Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
Search filters
Enter full date
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
to
to
Exclude
Only includes titles with the selected topics
to
In minutes
to
1-34 of 34
- A jockey and a bettor are the victims of a corrupt bookmaker.
- Kate Clarke and her brother, Joe, are alone in the world. Kate learns of her brother's connection with a counterfeiter's gang only when the police invade their rooms to arrest Joe. After a desperate struggle, Joe escapes, but Kate is seriously injured by an accidental blow. She recovers, but the memory of her past is gone. Kate wanders away to the city and becomes a cabaret dancer. Richard Harris, a noted artist, has a vision of creating a "Madonna," but has been unable to secure a suitable model. While visiting the cabaret, he sees in Kate the model he seeks and she consents to pose for the painting. As the painting progresses, Harris' interest ripens into love, but this only amuses her. At length, bored by posing, she suddenly goes away. The painting is yet unfinished. Harris, heartbroken over his loss, pours out the whole story in a letter to his twin brother, Joseph, a minister. Meanwhile the train which Kate had taken is wrecked near the village where Harris' brother is both pastor and physician to his flock. Interested in Kate's peculiar case, he has removed her to his home. The shock has blotted out entirely the memory of the past few years of her life as a dancer, nor does she remember how she came to be aboard the train. She recalls only her life before her first injury. The artist meanwhile has made futile attempts to finish his "Madonna." Broken in health and despondent he sends for his brother. One day, in his delirium, seeing Kate before his eyes, he finishes the painting. The brother arrives too late, but recognizing Kate as the original of the "Madonna" he takes it back home and hangs it in the church. During the minister's absence, Jane Perkins, one of his parishioners who is jealous of his attentions to Kate, finds the letter which the artist has written to his brother. She reads it and learns the tragic story of the artist and the girl who posed for the picture, the "Madonna." Kate's brother, Joe, unrepentant, is still a counterfeiter and a member of a gang located near this village. Kate and Joe meet, but he begs her not to disclose his identity or whereabouts. Unfortunately, Jane sees the affectionate parting and straightway starts a scandal. A bazaar fete is in progress in the church rooms, and while some of the congregation are admiring the "Madonna," Jane discloses Kate's past, and thus for the first time the girl, who overhears it, cruelly learns the story of her lost few years. The church members turn against her, but the minister defends her. By impersonating one of the members of the church, Fagin, a detective, captures all of the gang except Joe, who takes refuge in the church. He is tracked there and accidentally upsets a small stove, setting fire to the church. Badly injured, Joe crawls to the place where his sister is now living. The minister rescues Kate. The "Madonna" is practically the only article which escapes the flames. Kate, returning home, finds Joe. His condition requiring medical attention, she summons the minister, who remains through the night with Joe. Pledged to keep Joe's presence a secret, the minister is unable to answer the elder's demand for explanations. Joe dies and the gossiping villagers soon learn the truth. The minister presents the "Madonna"' to a Metropolitan Art Gallery where the public flock to see it. Though they may not know it, they are looking at the perfect likeness of the minister's present wife and child.
- Stuart Homer, backed by the reform party, runs for the assembly. Rev. Richard Walters and his son, Horace, aid him. Homer wants his sister, Alice, knowing nothing of her love affair with Jefferson Blair, a young lawyer. Helen, Homer's wife, knows, however, and opposes the match and an elopement is planned. Helen finds Blair's note to Alice, reading simply, "Come to my bungalow. I love you. We will go away together. Believe me, sincerely, Jeff." Determined to prevent this, Helen starts for his bungalow alone, Homer being at the political meeting. Alice, on her way to Blair, crosses an old bridge to avoid being seen by Walters, who happens in that vicinity. The bridge falls, throwing her unconscious in a deep ravine, where she is exposed to the storm until found by strangers and later brought home. Helen is seen by Walters entering Blair's bungalow. Forming an unjust conclusion, Walters hurries to Homer at the meeting. Homer, not knowing of Blair's love for Alice, goes to the bungalow. Meanwhile Helen has surprised Blair, and shown him the note and told him she intends to wait and take Alice home. At this junction, Homer arrives and upon finding the incriminating note, orders Helen to leave his house and her little girl. Helen is caught in the storm and picked up practically out of her mind by an automobile party of questionable character. Alice is brought home only to die. Her story and Blair's grief convince Homer of his terrible mistake. He is agonized at obtaining no clue to Helen's whereabouts. Helen's despondency makes her a ready convert to the fast life of her companions. After fifteen years, we find Homer as State Governor, his daughter, Mary, away at school, and his wife a leading factor among her associates in their reprehensible career. Fate brings Mary Homer, her daughter, under the consideration of "the Master." Unknowingly she aids in the bringing of Mary into "the Master's" power. Mary's disappearance arouses the Governor's fears, but to avoid the dangers of publicity and disgrace, he puts a detective, Reggie Wilde, on the case. A restaurant is the means of picking the acquaintance of "Crooked Fingers" as Reggie looks easy, and entrance is gained to the house, where "the Master" lives, and Mary is detained. Wilde arrives during an attempted escape of Mary, the result of which is the discovery by Helen of a birthmark on Mary, proving to her that Mary is her own daughter. Helen plans Mary's escape. Meanwhile Wilde, finding the situation with "Crooked Fingers" and his confederates has reached a climax, shows his hand and under forceful "persuasion" the crooks are forced to telephone for the police, and then locked in a closet. "The Master" takes Wilde by surprise, overpowers him in a terrific struggle and stops Helen in her attempt at escaping with Mary. In desperation Helen shoots "the Master" just as the police arrive. Mary has fainted and Helen is arrested for the murder. Wilde takes Mary to the Governor. Blair, now a prominent lawyer, is assigned to the defense of Helen "Smith." On conferring with Helen, he recognizes her, but promises to keep her identity a secret. Mary is the chief witness against Helen "Smith," and during her testimony the Governor recognizes his wife. Tortured and powerless, he hears her testimony, which results in a verdict of guilty. The Governor visits Helen's cell and promises her to keep so that their daughter may not suffer disgrace. Urged by Blair, the Governor decides to pardon Helen, realizing that to do so, he must satisfy the public and get his reasons and thereby bring disgrace on himself and daughter. The decision proves needless, for Helen's weakened condition and refusal of food results in her death before the pardon leaves the Governor's hands. The Governor's Nemesis has disappeared; a Higher Court has assumed jurisdiction; who will be adjudged guilty?
- 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.
- Near the southeastern border of France, stands a fine old French mansion which is known for miles around as the Chateau de Grandpre. Here lives the last of the family, Hugo de Grandpre, a young French officer, and his two beautiful sisters, Yvonne and Babiole. The beauty of Yvonne, the elder sister, is so widely famed among the neighbors that even Bobeche, the village innkeeper, whose wife, Marie, was Yvonne's foster sister, has ventured to conceive a passion for the high-born girl. The village lies directly in the line of German invasion; the Chateau de Grandpre is the first place which the German invaders occupy. War is declared. German officers seize the chateau. Among them is a wild young lieutenant, Eric von Rodek, known in his mess as "The Babe." An untutored cub, he proceeds to play frantic tricks in the country house, breaking the family statuary, shooting out the eyes of the family portraits, insulting the priest of the family, and inviting a bevy of dancing-girls to sup at the family dining-table. Yvonne de Grandpre takes him sternly to task. She throws a glass of wine in his face. He determines to have revenge on her. He finds her in the village inn at a moment when Bobeche, the innkeeper, is in the wine cellar, and he attacks her violently. But Eric, though wild, is not bad at heart. He listens to Yvonne's appeal and spares her. He leaves her fainting. Bobeche, coming from the wine cellar, sees his chance. The innkeeper, in turn, is about to assail the unconscious girl. Eric returns in time to prevent the assault. He struggles with Bobeche, stabs him, throws him dead at Yvonne's feet and goes. The discovery of the murder raises a turmoil. The villagers make complaint to General von Brandenburg, commanding the German forces. The General institutes an inquiry. Eric is accused. Eric admits that he killed the innkeeper. Fearing to compromise Yvonne, he refuses to say why he did it. Yvonne, standing in a curtained gallery, with her sister Babiole, and with Marie, wife of Bobeche, her foster-sister, overhears his confession. She believes that Eric actually carried out his original purpose and that Bobeche died in defense of her. Yvonne makes up her mind to take the law into her own hands. Yvonne draws a knife and stabs Eric. Then she relents. Eric is not dead. Unknown to her fierce brother Hugo, Yvonne nurses Eric back to life. Eric rejoins his regiment. To him, as atonement for his misdeeds, is allotted the dangerous and possibly fatal task of blowing up one of the frontier bridges. Yvonne's love is now so great that she has grown reckless of her family and her country. Hugo, her brother, learns what she has done. He has her dragged before a court-martial. He incites the court to condemn her to death. She is on the point of being executed when Eric returns in force. Yvonne is saved. Eric and Yvonne await the hour when the restoration of peace shall bring them together, and time shall obliterate the memory of "The War of Wars" and the terrible events of 1914.
- Jim Jepson returns home after serving five years in prison for bank robbery. He manages to live a straight life with his wife and little daughter until misfortune overtakes him. His wife dies, his daughter is forced to work for her living, and at this crisis in his affairs, he meets one of his former pals, Doc Burns, a jailbird, who is wanted in the west for another robbery. Jepson, who has become discouraged, is persuaded by Burns to resume his former life. They rent an old house next to a bank, tunnel through the cellar to the bank, working at night, while Mary, innocent of the life her father leads, continues her work as cashier in an all-night restaurant. Mary, returning home late, is saved from insult by Bob Darrell, a detective, who escorts her home. A man seen loitering in the vicinity, is recognized by Darrell, as "The Worm," a notorious crook. Darrel, who arrested Jepson and Burns twenty years before, follows "The Worm," and seeing him meet Burns, is convinced that there is another plot on foot to rob a bank. Believing Mary to be an accomplice, he causes her discharge so that she will be at home at the time of his raid. Easy access to the house is gained by arresting Mary as she enters the door and Darrell and the detectives descend to the cellar, follow the cracksmen through the tunnel and capture the gang as they are blowing up the bank vaults. Jepson endeavors to exonerate Mary at the trial, but she is given a short sentence while the others receive a long term. Four years elapse. Mary, released from prison, experiences the utmost difficulty in obtaining the bare necessities of life. Sick and starving, she is tempted to snatch a purse, but is saved from the first step in The Criminal Path as the sound of singing in a nearby Mission reaches her ears. She seeks refuge in the Mission, only to faint away. The young minister, Rev. John Horton, sends her to a hospital where he visits her frequently and on her recovery gets her a position with his sister, Mrs. Blair. Morton's interest in Mary ripens into love, while Richard Blair, the husband, attracted by Mary, annoys her with attentions, but she keeps silent to prevent a family scandal and hold her position. Unknown to Mary, Jepson escapes from prison and Darrell believes he can recapture him by watching his daughter. Jepson seeks Mary for help in leaving the country. Darrell obtains an invitation to a reception in the Horton home to watch Mary. Blair, finding Mary alone, insults her. To protect herself she seizes a bronze candelabra from the mantel, but is discovered. Mary, for Horton's sake, makes no accusation. Later a noise is heard in the library and Mary is discovered standing over Blair's dead body, but being unable to give satisfactory explanations, she is arrested for the crime. Meanwhile, Darrell, gathering clues, finds Jepson's trail, and convinced that he killed Blair, pursues him across country through ice and snow. Overtaking him, a terrific struggle ensues. Jepson is the victim of his own wicked design to throw Darrell into the ice hole. Notwithstanding, Darrell rescues him. Dying from exhaustion and learning that his daughter is accused of the crime, Jepson gives the true facts of Blair's death, which convinces Darrell that his conclusions were right and that Mary is innocent. At last, the road to happiness opens to Mary.
- James Clark, an ambitious young lawyer, is too engrossed in business affairs to attend a social affair with his wife. The young wife feels she is being neglected and her friends persuade her to attend the reception regardless of her husband's wishes. While there, she meets Carl von Liebohen, a musician, and a too friendly intimacy springs up between the young wife and the musician. The husband is too busy to notice any change in his wife's actions. One evening the musician gives a supper party in his apartments and the young wife attends. After the supper, the young wife is detained by the musician and it is then that she realizes the follies of her actions. The musician avows his love, and the young wife, frightened into sensibility, hastens home. She now realizes her own love for her husband. The musician broods into despondency. He sends the wife a message; that since she has refused his love he will seek consolation in death. The wife hurries to the musician's apartment, but too late to prevent his death. Out of the dead man's hand she takes a note. The musician is dead, and the young wife escapes unseen from the house. The police enter upon the scene. A strange man is seen leaving the house. He is caught and brought to the house where the dead musician is discovered. All indications point to him as the murderer and the man is arrested. The affair has caused considerable comment. The young husband has been engaged to defend the accused man's case. The ambitions of the young lawyer spurs him into the realms of fame. His wife has possession of the two letters that would vindicate the accused man. The lawyer's case is a hard one. Circumstantial evidence is too strong against the prisoner. On the day of the great trial the wife attends and listens to the evidence, which points to the accused man's conviction. The great ordeal and strain of this conviction prompts her to her better self and she confesses all to her husband. The young wife takes the witness stand and tells all.
- Dissatisfied with conditions at Bradford Mills, the workers protest in vain against the long hours and starvation wages. James Bradford, the autocratic owner, repeatedly refuses to meet their demands, and the natural consequences is a threatened strike. Bradford's son, Jack, finding home associations disagreeable since his father's second marriage, goes to the city, and the gay life of the cafés and restaurants finds in him, wealthy and alone, a constant and somewhat reckless supporter. The father of Madge Dale, his fiancée, threatens to break off their engagement, and this, coupled with his father's illness and Madge's attitude, moves Jack to return home. The strike is called. This, together with a bad heart attack, brought on by the accidental shooting of Jameson, one of the most violent workers, causes Mr. Bradford's death. This state of affairs greets Jack on his return; and now by his father's will, being the owner of the mills and the bulk of his father's money, he straightway opens the mills and endeavors to relieve the dire poverty caused by the strike. Jack's step-mother, who is practically ignored by the will, plans with her brother to ruin Jack and dominate the mills. Jack makes frequent rounds of the poverty-stricken section in his endeavor to better the workers' conditions, the sickness of Mrs. Jameson's little child calling him frequently to her house. In this, the step-mother sees an opportunity to strike at Jack through Jameson, counting on his jealousy, and she causes a false rumor concerning these visits to reach Jameson. She also shows an innocent letter from Mrs. Jameson to Jack so torn by her as to read like a love note. Jameson is fooled, and seeing Jack again with his wife, loses his head and attacks Jack. Fearing a fatal result from this act, Jameson forces his way into the step-mother's house, seeking aid and protection from her, but she, frightened at his wild appearance and in the endeavor to evade him, falls down the stairs. Jameson, half dazed with this latest catastrophe, and Jack's unexpected appearance, is apprehended. Jack thereupon learns of Jameson's motive for the attack and the stepmother, frightened and injured, admits the plot. Jameson returns to work at Jack's request, a stauncher and wiser worker. Jack receives full credit from Madge for keeping his promise to be a worker.
- Willie and Hank were entered in the race for Katy's affection. Katy was the sheriff's daughter. Willie was the "pet aversion" of Hank, whom the sheriff thought to be a proper husband for Katy. One night, when the sheriff wasn't looking, Katy did elope with Willie, almost. General excitement prevailed in Jayville Center. Newspaper rumors had it that right there in Jayville, counterfeiters were at work on spurious coin. Impossible! The only one in the town who believed this was Hank, and he kept a close lookout for suspicious characters. Hank happened across Willie and often made Willie mad. Willie proved this more than once with his left foot. In Hank's mind, suspicion pointed her index finger in the direction of Willie. When Willie was eloping with Katy, Hank hurried to the sheriff and informed him of his daughter's flight with a counterfeiter. The sheriff and a posse pursued. The elopers sought refuge in a deserted house, which proved to be the real counterfeiters' den. There was a real fight, and a tie up in the wedding business for a while, but Willie won out. The sheriff and his posse arrived. In the glory of his capture of the counterfeiters the sheriff was won over by Willie.
- Helen, unhappy with her husband, Jim Benson, a smuggler, consults the cards with superstitious trust in the story they tell. The cards tell her of love, a dark man, wealth and happiness. Jack Morton, a wealthy young man, camping in the vicinity, meets Helen, who sees in him the dark man of the cards. Admiration for each other is mutual, and Helen weakly conceals the fact of her marriage. Distracted by her husband's cruel treatment, Helen notifies the revenue officers of his smuggling. As a result Jim is wounded, as Helen believes, fatally. Helen, thinking herself free, renews her acquaintance with Jack, and promising to marry him, visits his parents. A newspaper article, announcing their marriage, is read by Jim, who seeing therein an opportunity to get money for his silence, straightway visits Helen and succeeds in so doing. The rich man's life with valet, etc., which he attempts to lead soon requires more money, however, and he now demands a diamond necklace, Helen's engagement present from Jack. Pursuant to a curt note, Helen goes to Jim, who, seeing that she has the necklace in her bag, discovers and appropriates it, as well as her little revolver. He places the revolver in his desk and Helen leaves. Jim's valet, observing the entire proceeding, and seeing the opportunity to enrich himself and yet hide the crime, turns out the lights, and through the portieres shoots at Jim. Helen, hearing the shot, steps into the shrubbery to avoid being seen, and overhears the valet tell the police that Jim has been killed. At last, believing herself free, she hastens to the church. The wedding ceremony has already been delayed because of her absence. In the meantime, the police, following the wrong clue, arrive at the church and arrest Helen at the altar. In an ante-mortem statement Jim also accuses Helen, and this is the final blow to her tottering reason. The valet's guilty conscience, however, betrays him to the suspicious detective, and he is arrested and formally charged with the murder. Helen, dazed with her many misfortunes and disappointments, once more takes up the cards. In them she reads again of wealth, love and happiness, and not knowing of the valet's arrest for the murder of Jim, and believing that the cards have lied. She sweeps them from the table in a frenzy of despair.
- The ceiling falls in the sitting room of Mamie's flat and the janitor is just as worried about it as janitors generally are. This angers Mamie, who is an independent sort of small person, and she hustles out and rents a new apartment. She arranges with the moving man to come in a couple of days for the things. Mamie's mother is a helpless sort of hypochondriac and her nerves need soothing constantly. The excitement of the day is too much for her and she takes an overdose of chloral. She is still asleep the next morning when the van men come to tell Mamie that they have a better job for the following day and that she must move at once or get another van. She moves, but mother sleeps through it all and is moved along with the sofa on which she sleeps. The men spill her a couple of times, but they do not muss her up much. The fresh air and the shaking up wear off the effects of the drug and she wakens to find herself alone in a strange house. The drug has not entirely worked off and she promptly concluded that she has been abducted. She runs for the police who make a thorough search of the apartment and capture the innocent little Mamie. While the disgusted policemen steal out mother gets more nerve quieter and sinks back to sleep.
- Tom Randolph, on the day of his engagement to Agnes Thorne, a beautiful Southern girl, stops his horse on the road near a gypsy camp, long enough to interfere with The Wolf, king of the gypsies, who is beating his daughter, Cynthia. Tom rides on to the Thorne mansion, little suspecting that he is being followed by a gypsy spy sent by The Wolf. While he is there a gypsy boy (not the spy), is caught by Major Thorne, poaching on his estate, and Tom comes to the boy's rescue in time to save him from a beating. That night The Wolf tries to waylay Tom and kill him, but Cynthia saves Tom by cutting the rope which the gypsies have tied across the road to throw Tom from his horse. Sometime later, at the engagement party given by Major Thorne in honor of his sister's engagement to Tom, Cynthia warns Tom of his danger from her father. Thorne partly overhears, and suspects an affair between his prospective brother-in-law and the gypsy. Thinking an insult has been placed on his family, he breaks the engagement, slaps Tom's face, and challenges him to a duel. The next morning during the duel Tom fires in the air, rather than kill the brother of the girl he loves, but Pedro, the gypsy boy, whom Tom has saved from a beating, hides near the spot, shoots from the underbrush, killing Thorne, the shots being simultaneous. Tom sees his opponent fall and is unable to account for it. Before he dies, Thorne accuses Tom of shooting him in the back, and Tom is arrested and accused of the murder. At the trial, when the case is going on against Tom, Pedro, in the gypsies' camp, basked by his guilty conscience, confesses to his sister that he killed Thorne. Cynthia overhears his confession, and drags him to court. The prosecuting attorney gets a confession from the frightened boy. Meanwhile Bess, the boy's sister, seeing affairs against her brother, hurries to the gypsy camp, gallops back with a horse that she leads under the courtroom window, rushes into the courtroom, throws her arms around the boy, whispers into his ear, quickly turns, engages the judge's attention, when suddenly the boy leaps to the jury rail, through the closed window below. Pandemonium reigns, the sheriff rushes to the window in time to see the boy disappear in the distance. Tom is acquitted and Agnes comes to his arms, while Cynthia, the martyr, goes back to her tribe, to bear the scorn of her own people for loving above her station.
- In this play we find Mary, disgusted and discouraged at the life of unhappiness she is living with Jack Denver, her husband, who has been drinking heavily of late. At this opportune or rather inopportune moment, Tom Horton casually renews Mary's acquaintance. Horton had been Mary's girlish ideal previous to his departure to South America and her marriage to Jack. Mary, in this frame of mind, is ready to listen to Horton' s promises of happiness with him, and is willing to take this radical step. Pauline, her little girl, seeing her mother packing up, and concluding that they are going visiting, packs her little satchel and waits in the parlor until her mother appears preparatory to leaving with Horton. The sight of the child brings Mary to her senses and the elopement is abandoned. Jack learns the truth and makes the earnest manly promise to reform.
- John Howard, incapable of working the farm on account of heart trouble, is unable to forestall the mortgage foreclosure. His son, a dissipated youth, quarrels with his father and goes to New York. The excitement hastens the father's death and Lois, Will's sister, is left alone and without money. Madge Lewis, a friend of Lois, now in the theatrical business, persuades her to come to New York, and aids Lois in securing a position in the department store of S. Homer Halsey. Halsey is attracted by Lois's beauty and induces Lois to dine with him, and a private room is selected. Lois's suspicions are realized and after angrily resenting his offered insults, she is told she is no longer required at the store. Will's course in New York is downward. He visits a cheap gambling house and wins. His luck persuades him to be a frequent visitor at the gambling house. Successful for a time, he leads a riotous life on the proceeds, but his luck turns and the raiding of the gambling house finds him completely down and out and a lounger in the corner saloons. With Madge's introduction Lois secures a position as chorus girl in a big vaudeville act. Jack Wharton, a friend of the manager, on meeting Lois, falls in love with her. The star is seriously injured and the newspapers, while relating the fact, comment favorably on Lois's performance of the star part. Will, thus learning of Lois's success, asks her for money. One night Lois is called to go on the stage and leaves Will in her dressing-room slightly intoxicated. Will overturns an alcohol lamp; it is the cause of a fire which starts a panic in the audience and incidentally lays him up for weeks. Jack's father, urged by Jack's sister, Mary, decides to test the character of Lois. As a result, Lois, realizing the difference in their social position and thinking Jack's father objects to her, refuses to see Jack again. Lois, however, not only meets the test but wins the father's complete approbation, and subsequently Jack and Lois are married. Returning from their honeymoon Lois learns of Halsey's engagement to Mary. Halsey, still attracted by Lois's beauty, attempts to flirt. After several rebuffs and a particularly stinging rebuke, he determines to humiliate her. Will, in trouble again, this time for using money of the firm with which Jack has placed him, comes to Lois. Not wishing to see Jack, he hides in Lois's closet as he enters the room. Upon their leaving the room Halsey sneaks in and conceals a necklace of Mary's which he has obtained, in Lois's dresser. Its loss immediately being discovered, Halsey easily turns suspicion on Lois. Will, from the closet, however, seeing Halsey act and divining his base motive, takes the necklace and realizing that his word would not be sufficient to clear his sister, cleverly causes the necklace to be found in Halsey's possession. Discomfited and confused, Halsey is discredited and dismissed from the house, leaving Lois still in possession of the love and trust of her husband and her new friends. The spark of manhood has been kindled in Will.
- Laurie does not realize that she is about twelve years beyond the kittenish stage of her life, but she can't help noticing that she weighs 185 pounds and has a foot more waist than usually is found on the sweet young thing she wants to be. Some of the girls tell her that they keep in trim at the gymnasium, and to the gymnasium Laurie goes to put through a heroic course of sprouts. She doesn't like the gymnasium, but she likes the handsome instructor and she slicks to the exercise until she gets a black eye trying to box. To comfort her the instructor puts her on the scales to show her how much weight she has lost. She has gained another five pounds. This is the final straw. The instructor seeks to comfort her and she accepts it as a proposal of marriage, and accepts him too. He accepts her when he finds that she has money, and so the gymnasium course brings a husband to Laurie, though not in the way she had expected it would.
- Adolph Shultz sat in the little room behind his little delicatessen shop and cursed the fate that saw fit to cast him for a delicatessen merchant instead of a baron. In the daily papers Adolph had read of the epidemic of heiress-seeking barons and promptly contracted acute baronitis. He lost his appetite for sauerkraut and potato salad and every time he looked at his plump frau, or one of the seven children, he experienced a sensation about the same as a bad man's hereafter. Mary Alden, a newspaper reporter, was in court when Mrs. Shultz and her seven children broke in. She (Mrs. Shultz) filled the air with riot and requested the judge to rivet a pair of handcuffs upon runaway Adolph and bring him back. At Kirby's farm there was great excitement. The Baron Dietrich had picked Madge Kirby for a steady listener of his love tales and Madge was delighted. A baron for a son-in-law made ma's heart flutter overtime. Farmer Kirby had no intention of splitting his fortune with a man he couldn't talk with, so every time the baron asked for Madge's hand Farmer Kirby got an attack of hesitation and called Peggy, the bulldog, who showed her disapproval of the baron by making half-moons with her teeth on different parts of his anatomy. In fact, Peggy assisted Farmer Kirby and Jack Hopkins, Madge's former suitor, in making the baron as uncomfortable as possible, but his finish was made certain by the arrival of Mary Alden, the reporter, who came to visit the Kirbys. Assisted by Peggy, she prevented the pair from eloping, and to confirm her suspicion that Shultz was one and the same, she telegraphed for Mrs. Shultz. Five minutes after the lady arrived something that sounded like yells of mortal agony came from the tall grass back of the farm to prove that the lady was making good. So endeth the romance of Adolph.
- Jack Moore, through a misunderstanding, believes his rival. Bob Clarke, is going to marry Mary Blair, Both men being employed In the same office, they are on friendly terms. Jack discovers a shortage in Bob's accounts and he loans him enough money to cover it. Realizing that Jack is protecting him for Mary's sake, Bob allows him to believe that he is going to marry her. Jack leaves for the West after writing Mary a letter, stating that he could not remain and see her marry another. Mary, who loves Jack, is heartbroken when she learns of his departure. She waits anxiously for his return, but in vain. She is easily persuaded by her father to marry Richard Barker, a rich broker, who turns out to be a reprobate and brutal husband. In the meantime, Bob has been following the wrong road and becomes associated with evil companions. Jack returns east after he has struck it rich. He meets Mary and learns of the fatal mistake that separated them. Realizing that her married life has been unhappy, Jack sympathizes with her. Barker misconstrues Jack's attitude toward his wife. He makes a base insinuation, which Jack and Mary resent. This brings on a heated argument. Mary's husband, being maddened with rage and drink, draws a revolver. Jack defends himself in the struggle; the revolver is accidentally discharged and Barker is killed. Bob has fallen from bad to worse. Being surprised by officers while burglarizing a house, he is pursued and is forced to enter the Barker home to escape the police. He overhears the quarrel and sees the shooting. Coming on the scene, he tells Mary and Jack that appearances are against them, and in order to protect them, he will throw suspicion on himself. He leaves the house in view of the officers, who, having heard the shot, are coming toward the house. Bob is captured and the officer draws the conclusion that Barker was shot by the burglar, thus exonerating Jack and Mary from all suspicion.
- One day when Old Bill was away drinking at the village saloon, an official from the Children's Aid Society entered Bill's wretched home with an order from the Court to take his two motherless children to the poor-house. The kiddies escaped from the official and wandered away. Towards night, when they had traveled far, they grew tired and hungry and cried. Three knights of the road heard their sobs and brought them back to their camp. They set out to look for a place for them to sleep. They discovered an old barn, where they placed the tired children. In the morning Farmer Brown and his wife discovered the children and adopted them, A few months later Farmer Brown moved, and Old Bill, unable to find his children, joined the tramps. One night, unknowingly, they entered Farmer Brown's new home. Pauline heard them and dropped from the bedroom window to the ground right into the arms of one tramp. She recognized him and appealed to him for help. He called the others off. Old Bill escaped before the children saw him and finding them happy, harkened to the call of the road and passed out of their lives forever.
- Stuart Hall, a broker, and James Steele, a financier, are rivals for the hand of Jane Travers, a society belle. Steele makes the greatest impression on Jane, and she marries them. Soon after Steele's marriage to Jane, Hall meets Lois Martin and saves her from the attentions of Jack Dallas, a chauffeur. Lois and Hall's friendship soon ripens into love. Jack, who wants Lois to marry him, on being refused makes things unpleasant for the lovers, but in spite of his threats they soon marry. Their married life is ideal and is soon blessed by the arrival of a little baby. Jane's married life is not so happy; in spite of her riches she is dissatisfied. Lois and Stuart meet Jane and her husband at a restaurant. Jane sees Hall's happiness, which causes her to think of her own life, being married to a man she has ceased to love. This preys upon her mind so much that she decides to win Hall back. She meets Hall frequently on his trips to town. Hall is beginning to lose heavily in his stock dealings, which causes him to neglect his wife and child. Jane learning that her husband is secretly operating to raise B. and H.R. stocks, thinks she sees a way to arouse Hall's interest in her again. She informs Hall, whom she meets at a ball that evening, of her husband's plans. Hall is compelled through his financial difficulties to accept Jane's information, not knowing her secret motives for aiding him. The husband overhears his wife betray his business secrets; he fixes on a plan of revenge which would eventually bring Hall to his ruin. The next day in the stock exchange. Hall starts buying B. and H.R. stocks, which formerly he was selling, James Steele allows Hall to continue buying successfully, with the intention of swamping him with B. and H.R. stocks the following day. In the meantime, Jack Dallas has been meeting with evil companions and is wanted by the police. He enters Hall's house with the intention to burglarize it. He meets Lois for the first time since her marriage. Hall arrives home before Jack has a chance to get away with any of the plunder, which he has frightened Lois into giving him. Jack forces Lois to hide him. Lois does not tell her husband of Jack's presence in the room, fearful that Jack will carry out his threats of shooting Hall. When Hall discovers Jack's presence in the room, he is suspicious. Jack allows him to believe that Lois invited him. Hall becomes furious. Jack only saves himself from bodily injury by holding Hall back with his gun. After Jack makes his escape, Hall accuses his wife. She resents his attitude, begs and pleads with him to listen to reason, but to no avail. He speaks of a separation which drives Lois frantic. Two detectives, who are on Jack's trail, see him leave the house. Jack evades the officers, steals an auto and makes his escape. A rainstorm comes up and Lois, who is standing by the window is stunned by a bolt of lightning. Jack, in his endeavor to escape in the auto, loses control of it and is hurled over the cliff. Later he is found by the detectives, who get his confession before he dies. The next day at the exchange Steele swamps Hall with B and H.R. stocks, making the price fall and ruining Hall. Hall goes to the woman and accuses her of duplicity. She becomes furious. She seeks to get Hall in a compromising position. She fails in this, for her plans are only denounced by her husband for her previous perfidy and be threatens to divorce her. Hall begins to realize that he has unjustly treated his wife. He goes home to ask forgiveness for his hasty judgment, but the doctor refuses to allow Lois to be disturbed. Later a telegram is received, telling of Jack's confession and his real motive for entering the house. A reconciliation is soon brought about between Lois and Holmes. Steele, to avoid scandal, takes a quiet means to get a divorce from Jane.
- Pagano, a young physician, attends the sick bed of Marie's mother, who lives with Marie and Luigi, Marie's husband, in the Italian quarter of New York. Marie's mother dies, and Pagano is affected by Marie's sorrow, and in sympathy, gives her a flower and promises to send her others, thus arousing the jealousy of Luigi. A week later Pagano remembers his promise as he is buying roses for his fiancée. He also sends a bouquet to Marie, with a pleasant message. The florist gets the cards mixed. The fiancée gets the flowers with Marie's card and believes Pagano false. Luigi gets the bouquet for Marie and the card meant for Pagano's fiancée addressed "Dearest," and making an appointment. He thinks Marie is false and as the reverse of the card gives Pagano's address, he sets out to revenge his wrong. Marie follows to prevent violence, if possible. In the meantime, Luigi enters the doctor's home under the pretense of illness. Luigi forces the door of the doctor's laboratory and soon has the doctor at his mercy, when Marie enters in time to save the doctor's life. At this moment the doctor's fiancée comes in to tax Pagano's falseness. Explanations follow wherein the exchange of cards is made obvious.
- Jack Burns, an ex-convict, finds it difficult to secure work and seeks aid from a wealthy minister, who believes Jack's story and engages him as a chauffeur. Bert, the minister's son, becomes infatuated with a designing woman, who, with several notorious gamblers, inveigles him into gambling. He loses in a card game and is forced to give an "I.O.U." for $800. Jack Burns sees his benefactor's son with one of the gamblers, whom he recognizes, and warns Bert: but Bert resents his interference. Not having money to pay his gambling debt. Bert is cast aside by the woman and threatened by the gamblers. In order to pay the $800, Bert attempts to take the church donations left in his father's care. He is surprised in his act by the ex-convict, who forces the money from him. The minister discovers the loss of the money before Jack is able to return it. Jack is accused of the theft and is dismissed. The minister later learns that his son is the real culprit and through the ex-convict's persuasion, he forgives him.
- John Walker has not attempted to conceal the fact that his will leaves almost his entire fortune to his son, Jack, merely providing a small trust for his daughter, Jane, who has recently been married to James Gleason. Gleason, learning of the terms of the will, plots to disgrace Jack in the eyes of his father, and with the aid of a woman, Maude Barnes, causes Jack to be charged with theft. This takes place at Jack's college, but the actual arrest is delayed by Jack's roommate until after the big football game, of which Jack is the star player. The disgrace is sufficient to force Jack to leave college. On his arrival home, a stormy scenes ensues and Jack is ordered from the house by his father, whose mind has been poisoned against him by Gleason. Jack's father is also influenced to make a new will, but Gleason does not know its contents. With contemptible perseverance Gleason also hounds Jack and causes him to be discharged from different positions. The father dies and Jack returns only to be refused admittance to the house by Gleason. Determined to have a last look at his father, Jack gains entrance and meets little Olive, his niece, of whom he is very fond. Her childish love for Jack prompts her to force him to take her little diamond picture locket as a remembrance. Gleason has opened the safe in the library and has just read the last will which gives Jack the fortune when he reaches the age of twenty-five, provided he does nothing dishonest, in which latter event Gleason's wife is to have it. Gleason foresees that Jack will eventually get the fortune under the terms of the will and thoroughly enraged, he turns away from the safe and catches a glimpse of Jack as he is leaving the house. His clever mind immediately evolves a plot to accuse him of robbing the safe. Jack's possession of the locket aids Gleason as he dramatically accuses Jack. Appearances against him, Jack makes his escape. Tracked by detectives, hungry and desperate. Jack tries to enter a farm house and is only saved from his crime by overhearing a prayer of the farmer's daughter, Edith. In withdrawing, he falls and is seriously injured. The farmer's wife, asking no questions, nurses him to health and he later works and lives with them. Incidentally Jack and Edith grow to love each other. Gleason continues his association with Maude Barnes, visiting her frequently. A thief, surprised by her alone in her apartment, accidentally shoots her but escapes. The testimony of the elevator boy and Gleason's glove on her table, point conclusively to Gleason as the murderer. Panic-stricken at the circumstantial evidence against him, Gleason flees and hard-pressed by the detectives, evades them by jumping from a fast moving freight train. Fate leads him for refuge to a barn where Jack, with a party, arrives for a barn dance. Confronting Jack, Gleason threatens to disclose his past unless he aids him. Jack, in despair, conceals him in the loft and side-tracks the detectives, but to no avail. The barn catches fire in the midst of the dance and Gleason, still concealed in the hay loft, is fatally injured. Jack risks his life and brings Gleason out alive and receives his reward in an ante-mortem statement from Gleason, clearing his name and entitling him to the fortune and to marry Edith.
- Arthur Finley is in love with Lois Barker. Her father objects, insisting that Lois shall marry Jack Dayton. Lois and Arthur agree to elope and leave a note for her father. Secretly Lois goes to meet Arthur, but seeing Jack, she hides behind some bushes at the edge of a cliff. The ground caves in and hurls her to the bottom unconscious. Arthur, after waiting a few hours, returns home, believing Lois' father prevented the elopement. Lois, found by strangers, is taken to their home. She does not recover until the next morning. The father reads his daughter's note and becomes angry. When Lois has recovered sufficiently to return home he disowns her. Jack, having faith in Lois, seeks to learn the truth. Arthur begs the father for his consent to the marriage. The father accuses him. Arthur resents. The old man strikes Arthur, but Jack's timely arrival, accompanied by the stranger who aided Lois, explains everything, and the father regrets his hasty judgment. Arthur, who has been searching for Lois, eventually finds her, and brings her back. The father gladly consents to the marriage.
- While studying music abroad, Julien Delmore meets music-hall singer Lucetta and, believing that his love is returned, marries her. The act does not surprise his friends, who call him "Mad Delmore" because of his many impulsive acts; but his wealthy, aristocratic widowed mother is displeased, and when he brings his bride home, she receives her coldly. Lucetta, in reality an adventuress, manages to introduce Carlos, a fugitive from Europe and the chief of the Black Nine Gang, as her brother, a Count. Julien, again acting under impulse, adopts Leila, a little street musician. Jacopo and Madalena, her supposed uncle and aunt, reluctantly consent for a sum of money. The plans of Lucetta and Carlos are discovered, largely due to Leila, and Julien disillusioned, orders Lucetta from his house. Julien, his mother, and Leila go abroad. Leila grows to womanhood and becomes famous in the musical and social world. Besieged by suitors, she loves Julien only. Realizing the hopelessness of their love, Julien still being the husband of Lucetta, she obeys the dictates of conscience and determines to leave home secretly. On the eve of her departure she receives a note from Madalena, bidding her come to her before she dies. Upon entering Jacopo's house, Leila finds herself a prisoner. Jacopo has read in a newspaper that the Marquis di Rubini, whose daughter was stolen by a steward of her household years before, has obtained clews leading to America and offers a reward for information. Jacopo is in fact the Stewart and Leila the kidnapped child. Meanwhile, the Black Nine, disbanded for a time, have assumed activities. Battisti, the hunchback artisan and bomb maker, mocked for his deformity and the butt of the gang's practical jokes, burns to punish his tormentors. Carlos long cherishing his anger against Julien, lures him to the gang's headquarters. Leila, imprisoned, sees Julien's capture. By Carlo's order, Julien is flung through a trap door into a rushing sluiceway. Battista betrays the gang to the police, but returns to the gang to avoid suspicion. One of the gang reports Battista's treachery. Battista denounced by the gang threatens them with a bomb. Carlos draws a revolver. Battista throws the bomb and wrecks the house. Carlos and Lucetta are killed and Jacopo fatally injured. Leila escapes and helps the police to find and rescue Julien. Jacopo confesses and sends a note to the Marquise, which brings about the reunion of mother and daughter. The future happiness of Julien and Leila is assured.
- Mary Benson lives with her grandfather, a miserly old man, who compels her to bring home her wages to him. He is taken ill at her work and returns home only to be accused by her grandfather of feigning illness, and is ordered from the house. Mary leaves and faints at the entrance of the Landers home and is assisted into the house by Jack Landers, who persuades his father to allow her to remain with them until she recovers. Jack's father disapproves of the growing attachment between Jack and Mary, as he wishes Jack to marry an heiress. Overhearing Jack and his father discussing this topic, Mary leaves rather than have Jack oppose his father's wishes. Mary learns of the sudden illness of the old miser and rushes home, only to be followed by Jack. Jack's father, now thoroughly aroused, follows his son to the miser's home, determined to put a stop to the affair. The old miser, in his delirium, sees his gold turn to dross and on regaining his senses, appreciates the nothingness of gold and the allness of love, and when Jack's father arrives and intimates that the miser's granddaughter is unacceptable because of poverty, the miser discloses that his granddaughter is in reality a very rich girl. Jack and Mary are married.