo first determines the identity of the woman living with him, and then marries her.
- Architect John Chance, before building a "Dream City" for a religious cult leader, Prophet Stein, visits Paris and rescues an American girl, Cynthia Grey, from riotous masqueraders at a carnival. After they part, Cynthia returns home. Meeting Stein aboard a ship, and having an idealistic nature, she becomes a follower of Stein, who thinks her beauty will attract others. Chance builds the city, agreeing to say it was made by the "comrades" so that Stein's motto, "Beauty Through Toil," will seem to be true. Cynthia and Chance fall in love and when Stein, a married man, attempts to seduce Cynthia, Chance tells the newspapers, which expose Stein and his financially fraudulent practices. The "comrades" burn the "Dream City" and Chance saves Cynthia, while Stein, attempting to leave with his ill-gotten money, dies when a burning beam falls on his head.
- Betty, an orphan girl of sixteen, is abused at an orphanage, and one evening after an unusually trying episode, she escapes. She rides a freight car to a distant city. There she wanders cold and hungry, and at last falls fainting in a park. Francis Seeman, a Raffles, driving by in his limousine, rescues her. He adopts and educates Betty. At the school she meets Gladys, the daughter of a wealthy man, and the girls become very good chums. At the end of the four years Betty returns to Seeman, and then he discloses his purpose in adopting her. She is horror-stricken, but forced by threats to follow instructions. He and Betty go to another city to begin their operations. Seeman forges a letter of introduction to one of the wealthiest men of the town, and thereby gains social recognition. He and Betty are invited to a fashionable function, Betty posing as Seeman's daughter. There she meets Gladys, her school chum and a niece of the hostess. Seeman forces Betty to steal the latter's diamond necklace. A few days later Gladys calls on Betty, and incidentally shows her a beautiful rope of pearls. Just as she is showing them to Betty, Seeman enters. After Gladys has gone, Seeman commands Betty to get the pearls. Betty refuses, and Seeman, enraged, tries to choke her. Betty, frightened, seizes a hat pin and stabs Seeman with it. He falls to the floor. She then goes to the safe and takes some money, and finds Mrs. Mills' necklace. Deliberately she takes the jewels and strews them across Seeman's body, so the public may know who stole them. Betty retires to the country, posing as a widow, and takes a little cottage, as it happens next to the young clergyman, Roger Neville. She and Roger become very good friends, but the villagers disapprove. One day a little boy comes for Roger to go to the bedside of a dying woman. Betty goes along. The woman they find already dead, leaving a boy of four. Roger suggests one of the villagers adopt the orphan, but all the women answer that they already have too many mouths of their own to feed, and to send the child to the orphanage. The picture of what she had suffered at the orphanage rises before Betty, and she begs to take the boy. The villagers sniff and turn up their noses, declaring Betty did this only to make an impression. In the meantime Seeman is taken to the hospital. He lies between life and death, held for the robberies. Seeman at last is on the road to recovery, and determined not to go to prison alone, he tells the detectives Betty is his accomplice, and gives them a picture of her. They begin their search. One day when the papers are delivered to the villagers, they see a picture of Betty on the front page, telling why she is wanted. The minister receives the paper, and reads the article. Upon his persuasion, Betty tells her story. In the meantime the detectives arrive, and the village people are only too eager to show them where Betty is. At the trial Betty tells her story to the judge and jury, and it wins her case, the judge giving Seeman a long term in the penitentiary. Gladys is at the trial, and shows her loyalty toward Betty.
- Elsie and her sister live on a ranch with their father, Robert Duncan, a wealthy city man, comes to stay at their house while on a hunting trip. He becomes infatuated with Elsie's sister and persuades her to run away with him and marries her. Through a telegram, Elsie and her father learn than Duncan is already married and has a child. This news kills the father and Elsie sets out for the city and finds her sister. She tells her that Duncan has another wife and pleads with her sister to return home. The sister, feeling the disgrace, disappears. Elsie later finds her in a hospital as she lies dying and plans to trap Duncan so as to avenge the wrong he has done her sister. She becomes an entertainer at a café which Duncan frequents. Being masked Duncan does not recognize her but becomes quite fascinated and shows her marked attention. Elsie instructs the chief of police that she may soon need his services as a married man is annoying her. One night when Duncan calls Elsie springs the trap she has set for him. She tells the story of her wronged sister and then for the first time tears off her mask and he recognizes her. She holds him off at the point of a revolver, tells him that she has sent copies of his letters to the newspapers, and the originals to his wife, and then telephones to the police who come and arrest him. Elsie then returns to the ranch and the foreman whom she loves.
- Larry Thorn, a novelist and man of wealth, loves and is engaged to Miss Julie Rider. While at a fashionable ball, Larry discovers Julia encouraging the attention of Baron Von Keller. Some nights later at the club the Baron insults Larry and an arrangement to fight a duel is made between them. The Baron, really afraid of meeting Larry, sends word of the challenge, living time and place, anonymously to Julia. Julia arrives in time to stop the duel, returns the engagement ring to Larry, and shows her preference for the Baron. Larry becomes piqued and discouraged with women and society in general and decides to go away and forget. He takes up a sort of hermitage in a river bottom section of the country, where he builds a shelter in a tree. In this vicinity there lives a blind old miser with an only daughter, very pretty, but a wild, uneducated, impulsive creature who has never known a mother's love or care. In fact, has seen few people outside of her association with the blind father. Larry chances by the old man's house and sees this odd little creature, answering to the name of Hazel. He only gives her a passing thought, but later when alone in the forest the thought of her comes back and she becomes an inspiration to him for a great novel. Allen, a wealthy farmer in the vicinity, sees Hazel and because of her odd manner and wonderful beauty, desires her for himself. He calls on her father and with a big sum of gold and whiskey buys her from the old man. Hazel, from her attic room, overhears the bargain and that night escapes to the woods. After hours of flight she walks into a bed of quicksand. Larry is startled from his sleep by her cries for help and arrives in time to save the girl from a certain death. He carries her to his camp, recognizes her and offers to take her back home. She tells him why she ran away and begs him to help her. Larry finds a home for her with an old farmer's widow, who soon brings out the good qualities in the girl, dresses her neatly and when Larry calls to see her he can hardly believe Hazel the same girl. He continues his novel with Hazel as the central figure and unconsciously falls deeply in love with her. The heavy rains set in; the rivers break their banks and the entire country is flooded. Farmer Allen, unable to get his purse back from the old, blind father of Hazel, finds his chance for revenge when he sees the old man's little farm flooded. He calls at the house, tells the old miser of the rising waters and offers to lead him to safety. The old man gets his treasure box from its hiding place. Allen wrests it from him. locks the old man in the room to die like a rat in a trap, escapes with the treasure box and rows up the river, but meets with disaster and Allen and the miser's hoard are swallowed by the whirlpool of muddy waters. Hazel, hearing of the rising water, calls upon Larry to go to the rescue of her blind father. The old man's house has been washed into the river bed, but the old man has managed to get on the roof where Larry, after some daring feats, finally rescues him and brings him to Hazel. Larry takes Hazel and her father back to his home, marries Hazel and gets a specialist to restore the old man's sight. His novel, inspired by Hazel, becomes a big success and he takes Hazel to a ball given in his honor where, in a beautiful gown, she does honor and credit to his standing, and becomes the social favorite of the season.
- Jean, a waif, is adopted by old Jason, and acts as an assistant to him in the culture and sale of his flowers. She is loved by Owen, a country swain, who hesitates asking her to be his wife because of her erratic, irresponsible gaiety. One day she returns home to find old Jason dead in the garden. Her grief knows no bounds, and she knows not what to do. However, the Gordons, a childless couple, take a fancy to the child and bring her to live with them. But her wild life is poor preparation for the conventional drawing rooms of the rich, and tired of the life, she runs away. Attired in the garb of a boy, she joins a gypsy camp. Carlos, one of the men, engaged to Carmio, falls in love with her, and one night, to escape his attentions, she hides in a deserted shack. He follows her, and Carmio, seeing him, runs back to the camp for help. She comes across the Gordons and Owen, and with them arrives back at. the shack in time to save Jean from an awful fate. The picture ends charmingly with Jean and Owen in the roles that "all the world loves."
- At an early age Rose O'Brien loses her mother, which leaves her without a relative in the world. She goes to live with some neighbors, during which time a typical Fagan discovers her plight, and through promises of pretty dresses, induces her to steal. She is arrested, found guilty, and placed in the charge of a probation officer. This officer finds a good position for her in a wealthy family. The son later falls in love with her. They are secretly married, and the following day Rose finds another woman in her husband's arms. Not knowing that he merely picked up the woman from a faint, Rose leaves her husband, and being a good dancer goes to the city, where she secures an engagement in a theatrical company. In the meantime, her husband, who loves her and who does not understand her flight, is taken abroad for his health, and rapidly declines. At the end of the year, however, he returns home, and a dinner is given in his honor. Rose, now a famous dancer, is engaged to dance at the dinner, where she and her husband are mutually surprised in their recognition. Reconciliation follows, and everything ends happily.
- The wife of Peter Conway died in giving birth to a baby girl. Babbie, the motherless child, grew up to be beautiful and vivacious, her liveliness and innocent pranks were the joy and despair of her rough-handed but tender-hearted father, while Hannah, her elder sister, mothered and idolized the impulsive girl. But Babbie became the wife of a drunken wretch. Her husband died and back she fled to her father's arms. Hannah learned to love Ned Higgins, a newcomer, who at first did not like Babbie, but later found himself captivated by her artless charms, but the gathering clouds of an impending strike brought Asa Robins, a reporter, to the coal fields. After saving Asa from a beating at the hands of the strikers, Babbie refused his offer of marriage and the newspaperman was compelled to flee the town. Ned's jealousy was aroused by this incident and he unwillingly realized that he loved Babbie. With faltering voice he told Hannah the truth. She was crushed by the blow, but calmly replied, "Then you shall marry Babbie." Babbie appreciating the sterling worth of Ned, loved him deeply, but for her sister's sake rebuffed his advances and admonished him to remain true to Hannah. At last the strike was declared and the company imported trainloads of heavily armed guards to protect the mine property. Egged on by Dominick Kenelly, a drunken miner, the strikers prepared to attack the newcomers, but Babbie foreseeing its fatal consequences, summoned the priest, who averted the clash and rebuked the intoxicated leader. Enraged because Babbie foiled his plan, Kenelly attacked her in a lonely glen, and if it had not been for the timely interference of Ned, the girl would have been severely beaten. Ned again uttered his pleas, but Babbie remained unmoved. While crossing a railroad trestle, they were overtaken by an onrushing train. Seizing Babbie, he leaped and was rendered unconscious while Babbie was unhurt. She looked into his face and murmured, "Oh, my love, say that you are not dead." Ned opened his eyes. "Babbie, I love you. I can't live without you. Give me your promise." She impulsively threw her arms about his neck in an ecstasy of joy, when suddenly her sister's face flashed across her mind. "God of Mercy," she cried in anguish, "Everything I touch withers and is snatched from me. I am ill-starred; take away the curse." Convulsed with tears she fled, and prepared to leave home to forget her unfortunate love, when she heard that her father had been captured by the authorities and was to be court-martialed and executed. Stealing through the lines she rescued her father, and mounted on a horse they fled under a hail of bullets from the guards. Babbie was hit and fell from weakness from the horse, and for the first time her father learned of her wound. Ned and Hannah soon discovered the two at the roadside. Babbie fast nearing death, smiled at them, and taking the weeping Hannah's hand, placed it in Ned's. "I am going," she said almost inaudibly, "my star is sinking, and soon all will be over, but for my sake. Ned, love and cherish Hannah, as I have loved and cherished you." Babbie's lips ceased to move, and the little group bowed their heads and wept.
- Seductive vamp La Belle ( Lillian Lorraine ) sets out to steal Jack Holmes ( Henry King )away from his loving wife Mary ( Mabel Van Buren ). He foolishly spends every penny on the vamp , leaving his wife almost destitute. La Belle is killed by a jealous suitor and the evidence points to Jack. However, he is given an reprieve by the way of a letter written by La Belle claiming she had intended to commit suicide. Should his wife now forgive him ?.
- Beatrice lives with her father and her brother, Bernard, in a fishing village in Sicily. Lorenzo, a neighbor, woos Beatrice, but is repulsed, and becomes a secret enemy of Bernard. Donald Hanford, an American author, his sister, Elsie, and their friend, Dexter Harrison, come to the village as tourists. Bernard and Hanford quarrel over Anonetta, a gay Sicilian woman, and the men agree to fight a duel with pistols. Bernard, not aware of Lorenzo's enmity, makes Lorenzo his second. Hanford, having no wish to kill Bernard, extracts the bullets from his pistol but Lorenzo changes the pistols, and in the duel Bernard is shot dead. Beatrice swears a vendetta against the slayer of her brother, but the identity of the Americans being unknown to either herself or Lorenzo, she tells Lorenzo she would wed him if he locates the Americans. Lorenzo remembers having seen one of the pistols marked "D.H." Lorenzo searches, finds the Americans, and sees Harrison and his betrothed, Elsie, chatting together. Learning Harrison's initials, Lorenzo and Beatrice believe Harrison to be the slayer of Bernard. Harrison and Elsie suddenly go to London, and Beatrice sends Lorenzo there to kill Harrison. Hanford goes boating, meets disaster, and is saved from drowning by Beatrice's father, and taken to their home and nursed by her. They fall in love, Hanford proposes marriage, but Beatrice says she is bound by a vow to Lorenzo. Beatrice prays, a vision of her dead brother appears, tells her not to be bound by the vow, and later she accepts Hanford's offer to wed. Lorenzo learns in London that Harrison is not the man who shot Bernard, and returns home, there learning that the man he is to kill is betrothed to Beatrice. Lorenzo goes to a cliff to slay the lovers, but Bernard's vision comes, accuses Lorenzo of the slaying, and Lorenzo falls to his death on the rocks below the cliff.
- In search of information about her grandfather, gold prospector Jim Vale, Miriam Vale comes to California and teaches school to defray her expenses. She learns that years ago Vale was robbed and killed by road agents and that suspicion fell upon Henry Stanley, although nothing could be proved. Uncovering no other information, Miriam is about to return to Vermont when she is accosted by a strange man who orders her to accompany him to his cabin where a woman lays injured. Miriam finds the dying woman and also a dead man. The woman tells Miriam that she has been beaten by her husband, Ed Stanley, and begs her to look under a stone in the fireplace. Miriam learns that her abductor is Blake Stanley, Ed's cousin. Ed returns and orders Blake to leave. In the fight that follows, Ed is badly wounded, and Blake then tells Miriam the story of the death of Henry Stanley and the disappearance of the papers containing the secret of her grandfather's treasure. Relieved by Blake's story, Miriam produces the treasure map that she found under the fireplace, and together they set out to recover her grandfather's gold.
- Rich young playboy Gregory Kirkland reads a newspaper story about a daring robbery, and bets his friends that he can steal a famous diamond tiara, The Sultana, from its designer and then secretly return it without being caught. Robert Sautrelle, who designed the tiara, visits Kirkland's home, and Gregory does indeed steal it. However, he gets cold feet before he returns it and convinces a woman he knows, Virginia Lowndes, to return it. Unfortunately, things don't work out exactly as Gregory had planned.
- Dorothy Madison, a secret service operative, is sent into the West Virginia mountains to locate a still, after male operatives failed. She carries a sketching outfit and a carrier pigeon into the moonshine country, and hides the pigeon in the woods near a mountain cabin, where she hopes to make headquarters. She walks along the road until she sees Dave Parks coming, falls, feigns a sprained ankle, and is taken home by Dave, who is a young, good-looking moonshiner. Dave's mother is a sour-faced, pipe-smoking, suspicious old mountain woman, and only tolerates Dorothy. Nell Oatsey, typical mountain girl of bold beauty, hears of Dorothy's plight and goes to see her. She carries her rifle. Dorothy is in the woods near the road sketching and looking about for signs of a still. Nell sees her and approaches. Dorothy is sitting on a log back of which is a big rattlesnake ready to spring. Nell shoots the snake and saves Dorothy from being bitten, but nearly scares her to death. Dave Parks, who is Nell's sweetheart, is smitten with Dorothy and grows cold toward Nell, which increases his mother's antipathy for Dorothy. By climbing a tree and using a spyglass Dorothy discovers the still and how it is guarded. She sends the information by her carrier pigeon and arranges for a signal to raid. At the appointed time she takes Dave to the woods to sketch him, and he is her unconscious tool in arranging the signal, which is seen from a nearby hill by the secret service men. The moonshine plant is raided and Dave, who is on his way to the place, runs afoul of a secret service guard and both shoot and both are wounded. Dorothy, who has followed Dave, desires to save him from prison and goes to his aid, helping him home. He is not badly hurt and is hidden in a woodshed. After dark Dorothy helps him away and takes him home. Nest day Nell Oatsey on her way to market learns that Dave and Dorothy have disappeared. She believes Dorothy has stolen Dave from her and starts on a mission to kill Dorothy. She reaches Dorothy's home the next day and enters the library, where Dorothy and Dave are talking. She tries to shoot Dorothy, but Dave spoils her aim. She accuses Dorothy, who for the first time is found to be the wife of an operative and the mother of a beautiful three-year-old child. Dorothy's husband appears, the child follows and all is explained. Dorothy making it plain that she saves Dave because Nell had killed the snake that menaced her. She reunites Dave and Nell.
- Katherine, a musical comedy star, is harassed by Billie Vandergift, a wealthy man. She spurns his false love, and while not engaged in her work, spends her time as a charity worker. While on a visit to the slums she discovers a poor girl, Mary, who has been wronged by Vandergift. She also meets Richard Carter, a millionaire charity worker, who is on one of his annual tours of inspection. He falls in love with her not knowing, however, that she is a musical comedy star. Mary's brother resolves to avenge his sister's deception. Several nights later Vandergift is entertaining at an after-theater party to Katherine and her friends. Richard Carter is also present, and as Katherine and Carter recognize each other a shot is fired through the window and Vandergift falls dead. Katherine faints and Carter carries her to her apartment. When she is revived she relates a pathetic story of her many trials and tribulations in endeavoring to lead a respectable life, and Carter asks her for her hand. The following day they are quietly and happily married
- The Nash and the Barnet families are neighbors in a little fishing village, John and Tom Nash supporting their widowed mother. Nell Barnet is a sweetheart of Tom Nash, but later looks more kindly on John. The latter, however, betrays her and old Barnet demands that he marry the girl. The rascal consents to this, but later elopes with Nora Mathews, a well-known character of the village. Old Man Barnet learns on the following day of John's treachery, and soon the disappearance of the two is neighborhood gossip. The elopers go to the city, where John's money soon is exhausted and he falls in with a gang of burglars. In the little village, Nell is an object of scorn and is despised by everyone. So great is the disgrace that she runs away herself and drifts to the city. John is successful in his new line of endeavor, and is able to supply Nora's every want, but after a run of hard luck he is short of funds and she leaves him for a more affluent admirer. An unseen hand guides Nell to meet one of John's companions in crime in her search for friends and money, and he brings her to the den where the thieves spend their spare time. She is thrown into a dark room, where John discovers her, and with the last spark of decency and manhood in him, attempts to secure her freedom. In the fight that follows, John is overcome and rendered unconscious, but not before he has incurred the enmity of one of his brethren. Back in the little village, Tom worries about Nell's safety and induces Barnet to accompany him on a search for her. They have no success, but by chance run across the man whom John has offended and he leads the way to Nell's prison. The girl is rescued, and Tom pays for his brother's crime by marrying his former sweetheart. John continues his career of crime until a police bullet lays him low as he tries to escape from a steamer which he has robbed.
- Tom Wright, a young man, proposes to Dorothy Wilson before leaving to take up settlement work in New York. She accepts, but tells him he has to wait. Shortly after Tom leaves for New York, Jack Green secures work in Judge Wilson's law office. A short time afterwards Jack becomes heir to a fortune. He also falls in love with Dorothy. Dorothy finally decides that she cares more for Jack than she does for Tom. Jack goes to New York and receives his money. He starts to spend it, and after a short time finds that he is reduced to a state of want. In the meantime, Dorothy has come to New York to study music. She starts to lead a gay life with Jack. One night Jack assaults a man, and is sent to the hospital. Dorothy sinks lower and lower. She finally decides to end it all, as she is not fit for decent society. She jumps in the river, but is rescued by Tom Wright's co-workers in the slums. She is at once recognized by them as Tom Wright's former sweetheart. Jack, after he is released from the hospital, sees the error of his way, and Tom reunites the misguided pair.
- Ardently courted by two wealthy young men, Banker Alden's daughter, Stacia, is equally fond of both and uses her woman's wit to treat them alike. At cotillions they both receive her favors and when both insist upon serving her with refreshments, she even pretends to want a double portion. But the time comes when she is pressed for a definite answer, and when her friends laughingly suggest that Bob and Jack mount their favorite horses and race for her hand, she agrees to accept the winner. The event takes place in the presence of a gay company and Bob rides home first amid the loud cheers of the onlookers. Stacia accepts his engagement ring and the fact that Jack has met with an accident, receiving a bad fall from his horse, is not learned until the engagement is announced. Convalescent, Jack calls upon Stacia, but she refuses to change her decision and causes a serious quarrel between the two men. On a beautiful moonlight night the wedding takes place. Jack seeks a last look at Stacia by climbing a high wall and hiding in the garden during the wedding celebration. Stacia sees him and seeks to comfort him by allowing him to take her little lace handkerchief to keep as a token of everlasting friendship. The handkerchief is covered with blood from a cut which Jack has unconsciously received in his hand while climbing the wall and he leaves a trail of blood as he secretly leaves the garden. When the guests have all departed Stacia playfully runs away from her husband and hides in a closet which is entered by means of a panel opened by a secret spring. He is unable to find her and she discovers too late that the spring has broken and she is doomed to die a horrible death. Almost insane. Bob directs the suspicions of the police to Jack, who finds himself tangled in a web of circumstantial evidence which causes him to be sentenced to life imprisonment. Five years later finds Jack employed in the hospital of the penitentiary as an assistant physician. A patient dies and is placed in a canvas bag in the morgue awaiting burial. Jack steals the key of the morgue, and hiding the corpse, sews himself into the canvas bag in its stead, and is thrown into the sea where he succeeds in cutting his way out of the sack, and reaching a small fishing village, he becomes a respected member of the community and falls in love with a fisherman's beautiful daughter, thus making a bitter enemy of a rival for the girl's affections. The discovery of Jack's escape by the prison authorities leads to a determined effort on the part of the police to locate him and he is found just as he has succeeded in winning the love of the girl and the consent of her father, whose life he saves by a splendid act of daring. In the meantime Bob has lived a sad and lonely existence in the mansion in which his bride of a few hours was so mysteriously lost to him. His mind is affected by his brooding and Stacia appears to him in spirit form striving in vain to tell him of her fatal accident and Jack's unjust punishment. As the time for Jack's capture by the police arrives, her spirit becomes more active and as Bob stumbles blindly in pursuit of it through the gloomy halls of the mansion, he falls against the door of the secret closet and the skeleton of his unhappy girl-wife, still wearing the bridal raiment, is exposed to his view. Jack's escape to the mountains, his capture by the police and his return to prison are quickly followed by his complete vindication through the efforts of the unhappy Bob, and his marriage to the fisherman's beautiful daughter marks the beginning of a happy life.
- Wealthy broker Hamilton Forbes is envious of his partner Van Buren Courtland, who has the love of Forbes' secretary Elizabeth Kennedy. In order to get rid of him and get Elizabeth for himself, he frames Courtland for forgery. However, a witness Forbes has bribed recants his story and Courtland is freed. He sets out in search of the witness who can clear him, and Forbes takes the opportunity to convince Elizabeth that Courtland is dead, and she accepts his marriage proposal. Complications ensue.
- Lucy, a machine girl in a sweatshop, works beside Marie, a girl whose stunted morality prompts her to take advantage of Lucy's innocence and teach her the art of income without labor. The oppression of sweatshop existence makes Lucy receptive to Marie's proposal. The two girls attend a dance where they are followed by two cadets desirous of gaining the price set by Mme. Mazie, a representative of the white slave traffic. Ted Gordon, a derelict, whose addiction to drink has made him an outcast, overhears Mme. Mazie's proposition. He follows the two girls to the dance. Impressed by Lucy's innocence, he succeeds in thwarting the scheme. Mrs. Gordon, a noted philanthropist, visits the sweatshop. In reality Mrs. Gordon has adopted slum work actuated by the hope that her lost son might be found and restored to her and his father, whose iron will drove him from home on account of his drinking. At the sweatshop Mrs. Gordon is robbed of her purse by Marie, who induces Lucy to take the purse and escape. Mrs. Gordon discovers the theft and Marie throws suspicion onto Lucy. Lucy's escape is effected by disguise and by utilizing various fire escapes. She gets into a tenement room just in time to prevent Ted, who is in a semi-delirious state, from carrying out his self-destruction. With some of the stolen money, she brings a physician to Ted's room. The physician becomes conversant with part of Ted's history, and also the part relating to Lucy's timely entrance. Lucy overhears a plot and subsequently warns Ted's father in time to prevent his being held up by a couple of thugs. Ted's father has likewise relented, and spends his time in trying to discover the whereabouts of his son, hence his visit to the slum district. Ted recovers sufficiently to determine (having heard the doctor's story of how the waif had saved him from self-destruction) to abstain from drink and to go west in an effort to make good and then to return home. Before this plan is carried out other incidents occur which alter his plan of loafing. Lucy's conscience bothers her. She takes the purse back to Mrs. Gordon, tells her story, and is forgiven. Lucy's father has meanwhile been arrested while in the act of "rolling" a victim. While Lucy and Mrs. Gordon arc conversing Mr. Gordon returns and recognizes the girl who saved him from being robbed. Lucy recognizes the photograph of Ted, their lost son, as the sick man whom she has helped. She takes her parents to the sick man's room, reconciliation follows, and the next morning the home is made happy by all determining to forget the past and live only for the future. Marie has been captured and landed in jail.
- Shouts of joy and the clapping of many tiny hands welcomed the arrival of the big birthday cake. For this was Little Mary's birthday. To celebrate all Mary's little friends had been invited and the big event which preceded the supper and the cutting of the cake was a performance of Cinderella and the affair of the glass slipper. Little Mary forgot to leave at the hour of 12, and when she was called away by the fairy she dropped her glass slipper on the stair. Of course, to every one's amazement, when the Prince went looking for the owner of the slipper, the only one whom it fitted was Little Mary. The party and the excitement was all over, and, as an added help to recuperate from the strain of starring. Little Mary the next day went auto riding with the chauffeur. But fate then took a hand in the story of Mary's life. Captured by Gypsies and later escaping in the midst of a battle royal amongst the tribe she finally made her way to the hut of a crabbed old man, but she finally overcame his crabbedness by her cute and winning smile. Unknown to Little Mary, her benefactor was in reality her grandfather, James Andrews, who had taken his money to this backwoods place because of his son, Dr. Andrews, who had married against his wishes. The chauffeur, wild with anxiety, finally located Little Mary in the cellar, where she had gone to help the old man, who had fallen while miserly counting his money. Would they be able to reach the city in time? They faced a hard task, but Little Mary had known harder work when she had starred in Cinderella.
- Melody Jane, a waif, adopted by David, the blind hermit, goes to sell his baskets to the occupants of John Warham's shooting lodge. The Maestro, who, with his wife, is a guest, hears her sing, and says her voice is like that of the famous prima donna, Jane Hope. He meets David, hears Janes history, and finds she is Jane's child. He takes her to his home (although David is heartbroken) and he, himself, trains her voice. Warham falls in love with her, they become engaged and his mother insists upon setting up her apartment. A year and a half later she makes her debut in "Madam Butterfly" and scores a triumph. She receives a letter from David wishing her every success. It sets Jane thinking. She resolves to go to David, catches the midnight train and arrives at David's home at dawn. They meet, each confess love and when David, hesitating, asks what the world will do without her glorious voice, she naively suggests using it for singing lullabies.
- Stuart Merwin, who is heir to the Stuart millions, loves Laurine Manners, who has been introduced to society at the home of Mrs. Willie Clowes, a widow of decidedly energetic temperament. Tommy Carter, a sprig of society, is also in love with Laurine. Merwin's father has been, during his lifetime, a confirmed alcoholic, and the taint of his dissipated habits is bred in the bone of his son. At Mrs. Clowes' party, Merwin, urged by the hereditary craving for strong liquor, overindulges. He becomes helpless, and in that condition is seen by Laurine, who is disgusted with him. After leaving Mrs. Clowes' home in disgrace, Merwin enters a disreputable resort, known as "Harry Slavin's." He has hardly seated himself at a table before Jeano, a woman of the streets and a habitué of Slavin's, becomes involved in a fight with her paramour, "Slick Mike," a crook. Merwin's decent instincts are aroused and he springs from the table. He fells the bully, but the effort is too much for his befuddled mind, and he crumples to the floor in a senseless heap, but Jeano senses that in the sordid wreck who lies before her there is the germ of better things. Inspired by the fact that he has interfered in her behalf, Jeano takes Merwin to her home, and constantly urges him to build up a new life. Merwin obtains employment in a humble occupation, but with the courage of a new birth in his soul, he endures the toil. In the meantime, Laurine has become a member of the fast set. Mrs. Clowes, herself a woman who regards society as being her lawful prey, urges Laurine on to a desperate flirtation with Tommy Carter. Seeing that Merwin has reformed, Laurine renews her determination to marry the young millionaire, and under Mrs. Clowes' guidance she succeeds. Although he is married to Laurine, Merwin's heart still reverts to Jeano. Soon after their marriage Laurine seeks her old friends and Merwin finds himself neglected. Heartbroken, he reverts to the old life. He again visits Slavin's resort and becomes a broken down wreck. Jeano, who has adopted the uplift work of the Salvation Army, is horrified one night when on entering Slavin's place she stumbles across the out-sprawled form of the man she loves. On the same night, Laurine and her fashionable friends have planned a slumming party, and after imbibing numerous quarts of champagne, they decide to visit Slavin's place. Laurine has scarcely stepped across the threshold when she comes face to face with Jeano who is ministering to Merwin. As the women face each other, Laurine sees in Merwin's face his adoration for the girl who attempted to work his redemption. On her knees, Laurine begs Merwin's forgiveness. Merwin, his better instincts aroused, takes Jeano by the hand and they leave the sordid hovel to begin anew together.
- Young Joy ( Baby Marie Osborne ), the sole survivor of a shipwreck that killed her parents, is rescued by fishermen and then placed in an orphanage. Although reputable on the surface, the home really functions as a front for some crooks who want to keep Joy there because she carries with her all of her mother's jewelry. Joy manages to escape, but without the jewels, and then stows away on a train heading out West. After arriving, she meets Hal Lewis ( Henry King ), who has been made an outcast by his upper crust Eastern family. Hal soon adopts the little girl and, becoming stronger and more serious through the responsibilities of parenthood, he returns home with Joy. Then, after receiving his father's forgiveness, Hal breaks up the orphanage gang and retrieves Joy's jewels.
- George Reed, a gay young rounder from the city, visits the fishing village where Ethel lives with her brother John, a fisherman. He makes love to her. She is fascinated with his manners, and consents to marry him. He seals their engagement with a bracelet of very odd and antique design, which he places on Ethel's wrist. John disapproves of Reed, and warns Ethel against him, but she will not listen, and when John becomes angry and denounces her engagement, she elopes and goes to the city with Reed. At the end of six months he deserts her. Overcome with shame and torture she goes back to her village home, and falls dying upon the porch. John finds her there. She tells him of her betrayal and desertion, and over her dead body swears vengeance. Reed meets Mary Clarke, and becomes engaged to her. John happens to see a newspaper account of the ball to be given in honor of the engagement. This is the first clue as to the whereabouts of Reed, and he at once goes to the city. Seeks out the house in which the ball is to be given and finds Reed alone on the balcony outside of the conservatory, where he has just had a quarrel with Mary for dancing with her former sweetheart. Reed is found dead with a revolver lying beside him. Suicide is suspected, and Mary takes the blame to herself. Declaring that Reed killed himself on account of their quarrel. Overcome with grief and remorse, she later seeks the quietude of the fishing village. In a fit of despondence she attempts to commit suicide by throwing herself into the water, but is rescued by John. He falls in love with her, and proposes, but she tells him that the memory of the man who gave her the bracelet that she wears must ever stand between her and any other man. John recognizes the bracelet as the same one that Reed had given to Ethel, and he tells Mary of Reed's real character and his betrayal of Ethel. In the light of this revelation Mary accepts the love of John, and the bracelet, the cause of sorrow, is cast into the sea.
- Mrs. Clay finds exhaust for her feverish spirit over the card table. She loses in great sums; the sums her husband strives so hard to earn. She plays at the home of Cora Blake, whose house is used for that sort of thing. Mrs. Clay has finally to give Mrs. Blake her I.O.U. for a large amount of money. Mrs. Clay's husband, whose folly is drink, and his partner, whose folly is his faith in Clay, are both in dire financial peril, but see a way out in proving theft on Horace Stone, whose folly is women. They have the confession of Stone's dead clerk in Mrs. Clay's private safe. Stone knows this, and knows also that Mrs. Clay is indebted to Mrs. Blake whom he has promised to marry. Mrs. Blake, in order to protect her future husband, decides to go to Mrs. Clay's apartment, and under cover of demanding payment of her I.O.U., secure the confession which accuses her future husband. She gets the confession and starts away with it. But when she comes on Stone (whose folly is women), she finds he is planning to run away with another girl. She balks this, and holds the confession of his guilt over his head forever. Clay and his partner, eager to prove Stone's theft bring the Chief of Police to see the written confession. But the confession is not there. Mrs. Clay knows how it has disappeared, but cannot tell, lest she admit her indebtedness to Mrs. Blake. Without being able to recover the money from Stone, Clay and his partner face ruin, and the wife must stand by and see it come, lest she bring down on her head an equal, wrath. Ruin comes. Who Pays?
- On the night when the girl's engagement is announced, her mother misses a costly necklace. A private detective is called in. He discovers that the girl's father has given the necklace to an adventuress. He visits the adventuress and is s held up by her companion, a crook, who suggests that they all blackmail the old man. The girl is kidnapped and taken to an empty house, where she is held prisoner. Her sweetheart gets on the trail, rescues her with the aid of the police, and they reach the detective's office just as her father is signing a check for blackmail. The detective gets his just deserts, and the matter is adjusted.
- Myra Traverse, wife of Warren Traverse, the prosecuting attorney, departs for a ball with her husband's brother, John, a dissipated youth. Old Tom Mason, much the worse for drink, accosts Tom Peters as Myra and John enter the ball. Tony, infuriated, throws him aside. Mason shambles off and is later seen at the Clifton Roadhouse. After the dance Tony, John, and Myra drive away, and on their way home stop for refreshments at the Clifton Roadhouse. Tony procures a private room and leaves them a moment to telephone. Tom, half drunk, sees and curses him, but Tony passes upstairs. When he opens the door he finds Myra in John's arms. A fight ensues. Tony drops, hits his head on the table and is killed. Myra and John escape through a side window and rush away in the dark. Tom, meanwhile, goes upstairs, pushes open the door and sees the dead man on the floor. With a cry of horror he staggers. The bartenders and others rush upstairs and see the dead man and Tom. Despite Tom's protestations of innocence, he is led away. Meanwhile, Myra and John enter the library as the telephone rings. Traverse answers the call and tells them of the murder at the roadhouse. He says they have the murderer. Startled, Myra asks who it is. Traverse says it is an old drunken man known as "Old" Tom Mason. Later the trial is shown. Traverse, the prosecuting attorney, confuses the old white-faced man. The witnesses are called. Myra, in agony, unable to stay home, goes to the trial and, not knowing it, sits beside John. The verdict is guilty. Two months elapse. The day of Tom's death is at hand. Tom bids farewell to his wife, and is led, still maintaining his innocence, to the death chamber. Meanwhile, Tom's wife is destitute and when one child dies from lack of nourishment the woman determines to kill Traverse. She goes to his home and forces her way in. John is also present, talking with Traverse. She fires at Traverse but John jumps in and receives the shot. Myra rushes in. John confesses all. As he finishes he dies. Traverse takes his wife in his arms. He says they must tell all to exonerate Tom and then they will try to devote their lives to rectify their wrong. Fade out of Moses pointing to the Sixth Commandment.