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Abandoned by her maidservant in an isolated country house, a mother must protect herself and her baby from an invading tramp while her husband races home in a stolen car to save them.

Isaac and his faithful wife Rachel deplore that in America their children are forced to work on the Jewish Sabbath. Leah and Sam are not so strict as their parents and the old customs pall about their more American spirits. Sam is employed in a cloak house and secretly loves his employer's daughter, but she refuses to recognize him. Leah is loved by the handsome gentile floorwalker, and despite her father's objections, she marries him. Isaac orders Leah from the house. Later, the daughter of the cloak manufacturer marries an admirer and Sam is invited to the wedding. He drinks and disgraces himself; returning home, is turned out by the heartbroken rabbi. He leaves, telling the old man that he will return when the father celebrates the Christian Christmas. Two years pass. Leah presents herself at her father's door with a baby in her arms. The old Jew refuses to see, but the mother longs to take the girl to her bosom. Julian falls under a street car; his legs are severed at the knees. Leah visits him at the hospital and is grief-stricken. Ten years later the rabbi and his wife are in poor circumstances, though he is as rigid as ever. Leah and Julian have adopted flower-making as a means of livelihood. Without knowing, the family have taken rooms above those of the rabbi. One afternoon their little girl meets the old man in the yard and assists him. An attachment springs up between the child and the old man, and the latter is impressed many times by instances of the kindness of the gentiles towards the Jews in this country. It is this child, on a Christmas night, that finally brings about reconciliation between the girl and the old father.

When but a boy he had turned his eager eyes to the wonderland westward. So with a great resolve, but little money and much advice, he bade fond good-byes to the village-folks and left his Germany, to sail across the old seas. Year after year glided by. Year after year the old villagers continued to forget the departed Hans. One day, some nine years after he had first arrived in the fairy realms, the thought anew the desire to return to the home land. To Germany he went. To the old hut of his old parents he came. It was a balmy day. Soon Hans hit upon a joke; if his parents did not recognize him he would ask for lodging as a stranger and when the fun had lived several days he would disclose his real identity. He was taken into the parents' house, the Stranger that was their son. To impress them, he took every opportunity that presented itself, and made others, to make his wealth apparent to his frugal elders, and he achieved his purpose in too great a degree. The money that was intended to awe his parents hypnotized them. In all the days of their lives they had not had the gold which each day the stranger carelessly cast away. The yellow lure entered their hearts and the crimson thoughts came to their minds and the murder of covetousness owned their hands. In detail to describe the power that stayed the murderous hand requires more than the line or two we have remaining. Suffice it to say that the secret became known to his parents, and that Hans lived, and loved, in Germany.

William Ralston, a rich unscrupulous contractor, has in his employ a young foreman by the name of Watson, whose wife, Edith, is a beautiful woman. For years Ralston has been given to wrecking homes, but his advances to Watson's wife have all been repulsed. Fearing that her husband might lose his position, Edith has told him nothing about the advances made to her by Ralston. Reassured by her silence in this respect, Ralston takes advantage of her husband's absence on business and with the help of Ned Murray, a political boss, frames up a criminal charge of stealing the firm's money against the husband, so as to railroad him to prison. This would enable him to win over the wife at his leisure. Watson is arrested and Murray is told by Ralston to fix the jury, so as to make sure of a conviction. Owing to the watchfulness of the "Reformers," none of Murray's trusted "heelers" will take a chance of tampering with the jury. Murray, at his wit's end, picks up a derelict, Jim Hunter, who, in spite of his appearance, strikes him as the man to carry out the dastardly scheme. Hunter agrees to do the dirty work for a sum of money. The day of Watson's trial arrives. The derelict is drawn on the jury, thanks to the betrayal of public trust by the clerk of the court, who is Murray's henchman. Hunter is told to convict Watson. and to influence the jury. He is number "7" of the jury. The government's case against Watson is so strong as to leave no doubts in the minds of the spectators as to the final verdict. Juror number "7" is listless all through the trial until Ralston is called to the stand. In Ralston he recognizes the wrecker of his former home, the betrayer of his wife. His mind is made up. The excitement makes him tremble like a leaf. Murray, who is sitting among the spectators, attributes it all to lack of "dope" and manages by the aid of a court attendant, another henchman, to get a package to Juror No. 7, who recognizes it as "dope." The jury is charged by the court. When they enter the jury room, Hunter, unobserved, takes the "dope" from the package. The jurors' minds are made up to convict the prisoner. The dope brings temporary strength to the derelict. He rises from his seat and asks the jurors to listen to him before they vote. They consent and in a faltering voice he narrates to them his story. The narration of the story saps his strength. He falls exhausted in the chair. The derelict, for a final appeal, staggers to his feet and implores his fellow jurymen to remember his wrecked life and save this innocent man from prison. Each of the jurors votes "not guilty." The jurymen file back into the courtroom. The judge asks for their verdict. The foreman answers "not guilty." Watson and his faithful wife embrace. The foreman demands the court to arrest Balaton and Murray. Great excitement ensues. The derelict's head drops on his breast. The foreman, fearing the worst, lifts up his head and discovers that juror number "7" is dead.

Betty and Molly, sisters, are employed at the railroad station as waitresses. Molly has been married by her step-father to a brutal drunkard, Steve Moran, while the mother of the two girls is married to Dan Morgan, who is also a slave to drink. A theatrical troupe visits the eating house and Betty meets Burton Howard, a theater magnate. He is taken with her appearance, and giving her his card, invites her to visit him should she ever find herself on Broadway, in New York. Martin Dane, who has just arrived in town to take a job as foreman at the Morrison Steel Works, admires Betty. He saves the girl's stepfather from a drunken brawl and is invited to call that evening. Betty, anticipating another marriage such as her sister's, does not encourage Dane. Molly's husband dies in a drunken stupor, and she, seeing that her sister is about to be forced into conditions like those under which she suffered, plans to use the money she had received from her husband's insurance policy to free her sister. Betty is thus enabled to run away just before she is to be married to Dane. She goes to New York, where she calls on Burton Howard, who finally recognizes her and gives her a minor position in one of his companies. He enables her to rise in her new profession, but Betty soon finds that his interest has strings to it. Meanwhile the brutal husband of Mrs. Morgan has also died, and Martin Dane has taken the poor woman to keep house for him in the cottage he had furnished in anticipation of his marriage to Betty. Molly shows him the letter she has received from Betty, realizing at last Martin's true worth and the mistake she and her sister have made in thinking otherwise. Dane visits the city and locates Hetty's boarding house. Betty has been endeavoring to stave off Howard's advances with the excuse of not having fitting gowns to accompany him to cafés. He has bought her a fine gown and now insists that she spend the evening with him. Dane gains admittance to Betty's room before she arrives home and conceals himself. When she arrives home she is surprised when confronted by the man she promised to marry and later deserted. She at first refuses to return with Dane as his wife, repelled by the sordidness she imagines will follow. Howard calls in his taxi to take her out. He is admitted to Betty's room and the two men come face to face.

A little boy of great courage and a born fighter, who loves his mother with an intensity that amounts to a veritable passion, has all the resources of his mind and heart called into activity when his mother is brought face to face with death. There is a soul of a man in the little major, but it has only been shown when he puts an awkward squad composed of his two sisters through a military drill or devises an imitation of the Indian-Cowboy play. The moment, however, that real danger threatens, he meets it with greater skill and fortitude than any of the grown-ups. Father, nurse and physicians form a small army of defense against the ruthless invader, Death, when he threatens to take the light of the home, but the mother sinks into the depths. Major, having uttered his evening prayer, is put to bed, but while the other children sleep, he is restless. He wakes from a dream, a tiny tot in pajamas, and walks to the lattice window of the nursery where the moonlight streams in. He begs for aid from on high, first in childish invocation then in prayer. Light comes streaming on his face and into his mind. He steals softly through the house, past the watching husband and physicians and makes a tender appeal to his unconscious mother. He calls and calls, never weary, never losing faith, until his loved voice reaches the fluttering soul and brings it back from its wandering. It is a triumph of pure love, but when he has triumphed, the little major takes all the credit and repels the watchers.

Doris Lowrey, a famous novelist, in order to get material for her new novel - "Sally Scraggs, Housemaid," leaves her home of luxury and, impersonating a housemaid, seeks and secures a position as such in a typical boarding house. Her desire to discover "characters" meets with instant success. Part of her arduous duties is to wait on table, where congregate a varied assortment of boarders. Possessing a pretty face and an attractive personality, she is made the recipient of bold advances on the part of a young clerk. Frank Norcross, a poor, struggling author, gallantly protects her. Doris is astonished to discover while cleaning Frank's room, that he, too, is a novelist. His finished novel is submitted to one of the foremost publishing houses. And then comes a letter not only telling of acceptances but advancing royalties. Norcross is in a predicament on account of his shoes being worn beyond repair, and it is Doris who prevails upon him to accept as a loan one of her rings which is to be pawned for sufficient money to purchase a new pair. Elated with his unlooked for success, Norcross forgets for the moment the apparently poor girl who has been so much to him. The months slip by and Norcross is being dined and feted by the elite, while the girl, hurt by his neglect, throws aside her desire to further seek characters , and returns home where she finishes her novel, which strange to say, meets with equal success. Norcross is going over his papers, discovers a valentine that the housemaid had given him, inside also being the long forgotten pawn ticket. His neglect and ingratitude cause to burst into flame the tender sentiment of his struggling days. He searches days and days to discover her whereabouts. His "Personal" is seen in the paper by "the Girl" wherein he asks that she communicate with him. She phones him and makes an appointment. Norcross keeps the appointment and meets her, she having hunted up the old dress to make him think she occupies the same position as when he knew her. He shows his sincerity of purpose, as he returns the ring and asks for her hand. She pretend anger and dismisses him. She, meanwhile, discards the old dress, and gowned in stylish garments, hastens to his home. Her card is given to the valet, however, and sees him tear the card and refuse to see her. The valet is enjoined to remain silent: then "Sally Scraggs" steals up to Norcross, silently slips into his view the title page of her own book, and stands waiting. Dazed momentarily by the revelation of her true identity and the realization that she has come in answer to his most sincere desire, he staggers to his feet. And the time of lingering doubt ends.

Violet went to bed with her kittens and animal toys, and played with them so long that when she finally fell asleep she dreamt she was a jungle maid with animals for comrades. Some of them were friendly, but some were decidedly otherwise, and Violet had a narrow escape from a hungry tiger. An ostrich gives her a ride and one of his feathers for a souvenir, a bear visits her hut and tries to steal her doll, a lion scares her, and a baby elephant is a welcome playmate. She has a terrible adventure with a monkey, who pelts her with cocoanuts, but a Hottentot man saves her from the monkey and brings her presents of fruit to eat. Violet is quite sorry when she wakes and finds it all a dream.

Pretty Ann, and Joe, the hostler, one day chance to meet. Strong is Joe, and simple, and Ann is shy and sweet. As man and maid have done before, they love, and marry, too. And live happy ever after? Ah, this tale is new to you! Yes, the tale is drear, prosaic; and so poetry won't do. A baby boy comes to bless the union. Joe is working in the stables when they tell him of his joy: his heart is gay and happy, and he tells the horses so. Then, it might be the angels were jealous of such mortal happiness; it might be the devil, seeing the stage so set, entered to play the leading role. The tempter comes to the woman. He is a gentleman, suave, polished, charming, a man of manners; and Ann, knowing not the manners of men, hears and heeds and falls as the angels fall from heaven, another Eve heeding the serpent's call, facing a morn of desired delight, and the twilight of despair. One night Joe comes home with a happy cry of "Wife!" But the only answer is the whisper of desolation, the ghostly voice of ghastly vice! He reads the note she left him, and, Joe don't know much about God, excepting what he feels, don't know much about anything but bosses, but he asks the Lord to pardon and protect the weak woman he loved. Like a frail blossom lacking sunshine, the motherless baby droops and dies. Joe goes his way, making no complaint, 'ceptin' what he tells his bosses, 'ceptin' what he tells his God! Far away in mighty London, the woman rises into fame. Through her lover's influence and wealth, she becomes a noted actress. Her beauty wins men's homage, and she prospers in her shame. Then the day of reckoning! Time plays no favorites: the immutable law of the years takes its course; youth flies, her beauty vanishes, her charm withers: and the pretty toy, grown useless, is flung aside, as of old. The wedded morn and roses, and the widowed night, and mourning; light and life today; dark and death tomorrow; the errand of folly, and the wage of sin, from Adam to eternity! In a far-off country town, youth and strength gone, his soul seared by the sad sorrow of woman's sin, Joe reads in a newspaper how a once-famous actress, alone and in poverty, is dying. The fickle world has forgotten her fame: the fickle worshipers of wanton beauty have forgotten her very name. But Joe has forgotten only her sin and shame; only Joe remembers; only Joe is true. He comes to her and tells her he forgives her, tells her he loves her for what might have been, for the soul he would meet again in the Far Away, in the Beyond, across the vale. Held in his arms, the eyes that had seen sin look into the cleansing tears in his, and close in death! On the stone over her grave Joe wrote one word, the honored name of "Wife." A blossom we fain would pluck today from the flowers above her dust; a blossom as pure as love that lasts, a blossom sweet as the peace and purity we hope Ann found in the Distant Land.

Harry Briggs, of the Briggs Warehouse Company, is informed by his representative in Chihuahua City, Mexico, that his interests in the Southern republic are threatened by the insurrectos. He talks the matter over with his wife and decides that he will go to Mexico. His broker notifies him that his margin on this stock is almost wiped out and that $2,000 is needed. Briggs borrows this amount on his $10,000 life insurance policy. Briggs goes to his office before taking the train. A tramp has broken into the office and when Briggs arrives he hides. Briggs concludes his business and departs, leaving a lighted cigar behind. A fire is started. The tramp is burned to death. Arriving in Chihuahua, Briggs' mission is misunderstood and he is thrown into prison as a spy. In the meantime the charred body of the tramp is found in the ruins of Briggs' office. Mrs. Briggs testifies that her husband was at the office at the time of the fire and the body is identified as that of Briggs. The life insurance is paid over to the supposed widow. She invests the money. Finally Briggs escapes from the Mexican prison and returns to find himself supposedly dead and his affairs in prosperous condition.

William Hartridge calls on his friend Jack Storm, and finds him proceeding to get drunk. Storm tells the story of how he loved the girl and won her love; how their troth was plighted; how her father went down in the crash in Wall Street; how a wealthy broker, in love with the girl, alone could save him. The father went to the girl, and told her she alone could save the family honor by marrying the broker. She promised her father that she would carry out his wish and marry the broker. Hartridge heard the story and told him to come to the club and forget his grief. He did so but with no success. He left the club. A few hours later his friends learned that the broker had been killed and that Storm had been found bending over his dead body with a revolver in his hand. He had walked to the girl's house, and had stood on the other side of the street looking across at the windows. He had heard a shot, had run toward the man who fell, saw it was the broker and the assassin escaping, he lifted up the body, picked up the revolver and had thus been found by the police. Everything pointed to his guilt. He was tried and condemned. Just as the judge was about to read the sentence, a letter is handed to him. "He stole my wife and I followed him, found him, shot him. My task is done, and I am through with the world." By a greater jury than the twelve who judged only as weak man can judge, Jack Storm is acquitted.

All over the world there is nightfall, but never the fall of a night like this. Many times since knighthood was in flower, and even after it withered, many arrant and erring knights have fallen from the pedestal whereon they fain would climb down to the dust of earth, dust which they have bitten. Her parents desire her to marry a nobleman, but she and a certain be do not agree with the old folks' ultimatum. The father inserts an advertisement in the newspapers inviting noblemen to call at his house for matrimonial and monetary purposes. An impecunious waiter reads the ad and at once determines to enter the lists in the role of a nobleman. He writes that he will call, and the two young people forthwith arrange for his call. The "he" gets the butler to permit him to don his clothes and assume his stoic position in life; the "she" engages Biddy, the cook, to impersonate herself, the heiress. The Count makes his entrance and is entranced by the elevated Biddy. Things go well, when Biddy's lover, the traditional policeman, passing the window, sees the love scene and makes a hasty and formidable appearance. After a strenuous little while the Count finds himself on the cold, unsympathetic pavement, where, a little later, the girl's parents, returning home, find him. With profuse apologies they escort him back to the house, where suddenly the girl's lover recognizes him as a waiter at a favorite restaurant. That settles it. For the second time, and with worse results, through the window we see a "knight-fall."

The Prince John of Bavaria, leaves his native land for America, accompanied by his valet. Just a short distance beyond Sandy Hook where the American papers are taken aboard, the Prince learns that Mrs. Asterholt has designs upon him for her daughter Gay. In the spirit of fun, the Prince decides to fool the Dowager and changes clothes and position with his protesting valet. The substitution is not discovered by Mrs. Asterholt as she has never met her distinguished guest and her uncle, the Minister to Bavaria, arranged for his visit to this country. Mrs. Carson is the wife of the president of a great railway. His daughter Caroline Carson, is a spirited, true-blooded American, but her mother, who is socially ambitious, has already made up her mind that Caroline shall marry the Prince at all hazards. The father, Peter Carson, is a stoical, staid type of man who believes that a woman should choose her own mate, and is naturally not in harmony with his wife. Mrs. Carson succeeds in obtaining an invitation to the grand ball given by Mrs. Asterholt where the bogus Prince is presented and she immediately makes advances in behalf of her daughter. The valet, who is the real Prince, sees Caroline at the ball and when the bogus Prince receives an invitation to visit the Carsons, his master forces him to accept it. They arrive at the Carson home where the valet is received with great pomp and gusto, whereas his valet, who is the true Prince, wanders to the seashore for recreation. While there he saves Caroline's life, but her gratitude is cut short by the mother, to whom a valet appears as merely a piece of useful furniture. The father, however, is gracious toward the valet and thanks him for his heroism. A great fuss is made over the pretender by everyone excepting Caroline, who has fallen in love with the supposed valet. Finally at Prince John's command, the pretender is forced to propose to the girl as a final test. She flatly refuses him, much to his great relief. He goes off leaving the weeping Caroline in John's arms. A cablegram arrives at Mrs. Asterholt's for the Prince. She, in order to successfully combat Mrs. Carson, determines to deliver it in person. The valet pretender takes one look at the telegram and drops his pose. Leaving the astounded ladies, he runs to the garden, where he bows before his Lordship and presents him with the telegram, which is a message that Prince John is to return to Bavaria as war is eminent. Naturally, the real Prince is forced to announce himself and Carson smilingly shows his guests a postcard which shows the real Prince in uniform with titles and position inscribed beneath. Mrs. Asterholt collapses; Mrs. Carson is triumphant, and the Prince takes the girl in his arms who is brave enough to love where her heart led her.

The story of a two jewel thieves whose lives intersect during the course of their crimes.

Lisa, a popular actress, is in the power of the Grand Duke. There is a young man in the war office desperately in love with her and she is also infatuated with him. The Grand Duke orders her to procure some papers for him from young Whitley and she hesitatingly is forced to obey. Whitley arrives and she notices some papers in his coat pocket. Thinking these are the required documents, she proceeds to drug young Whitley. The Grand Duke, being in the next room, there is no way out. But Whitley sees her drug the wine, and instead of drinking it, pours it out and feigns to be in a stupor. When 6he starts to take the papers her love for the man overcomes her fear for the duke, and she locks the door to the room where the duke is and tries to waken Whitley. But the duke breaks down the door. There ensues a terrific struggle, which ends in the overthrow of the duke. Whitley then says that he is John Standing of the secret service, on detail to find out who it is that wants to steal the plans. Standing then tells Lisa that she is his prisoner. She offers to be led away, but he tells her that if she is willing he will be her jailer for life.

A magic spell has turned a handsome prince into a hideous and repulsive beast, and only the love of a beautiful woman can change him back. ]

Carl Brauer, a blind musician, has a daughter who is a nurse at the city hospital. She and the house physician, Dr. Harvey, are interested in each other. Frank Hoag, a wealthy but unfeeling husband, brings his wife to the hospital to be operated upon, and soon after leaves to keep an engagement with an adventuress. On the way out he happens to pass Miss Brauer in the corridor and attempts to flirt with her. On his next visit before the operation, he finds Miss Brauer taking his wife's temperature. The latter introduces them. Hoag, in order to make a hit with the nurse, shows great solicitation for his wife. In the meantime a famous specialist, who happens to be in the city, brings a wealthy blind patient to the hospital to be operated upon. The operation proves successful. Mrs. Hoag, however, dies. Hoag pretends deep sorrow. The nurse is very sympathetic. Later the husband's true character is revealed by showing him drinking at the club and dining with different women. By chance he happens to see Miss Brauer go into a surgical supply house and decides to wait for her. She has called for a hypodermic needle which she left to be repaired. The druggist demonstrates that the needle is in working condition and she requests him to fill it as she desired to use it on a patient who is suffering intense pain. He does so. She exits, meets Hoag, who asks to accompany her home. She agrees. Meanwhile the blind father of the girl has gone out for tobacco and falls into a trench. The ambulance is called. Dr. Harvey responds. By this time Hoag and Miss Brauer have reached home. She invites him in and calls for "daddy." Hoag thinks she is bluffing about "daddy," and makes advances. When he roughly forces her back she reaches for the needle on the table and thrusts it into his arm. He backs away and laughs. Dr. Harvey arrives and finds old Brauer not seriously hurt. The latter insists on going home. Dr. Harvey walks with him. Just before they enter Hoag begins to feel the effects of the needle, grabs the nurse who is trying to get to the door, is overcome and collapses. Dr. Harvey enters with her father. Doctor Harvey sees the body on the floor and picks up the needle. They explain to each other in pantomime orders not to alarm Brauer. Hoag is removed to the hospital. When he comes to at the hospital Dr. Harvey stands over him, gives him a tongue lashing and tells him to get out before he is arrested. Mr. Thompson, the wealthy gentleman who was successfully operated upon for his eyes, calls at the hospital and makes out a substantial check to Dr. Harvey, his assistant and the nurse who attended him. The nurse sees this from a distance. She asks Dr. Harvey to interest the specialist in her father's case. The specialist advises Dr. Harvey how to handle the case. The operation is successfully performed. Dr. Harvey calls to take Miss Brauer out one evening. They are seen in a café together by Hoag, whose interest in the girl is reawakened. The next afternoon while drunk he decides to visit Miss Brauer. In the meantime Dr. Harvey and Miss Brauer have an afternoon off. She is home expecting the doctor to take her for a spin in his car. The blind father goes to take a nap and Hoag forces his way in. The old gentleman hears sounds of a struggle. Old Brauer goes to a bureau and gets a revolver but realizes that without his sight it is hopeless for him to try to help his daughter. The old man knows it is too soon to remove the bandages, but prays for momentary sight in order to protect his daughter's honor. He tears the bandages off and sees dimly. He shoots Hoag through the curtains and rushes to his daughter's grateful arms. Dr. Harvey hears the shot outside and runs in. "God blessed me with providential sight to protect my daughter's honor, let the darkness come," the old man explains. He goes hopelessly blind again. Dr. Harvey cares for them both.

Julian is a clubman and fond of cards. His wife, about to become a mother, is making baby clothes. Julian tells her he is off to the club for a few hours. She begs him to remain at home as she feels nervous; Julian refuses to listen and goes. Several times during the game, he becomes preoccupied by thoughts of his wife at home; meanwhile, the wife calls excitedly for the maid. Back at the club, the hour is midnight and the players are leaving. Julian, a bit tired and worse for liquor, falls asleep with his head on the table. Outside his wife's window a ruffian prowls. The wife is in bed. She hears a noise near the window. A coarse, evil face is pressed against the windowpane. The wife shrieks and falls back on the bed, apparently lifeless. Julian awakens with the vision of his wife's terrified face before him and hurries home. He is met by the maid and the doctor, who inform him that his wife is dead. The shock affects his mind and later he is seen seated in the garden with an attendant; he has picked a little baby frock to shreds. A vision of his wife appears, beckoning him. He follows; she leads him through the woods, out to a precipice. He steps out. At the club Julian falls from his chair, he has had a bad nightmare. On arrival home he is met by the doctor and nurses. The doctor whispers in his ear. Julian walks on tiptoe to his wife's bedside. His wife is lying quietly with a newborn baby beside her. Julian falls on his knees and asks forgiveness.

The daughter of a wealthy broker aspires to marry a titled man, just a title. Deep in her heart, however, she loves Allen, but rejects his proposal, with the hope of ultimately hooking a nobleman. At about this time a good-hearted country boob arrives in the city with his family, and is given the position of janitor in the broker's office. To bring his daughter to her senses the broker hires the boob to impersonate a titled personage. Forthwith the boob is turned over to a masseur. The broker presents him to his daughter as the Earl of Distilfink. After a half hour's association with the boob, the daughter is forever cured of her hankering for nobility and the important question before her is, "How shall I get rid of him?" However, this riddle is solved by Allen, her true love. He brings the boob's wife and children to the broker's house. The wife no sooner sees the boob than she takes him by the ear, exposes him to the girl and leads him home. The broker's daughter cannot wait to accept the proposal of Allen, having concluded that just a plain American citizen is good enough for her.

Gerald leaves England to seek his fortune in America and falls in love with Marja.Claude his older brother marks her for his own and they marry before he goes back to England.So when Gerald proposes she is already married.Since Claude is gone nothing is heard of him and because of this, Marja throws herself from a cliff, a cripple for live.Gerlad receives a letter announcing the death of Claude.Marja finds the letter and realizes how much Gerald did love her.

The boob has ambitions; he imagines that if he can become a detective, he can win the admiration of his Margarita. Among the guests at Van Zant's party is Count Alberti, and his sister. Van Zant is Margarita's father. Van Zant places the count and his daughter together as much as possible, with the hope of making an alliance with nobility. Mr. Count proceeds to steal the girl's necklace. Carrying it to his room he places it in a vase in which he has poured glue. Guests discover the loss, the party is convulsed and Margarita telephones for the famous detective, Long, who arrives the following day. The Boob, who has repeatedly tried to get a glimpse of his dream girl, meets Detective Long on the street. Long has broken down. The Boob is asked to take care of his grip. Learning who Long is, the Boob gets him to a barn, locks him in and dons the detective's clothes and goes to the house, where he sets to work, posing as the real detective. While he is nosing around he observes the count in some shady work, and failing to get a satisfactory explanation, he searches the count's room. By accident, he knocks over the vase and finds the necklace. The count escapes, but the girl is satisfied and after Long has returned to the city in a dudgeon, the Boob has tea with Margarita and receives her approbation.

Mrs. Van Jessalyn-Smythe and her daughter are annoyed at the prospect unfolded by the receipt of a letter from her married sister, saying that her daughter Jennie has married Bill Simpkins, because they are expecting a distinguished visitor, Lord Brighton, on whom the daughter intends to impose all her feminine charms. However, the boob and his bride arrive. The following evening there is to be a ball in honor of Lord Brighton. The hostess sends a complete set of full evening dress to their apartment. The boob and his bride manage to get into the clothes, but in each case, the shoes are too small. They limp into the ballroom. Mrs. Smythe is disgusted with the boob's awkwardness. When the tight shoes become unbearable, the bride goes into the conservatory, and attempts to take them off. She is seen by Lord Brighton, who immediately runs to her assistance. While he is tugging at her shoe, the boob happens upon the scene. "How dare you make love to my wife," the boob roars, and chases him through the ballroom. He follows the aristocrat until he is well down the driveway, and then returns to relate the joke to his wife. The boob and his wife decide that fine clothes are not for them, and they return back to Spoonville on the first train.

She was just a little stenographer, and the son of her employer took a liking to her. At her home he met her sister. Let's call them Marion and Ethel. Marion was a better prize than the other, but the wealthy boy was a kid, and the life about him had been so superficial and artificial that he saw only what lay on the surface, and on the surface the other was more desirable. Both women loved him, you know, and one was due to make the sacrifice. That one, you've guessed it, was Marion. Remember our telling you they were poor girls? Well Marion wanted her sister to dress as became the sweetheart of a wealthy man. There is no doubt in our minds that she would have chosen an honest way of obtaining the money if it was presented to her, but it wasn't, so the devil won. She took the money from the safe. The girl looked beautiful in the fine clothes, and in the other's joy Marion forgot how they were obtained. But she was reminded. Meantime, the marriage date was set. Bad things sometimes happen the very worst time. The theft was disclosed on the very day of the wedding. She pleaded with the detective not to tell the sordid truth until after the ceremony. And for some strange reason he promised. There's an end to everything. What do you think, but it was found that the boy's father, her employer, was in love with her. Yup, we agree with you, God made a funny world!

Anna Little is a stenographer in the office of William Wharton, a broker, who also employs her old grandfather as a clerk. The grandfather has an addiction to drink. Anna is secretly engaged to Tom Mason, a young civil engineer, who is at present engaged in the building of a railroad out west. Wharton does not know of this engagement, and one day he finds the old grandfather stealing money from his desk. The grandfather, thinking Wharton will send him to prison, appeals to the granddaughter to save him, and Wharton in a moment of weakness, thinking that he could make the girl love him, lets the old man think that he will send him to jail unless Anna will marry him. A vision of the poor, wrinkled old face behind the bars is too much for Anna and she consents. Wharton, after they are married, notices that his wife is distant to him, but does not press his love, as he thinks to win her with kindness and consideration. He is unsuccessful, however, and Anna constantly thinks of Tom, to whom she has returned her tiny engagement ring with a brief note, saying that the engagement is off. She is seated in the garden of her home when Wharton slips up behind her and clasps a string of pearls around her neck. She pulls them from her violently and casts them on the ground, but after Wharton leaves she gathers them up. While seated in her sitting-room, gazing at the picture of Tom in his grading camp, Wharton suddenly enters and discovers that his wife loves another and he immediately decides to give her a chance to free herself. He makes a bargain with a notorious actress to play the part with him, and a scandal about the two is soon started. Tom, in the interim, has returned to the city, successful, and is an onlooker at the trials and tribulations that confront his former sweetheart. Wharton even pretends drunkenness to shock his wife, and when she objects, he asks her why she doesn't get a divorce if she doesn't like it. Wharton, in order to fully disgust his wife, takes the actress to his own home and announces to his horror-stricken wife that the girl has come to visit them. The shock of the visit is too much for Anna, and she succumbs to the nervous breakdown. The housekeeper calls at the club in order to find the husband, but no one is there except Tom, who, after searching for Wharton, goes to the Wharton home. He sits up all night with his former sweetheart and keeps her delirium down. Wharton returns the next day, but as soon as he enters his wife's presence she raves again. In a while her health improves and Wharton decides to go away forever, so he leaves a note telling her the truth about his actions and that she may be happy with the man she loves. She awakens and finds the note, but in the interim the old grandfather, who has drunk himself to semi-consciousness, sets fire to his room. Wharton, who has just left the house, returns, rescues the old man and also carries his wife into the garden. She tugs feebly at a string around her neck and suspended thereto, in a little bag. is a string of broken pearls. Wharton then realizes that his wife loves him and him alone, and he takes her to his arms, while Tom, renouncing his hope, steals away.

Frank Marston is known to the world as a successful man. His daughter Helen is engaged to Tom Farrell, a young business man. One night the young couple go to a gay party at the studio of a famous artist. Helen and her father started a game of chess while waiting for Tom and the old man goes back to the library after seeing the young folks leave. As he sits in the flickering firelight toying absently with the chess pieces in front of him, memory takes a hand and moves the pieces into strange relationship. The white queen and her knight face the black knight. As he watches the three pieces slowly change into the figures of himself, as a young man. Standing in place of the black knight and in place of the white pieces, come the forms of his old pal, Marc Bailey, and the latter's pretty Mexican sweetheart, Anita, of the years of long ago. Slowly the chessboard fades away and the scenes from the past come up before him. Marc Bailey, living in the little Mexican town of Cocholento, located a good prospect the same day that he received a telegram from his old pal, Frank Marston, that the latter had been granted a zone by the Mexican government. (A zone is a sixty-day mining option on any large tract of land, giving the holder the sole right to file on any portion of that land during that period, even when other parties have located prospects in the district.) Anita forgets Bailey's faithful love for the handsome Marston and he pretends to care for her. They dally in the southern moonlight, unsuspected by Bailey. Trusting his friend as himself, Marc shows Marston the prospect. But the streak of greed in Marston overcomes his scruples and all the friendship of years. He alone has the right to file on the land, and unknown to Bailey, he does so. But Bailey discovers the fact and accuses Marston. The latter offers to pay him for the prospect but outraged friendship rebels at this insult, and Bailey pulls his gun to shoot Marston. Anita watched the scene afraid. Thinking to stop Bailey, she throws herself in front of Marston. Too late. The bullet drives its way into her fickle heart. Bailey is overcome, for his love for the girl is greater than his hatred of Marston. He rushes to her side, throwing his gun away as he goes. She turns away from him and calls for Marston, but the latter, afraid of Bailey's vengeance, has fled. The scene fades back to the library again. On the chessboard the black knight has disappeared and the white queen is prostrate. Marston agitated by memories, pours himself a drink. He is taking it when a face appears at the window, a face distorted with hate. The face is that of Bailey. Bailey, the failure, who has drifted lower and lower, until at last he has joined a band of crooks for the robbery of Marston's house. When Bailey recognizes Marston all the old enmity is aroused. He enters the library, gun in hand. Marston, the animal hate overcoming him, throws away his gun. He must kill this man with his bare hands. Grimly and silently the two gray-haired men struggle, Bailey's hands at Marston's throat. Meanwhile in the gay studio the grim messenger of death has been a guest. Pretty Helen, reveling with the others, goes up the stairs with her fiancé to the long gallery for refreshments. Drinking to her host, she stumbles back against the weakened balustrade. It gives way and the girl is hurled to the floor below. The guests and her horrified fiancé hurry down to her, but the little life is broken. Heartbroken, they take her body back to Marston's house. As they carry her into the library, Hailey is tightening his grip on Marston's throat. The men stagger apart. With a wild shriek Marston stumbles to the girl's side. Bailey stands for a moment watching the scene. He sees that the girl is dead. His vengeance is complete, for life will be worse than death now to the man who so wronged him in that long ago past. Bailey goes out again into the snow, a failure, leaving Marston, the success, sobbing his heart away in the beautiful library.