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- At a tramcar in Copenhagen the piano teacher Magda Vang meets the young man Knud Svane, who falls in love with her. She is invited to spend the summer with him and his parents at the vicarage in Gjerslev. Outside the vicarage a circus troupe passes by, and Magda is saluted by the performer Rudolph Stern. In the night Rudolph climbs a ladder to Magda's bedroom. She tries to flee his advances, but after a hot kiss she surrenders, and runs away with him. Magda is hired as a dancer with Rudolph at the Empire Varieté. When Rudolph fondles a ballet dancer Magda gets furious, and starts a fight in front of the audience. Magda and Rudolph are fired. To earn some money Rudolph forces Magda to play the piano in a band at a garden restaurant. Knud turns up and recognizes her. Incognito he asks her for a private meeting. Magda thinks she is asked to sell her body and refuses, but Rudolph forces her to go. When Rudloph after a while interrupts and finds Magda with Knud, he gets furious and starts to beat her. During the turmoil she grabs a knife and stabs Rudolph in his chest. In her despair she clings to his dead body, and has to be taken away by force.
- Tom Owen and Mae Darcy have a very quiet wedding, wishing to avoid all notoriety for the present and intending to surprise their friends by the announcement later on. But their friends "got wise" somehow and when the young couple finally arrive at the railroad station, they find a crowd there ahead of them and they are duly dealt with according to the latest rules laid down for the accelerated departure of bride and groom. A year slips by and we find Tom wrapped up in business pursuits and careless of manner towards Mae. And Mae quietly grieves over his neglect. Then a former sweetheart of Tom's, Belle Stuart, sends them an invitation to a ball, where Belle proceeds to monopolize Tom to the utter disregard of poor Mae. Left all alone she sits and broods over her misfortune, and then she meets the famous poet, Claude Jones, who entertains her most pleasantly with his talk and his ability as a dancer. Tom finally thinks of his wife and goes to where he left her, but she has gone. He at last discovers her in the conservatory in conversation with the poet. It is his turn to feel jealous and he does so and going rudely over to the couple he informs Mae that they must go home at once. Before they go, however, she invites Claude to call upon them. Soon Claude accepts her invitation and calls, finding her alone. In the midst of their tete-a-tete, Tom arrives at home and orders Claude to vacate the premises at once. Tom and Mae have their first quarrel, and it is a good one. Tom then decides to keep close watch upon her and rigs up a bell so that it will ring in his den every time the door opens. Well, it works all right, only he is kept busy rushing into the room merely to meet the maid or the postman or somebody other than Claude. He then gives up and after another interview with his wife, he secretly writes Claude a letter, informing him that as he loves Mae and Mae loves him, that he, Tom, will surrender all further claim upon her. When Claude arrives he is received most cordially by Tom, who proceeds to pour out his blessings upon the pair and leaves the room. Mae is completely mystified, until Claude shows her the letter and proceeds to press his suit. She, taken entirely unawares, begs for time to think it all over and he goes out to purchase her some flowers. Tom, seeing him leave, telephones Belle Stuart and makes an appointment with her. Mae overhears him at the 'phone and breaks down completely, weeping as if her heart would break. Then Tom leaves the house. Claude, shortly after this returns and attempts to present Mae with the flowers, but she has had enough of him already, and, ordering him from the house, throws his bouquet after him. Tom's conscience will not permit him to keep his appointment with Belle and after wandering aimlessly about his club, he returns home to find his little wife curled up in his den, hugging his dressing gown, trying to forget her troubles in slumber, Tom's heart is touched, his old love is reawakened and taking her in his arms, she opens her eyes and twining her arms about him, they forget all their former doubts and troubles in their present happiness.
- With aid from her police-officer sweetheart, a woman endeavors to uncover the prostitution ring that has kidnapped her sister and the philanthropist who secretly runs it.
- Back from a crusade, the hero of Sir Walter Scott's novel fights for courtly love and Saxon honor.
- Dr. Henry Jekyll experiments with scientific means of revealing the hidden, dark side of man and releases a murderer from within himself.
- Silas and Maggie reside in the country and are sweethearts. Silas comes courting, bringing his violin. Silas and Maggie marry and go to the city. The story is carried forward ten years and they have a child eight years old, Dora. Silas has become a successful business man and Maggie and he have drifted apart. At a ball at his home Silas shows a partiality for a society woman. Maggie is piqued and in a spirit of revenge allows Hamilton to pay her marked attentions. The next day Maggie becomes desperate in her loneliness and telephones Hamilton to come and take her out for an auto ride. He takes her to a roadhouse of somewhat shady repute. Silas and the society woman come to the same place and are ushered into an adjoining room. In the meantime little Dora finds her father's violin, which has been stored away for years. Silas hears Maggie's voice and she recognizes his and leaves the room, leaving Hamilton there. Silas creates a scene by breaking in the door and attacking Hamilton. Maggie hurries home and is met by Dora, who has her father's violin; they pack and go back to the farm. Silas returns home, sees the violin which has been left behind; it awakens tender memories and he hurries after his wife and child. They are reunited and once more happy.
- Jake's wife fears he has made good his suicide threat after he has caught her making love to the Dude in his own home. During the last minute preparations for Jake's funeral, the mourners are suddenly surprised to find him sitting upright in their midst.
- An actor in action that is not all acting is rather a remarkable sight, and when he loves both on the stage and off simultaneously, and when he is observed making love to the make-believe sweetheart on the stage, by the real, sure enough sweetheart who does not understand that love making in a play is only play, and very far removed from the sacred course of true devotion, there is quite a healthy complication. A young leading actor saves a youth's life, by catching him just in time to save him from what might reasonably he a fatal fall over a precipice, and to reward him the young man promises to intercede with the father of the girl who causes the actor chap sundry heart throbs and a little soul-anguish. But all good intentions do not materialize, and the young man falls in his ambassadorial mission. The summer comes on, and to fill in the time the actor decides to apply for a position in a moving picture studio. While he is making the eternal vow to a girl in the scene, he is detected by his sweetheart, and is renounced forever. In still another scene, his friend whose life he had saved discovers him tied to a tree, soon to be burned to death. He borrows a shotgun and starts to shoot everybody to save his friend from what purports to be a horrible death. After the excitement subsides, the actor explains that he is simply posing for the pictures. Things commence to go right again, as things do when they tire of going wrong. It appears that the father's refusal to consent to his daughter's marriage is based on the fact that the girl has an older and ugly sister, who is unable to secure a lover or a husband; so as a reward for having saved his life, the young man offers to marry the sister, so that the actor can marry "the sister's" sister. The wedding bells send forth a double peal, and four that are but two face this crazy old world for better or for worse, 'till death do them part.
- Episode 1: "The Last Cigarette" In the Bergenschloss the heads of Saxonia's secret service are in consultation over the fate of one of their men who has failed in his mission to a South American republic on account of the watchfulness of Yorke Norroy, a diplomatic agent and the cleverest man in the American secret service, who poses as a man of fashion. The Saxonian chiefs lay plans for his destruction. Minna Ober, whose father has been sentenced to death for murder, comes to plead for clemency. The chief offers the man a chance for his life if he will dispose of Yorke Norroy. Ober accepts. The papers have given publicity to the escape of Max Ober, and Huntley Carson, the confidant of Yorke Norroy, warns Norroy that Ober is after him. They attend the reception at the Saxonian embassy in Washington some time later and recognize Ober. Norroy is apparently absorbed in a flirtation with a stranger, who in reality is Minna Ober. Her father is counting upon her to lure Norroy to an empty house. Minna is successful. Norroy is roughly pushed into a room and falls. He rises, brushes his clothes, annoyed by the dust and Ober informs him that unless he discloses the history of his defeat of their plans he will be put to death. He insists upon Norroy's writing the story in detail. Norroy complies, but asks permission to smoke a cigarette. He takes out his case and sees in its polished surface that Ober gives directions to shoot him when he has finished writing. He lights a cigarette, and smokes it in the intervals of writing the story. Then he lays the cigarette on the table and proceeds. The cigarette explodes, and Norroy makes his escape. When the smoke has cleared away, Ober and his daughter read on the paper, "Tell your chief that Yorke Norroy sends Max Ober back to the Bergenschloss to pay the penalty."
- The young American lieutenant is deeply in love with the handsome Spanish-Filipino girl, and one day, as he is visiting her in the little bamboo cottage, their love-making is interrupted by the appearance of a corporal who bears a note that tells the young officer to report at headquarters at once, and that the next transport is to take him home. The girl cannot read but sees that his expression has changed, and asks him why. He cannot tell her, but caressing her fondly, leaves her. To headquarters he goes, and the commanding officer hands him a letter in which his father says that he has provided for his future at Washington; that he should come home at once and marry the girl to whom he is engaged. The realization of the great bearing this has on his love for the Filipino girl overwhelms him, and he sinks into a chair, dropping the letter to the floor. In this be has not been unobserved, for the girl has been peering in through the lattice, and now, stealthily, she picks up the letter. Meanwhile, the lieutenant, pacing the room, is suffering untold tortures. Thrice he resolves to leave and thrice be resolves to stay. Finally, as the time for departure draws near, he follows the call of his love and cables home that he will come, but with another bride! Handing the cable to the corporal, be sets out to tell the dusky beauty the news. And none too soon does he arrive, for, her heart strings torn asunder by the prospects of the bitter disappointment, she is about to end it all with one thrust from the keen blade she holds in her hand. And the rose is saved for both of them.
- Young sculptor Heronius visits the abode of Father Time and begs for fame. Time presents him with the laurel wreath and enters his name in his book. Heronius returns to his studio, draws the curtains from his latest work, a beautiful statue of a nude woman, and stands lost in admiration of his own achievements. Some of his friends and acquaintances call upon him and he, hastily drawing the curtains over his statue, receives them. Some of them desire to inspect his statue, but he prevents them; he offers them wine and they drink to his success. He leaves his apartment for a few moments to escort some of his guests to the entrance to his house, and his secret enemy stealthily enters, seizes a mallet, and shatters the statue to atoms. Returning. Heronius discovers the disaster and falls unconscious. Heronius, having lost fame, returns to Father Time, who presents him with the red rose of love. Going forth, he wanders through the royal gardens and stops to admire a handsome statue. Meanwhile, beautiful young Princess Idealia has left the palace and is also strolling through the gardens, accompanied by her female attendant. She passes Heronius, he turns, their eves meet and love enters into both their hearts. The Princess' attendant orders him away, but he, not to be gotten rid of so easily, follows, and the Princess, finally turning, sees him and dismissing the woman awaits his coming. He attempts to kneel before her, but she, raising him to his feet, leads him away and they give themselves up to a brief dream of bliss. During their walk they visit Father Time, who presents Heronius with the flower of contentment. He in turn presents it to the Princess, who accepts it. During this time, the woman attendant has sought out the King and has informed him of his daughter's infatuation with Heronius. The King is very angry and summons the Princess and Heronius to appear before him, the messenger to Heronius being none other than the enemy who destroyed his statue. The King is seated in state, two of his favorite dancers performing for him, when the Princess appears followed shortly after by Heronius. The King then orders his daughter to be married to Heronius' enemy and has Heronius driven from the palace. Filled with the most poignant grief, Heronius again appears before Father Time, who this time presents him with the last flower, the flower of death. Going from the haunts of Time, Heronius is seized by Roman soldiers and chained to a rock on the seashore, where he is left to die. The Princess, learning of his terrible fate, rushes off to join him and while on the way Time presents her also with the last flower. Coming upon Heronius chained to the rock, the Princess falls upon his breast and her heart being torn with unspeakable grief, she also expires. Then Father Time crosses off the names of Heronius and Idealia from the book of life.
- A girl saves her sweetheart from the dealings of a deceitful gang that he has fallen in with.
- Norman Duncan, a civil engineer in the employ of the United States government, loves Elinor Williams and they are happy in their plighted troth. Duncan is ordered to the Philippines to take charge of some important work and takes an affectionate leave of his sweetheart to whom he promises to be faithful. We see him arrive at his destination, and take in the tropical surroundings. The young engineer is red blooded and human. He finds time hanging heavily on his hands and seeks diversion. He finds it in Lola, a beautiful Filipino girl, with Juno-like form and handsome face. She gives him a passing glance and Duncan is interested. He seeks the girl, and she is not averse to the attentions of the handsome young man from the states. Petro, her lover, takes in the situation, which bodes no good for the interloper. Lola and Duncan meet and the love affair is progressing beyond his fondest expectations. Returning from his foray into the swamps one day, Duncan is stricken with the deadly fever. He is overcome and his companions desert him, fearing the contagion. Lola finds him and, braving the ravages of the disease, assists him away. This episode is witnessed by the jealous native lover, who curses them, hoping his fickle sweetheart and her lover will both succumb to the dread fever. We see Lola nursing Duncan back to life and health, faithful in her duties as a nurse, and glorious in her satisfaction of saving the life of the man whom she loves with all the passion of the Latin women. Slowly Duncan regains his strength and we see him emerge from the hut supported by the faithful Lola. He is seated out of doors, when Petro appears and is surprised to see him alive. Stung to desperation in his jealousy, Petro steals up and is about to plunge a knife into Duncan's back, when the girl throws herself upon him, wrests the knife from his grasp and sends it spinning into the foliage. Petro and Duncan grapple, when a priest providently makes his appearance and Petro desists with an abject apology. In a few words, the situation is explained to the man of God, who with a keen discernment of right, inquires of the young engineer as to his intentions towards the native girl. He sternly insists that honorable union can be the only result of their relations. Duncan ponders and then his better nature asserts itself, and he assents to the marriage. The ceremony is performed. Later, Duncan, in the garb of a Filipino, is seated in his yard. His boy, the result of the marriage, comes to him. An American appears and questions Petro, who is standing near. The stranger inquires for Duncan and Petro, alert, his jealousy having not abated by the marriage of Duncan and Lola, points to Duncan. There is a recognition. Duncan is pleased to welcome his friend. He is informed that Elinor the sweetheart whom he left in the state, is outside the gate. Duncan is overjoyed. Elinor runs to him and there is a happy reunion. He is holding her in his arms when Lola approaches, terrified at the sight. She understands and humble makes her way to Duncan's side. He sees her and is racked with conflicting emotions. His wife and sweetheart, which? Sorrowfully he breaks the intelligence to Elinor, who stands aghast. She understands. The woman he has sworn to love and cherish holds out her arms to him. The girl, to whom he plighted his troth, assumes the same attitude, less demonstrative. Elinor sorrowfully walks away, and Duncan seats himself in anguish and then takes Lola in his arms and she is supremely happy and Duncan is content, a manly man.
- Ralph Vincent is an all-round sport, in spite of the fact that he has a charming wife and lovely baby at home. His wife, Effie, trusts him implicitly, although she has heard some rather ugly rumors concerning him. Ralphs receives a tip on a horse by wire from the city and wants to play it, but has not the money. He tries to borrow it from a fellow employee in the office, but not succeeding, he, at last, obtains it from Hiram Hayes, the old man who runs the grocery store over which the Vincents have rooms. He tells Hiram he needs it for his family. He wires the money on and shortly after, receiving word that his horse has won, he hastily packs a bag and goes to the city. Here, inflated with his winnings, he joins a gay crowd and has the time of his life. He plays poker with the boys and joins a merry crowd of fast men and women at supper. In the meantime, he has mailed the amount of his loan to Hiram and his wife, Effie, is down in Hiram's store when it arrives. There is, however, no letter for her. Putting two and two together, she fears the worst and Hiram kindly offering to look after the baby, she departs for the city, in search of Ralph. Knowing the address of his hotel from the letter-head enclosing Hiram's money, she goes straight there and reaches the café at the height of the festivities, arriving at the very moment that Ralph is distinguishing himself by drinking a toast out of one of the woman's slippers. Effie takes one look and then burying her face in her hands, she rushes from the room and hastens home, heartbroken. Ralph is instantly checked in his mad career by the sight of his little wife and despite the pleadings of his companions, he leaves the café, accompanied by a good-hearted friend named Fred Strong. Some hours later, Ralph comes to his senses in a Turkish bath, surrounded by his friends of the evening. Realizing the baseness of his recent actions. Realizing the baseness of his recent actions, he wants to call up his wife on the telephone to ask her pardon, but he lacks the courage. There he sits a humiliated man, blankly staring at the picture of his baby in a locket. He has spent all of his winnings during his debauch, and has lost the love and respect of his wife and possibly his position. Overcome by remorse he lays down the locket and leaves the room, wandering aimlessly through the bath. Then Fred Strong, who has found the telephone number, calls up Hiram at the grocery store, who responds dressed in his night clothes. Effie and baby are soon brought down to the phone and negotiations for the return of Ralphs are begun. Fred and the balance of Ralph's friends at one end of the wire in their bath costumes and Effie, Hiram and the baby at the other, all in dishabille. Then Ralph is brought to the phone, he talks to Effie and she and the baby talk to him. Effie tells him to come home. While Ralph is dressing, Fred starts a collection for the baby, which proves a generous one and enclosing the bills with the locket in an envelope, directed to the child, they hand it to Ralph and wish him "Godspeed." Ralph arrives and regaining his wife's love and his position, he swears off from a sporting life and the next time he receives a tip by wire, he tears up the telegrams and throws it in the waste basket.
- A young newspaperman bears a striking resemblance to the prince of a small European country. He falls for the daughter of the country's king, who is engaged to the prince. He finds himself caught up in a web of spies, mistaken identity, kidnapping, conspirators, and court intrigue.
- A loutish husband neglects his patient, loving wife to enjoy a night on the town. When he comes home drunk and irritable, he mistreats her. Then he falls asleep, and has a dream that causes him to reconsider the way that he treats his wife.
- A father is greatly beloved by his two children and it is a bitter blow to them when they learn from their nurse that they are to have a stepmother. They decide to run away, leaving an affectionate note for their father, in which they explain that they don't want a "stepmother," so they have "runned away." They pack their toys together and make their home in a huge piano packing box. The father returning with his pretty young bride finds the note, and immediately starts a search for them. They come upon the packing box and the children reading "The Story of the Cruel Stepmother." The stepmother asks her husband to leave her alone with the children. They ask her if she is running away from a cruel stepmother too, to which she answers "Yes." Of course they take her into their confidence. The wife finds a better story in the same book, entitled "The Story of the Fairy Godmother," and it is while reading this to the little ones, that they fall asleep. The husband now returns with some men, and they carry the children asleep in the packing box, back to the garden of their home. Here he awakens them, after he has sent his wife to the house to be ready to receive her stepchildren. They do not like the idea of having to meet the stepmother, but the father persuades them, and gently takes them to the room. They are astonished to find it is the lady who read them the story of the "Fairy Godmother."
- A framed inventor flees to England and catches a spy at Epsom.
- Dorothy is beloved by Dick and Paul, who are both persistent in their attentions. Dorothy is apparently unable to decide between them and is quite perplexed. She has been impartial in her favors, but the young men press her for an answer. She is walking alone when she passes the residence of a fortune teller and is possessed of a happy thought. She will consult the seeress as a way out of her dilemma. She goes in and crosses the palm of the delver into the past and future and is enlightened. Dick sees her enter the house and, surmising her mission, gains admission to an adjoining room by bribing the woman in waiting. He hears the instructions of the fortune teller, who informs the girl that if she will rise at midnight, descend the stairs in her sleeping robe, walk a certain number of steps, turn the required number of times, and hold a candle to the mirror, she will see the face of the man she is destined to marry. Dick is made acquainted with this by listening at the keyhole and is elated. At midnight he gains entrance to the home of Dorothy by adopting heroic measures, climbing the porch like an ordinary burglar. Paul discovers his actions and, under the impression that Dick is about to circumvent him in some way, summons a policeman and they enter the house. In the meantime, Dick clad in his stocking feet, has taken a position near the mirror to await the coming of Dorothy, who soon puts in an appearance. She follows the instruction of the seeress to the letter, with Dick, jubilant, imitating her movements. She gazes in the mirror, and the fortune teller builded better than she knew, for the face of Dick is photographed on the mirror. Dorothy turns and is too quick for Dick, and his little ruse is discovered. The humor of the situation dawns on the girl and, of course, Dick is forgiven for his deception, just as Paul and the policeman break into the scene. By bribing the officer, Dick turns the attentions of that worthy on Paul and the copper marches off with the lover who lost, and there is a pretty scene in which Dorothy and Dick are the principals. Dorothy pleased at her choice and Dick radiantly happy at the result of his little strategy.
- The Civil War is on, and one of the Howard boys, Jack, is an officer in the Union army. He and his younger brother, Harry, who is a West Point cadet, are so much in love with pretty Emily Woods that they have grown to hate each other bitterly. They do not conceal their enmity even when in the presence of Emily, who does all she can to alleviate matters. Suddenly there comes a proclamation from the President that all cadets on furlough are to report for war duty, and Harry's luck is to be enlisted in the same regiment and under his brother Jack. Jack is hard and vindictive, and one of the first things he does to make the lot of his brother a miserable one, is when he orders him to polish his boots. Harry promptly refuses, and when there are no other soldiers around both men engage in a violent quarrel. Words grow more bitter, until Harry, while realizing that his brother had the upper hand as far as rank is concerned, suddenly springs on Jack. They struggle all over the tent, but Harry proves the stronger, and succeeds in binding Jack. Meanwhile, at home, their mother is in bed, dangerously ill. When the doctor finally pronounces her beyond his aid, Emily and her sister, who have been attending her faithfully, write a note to Harry in the vain hope that he might be able to let his mother see her baby boy before death. When the letter reaches camp, however, the cadet has disappeared and Jack gets it. Being an officer he has no difficulty in departing for home at once. But when he arrives and steps into the bedroom, he is astounded to find his brother already there. For a moment the men face each other like two tigers, but Emily and her sister speak softly to them, and they both drop over the feeble form of their mother. With her last strength she takes the hand of each in hers, and counseling brotherly love as her last wish, closes her eyes in the slumber that knows no awakening.
- Dr. Crawford and his wife with their little daughter, Elsie, are at home amusing themselves with the Scotch collie puppy, Imp, when another doctor is announced and he is shown an article in a newspaper which describes the providential rescue from drowning of the doctor's child by Lassie, the mother of Imp. Lassie comes in and is admires. Two more physician's arrive and announce that they have come to try an experiment with a newly discovered anesthetic. Dr. Crawford has a guinea pig, on which the experiment is to be tried, but it is discovered the animal has died, and the men of medicine are in a quandary. It is finally decided to use Imp, the puppy, for the experiment, against the mild protest of Elsie. The puppy is placed on the operating table in the laboratory, with the mother dog in an adjoining room, apprehensive. She begs piteously for them to release her offspring. The puppy dies under the experiment and Lassie is admitted to the laboratory. The mother wails dolefully. Elsie comes on the scene and her grief over the loss of the puppy is inconsolable. The doctors are saddened, Dr. Crawford and his wife endeavoring to comfort the child. The gardener digs a grave and the sorrowing procession goes out to bury the dog. Lassie sees the grave dug, following the gardener about in a way that is almost human. She goes to the laboratory and then to the garden. She sees the clods placed over the body of her puppy and returns with the saddened physicians and the inconsolable child and then trots sorrowfully to the grave and approaches it mournfully, places her paws on it in an attitude of prayer, alone with her dead, her grief being pitiful to witness.
- King, the detective, is sent to try to capture some opium smugglers that are operating in a seaport town. He arrives at the place and disguises himself in rough clothes and mixes with the fishermen. One day while walking along the shore, King sees a little boy and girl fighting. Rushing to separate them he reaches them just as a young lady does; she turns out to be their sister Jane. He accompanies them home and meets Jane's father and the bully who is very much in love with her. The bully is jealous of King on first sight and when King and bully meet at the saloon and dance hall, the bully starts a fight, but they are separated by the crowd. One night King is followed by the bully, who attacks him and knocks him there. The bully goes after his gang with the intention of getting them to help him do away with King; meanwhile the boy sees the bully run home and tells his sister. They run to the shed and unbind King and get him in a rowboat and he starts to row away as the bully and his gang discover that he has been released. The bully's gang deserts him and he goes looking for King alone. He sees him in the rowboat, weak and exhausted, and gets into another rowboat, catches King and chops a hole in his boat. Jane and her brother and sister are afraid to go home after the liberating of King and see the bully as he is on his way to their home. Jane sends the boy to follow him. The boy hears the bully tell the father what he has done to King. The boy rushes to tell his sister, they get a motor boat and rescue King just as his boat is about to sink. The bully and his gang are afterwards arrested as the opium smugglers, and all ends happily with Jane in love with King.
- Fanchon is a fascinating little girl, the grandchild of Mother Fadet, who is suspected of witchery by the people among whom she lives. At the opening of the story Mother Fadet is being attacked by a crowd led by Father Barbaud, the father of Landry and Didier, his twin sons; the former, a handsome and bright lad, the latter a little weak and foolish. The old woman is about to be beaten when Fanchon arrives, and she also is beset by the men and both are in danger, until Landry appears on the scene and upbraids the mob. He is attracted by the beauty of the little madcap, who thanks him as he leaves her. The foolish Didier is in love with Madelon, the belle of the village, who scorns him, and who is in love with the handsome brother. Didier is heartbroken and tells them he is going to commit suicide. He rushes away but is prevented from carrying out his intention by Fanchon, who follows him until he, tired, falls asleep in a clump of bushes. Landry seeks everywhere for his brother, even asking aid of the witch. She refuses to assist him, but meeting Fanchon, he asks for her help. This she promises if he will agree to dance whatever dance she may select at the fete to be held the next day. He, anxious to find his brother, consents, and she leads him to the spot where Didier sleeps. The next day while the festivities are in progress, Fanchon, dressed in the old-fashioned clothes of her grandmother, appears and demands her dance with Landry. This he is dancing with Madelon, but being a man of his word, he asks her to excuse him and then takes Fanchon as his partner. Madelon, angered at the manner in which Landry has treated her, tells the others that Fanchon has bewitched him by the aid of a witch's claw she always wears round her neck in a bag. She incites the mob, and they attack Fanchon, demanding to see the contents of the bag. This she hands to Landry, who reads on the paper "The Prayer of the Pure Maiden to the Holy Mother of Grace." Abashed, the mob leave the unhappy girl, who rushes home and tears off the clothes which she feels are the cause of her misery. To get away from Landry, whom she now loves, she accepts an offer to go to the city, although he begs her to remain and marry him. Later the grandmother dies and appoints Landry's father as her guardian. She returns to her home and going to Father Barbaud asks him if he will accept the charge. At first he refuses, but realizing that the happiness of his son depends upon his marriage to the now demure Fanchon, he consents, and the formerly despised madcap has the pleasure of being begged by the old gentleman to marry his son. Needless to say she does.
- Navy officer Owen Moore is sent to Cuba. This saddens girlfriend Mary Pickford, until her uncle invites her to a party in Havana. After a grand time, when Moore's ship is docking, she confuses him by pretending to be a Cuban girl.
- When she discovers that her husband is playing poker instead of "visiting a sick friend," his wife makes it appear she has a "visiting lover" of her own.
- Tom Alkins, a sturdy fisherman, loves Polly Berry, the daughter of old Nat Berry, the keeper of the light. Bert Duncan also loves Polly and is insanely jealous of Tom. The course of true love runs smoothly for the happy couple with the exception of an attempt on the part of Duncan to force his unwelcome attentions on Polly. He is soundly thrashed by Tom and vows vengeance. The wedding of Tom and Polly occurs and Bert, evidently penitent, congratulates them, assuming a friendship that is feigned. With the marriage of the couple, Bert takes to strong drink and becomes reckless. Polly and her father are about to go on a fishing trip. Rom asks to accompany the girl and the old man assents. They sail away, happy and contented. A furious storm arises and the ocean is lashed into a fury. Night approaches and the fishing smack does not return. The old lighthouse keeper is apprehensive. He starts to the lighthouse to light the beacon. Bert has been drinking heavily and he conceives a devilish scheme to wreak vengeance on his successful rival. He will go to the tower and tamper with the light, hoping Tom and his bride, unable to get their bearings in the storm, will go ashore on the treacherous rocks. He ascends the steps of the base of the light and is confronted with the keeper. He must prevent the old man form ascending the tower and, after resorting to the bottle, he struggles with the aged keeper. There is a violent fight and old Nat, endowed with a strength that is almost superhuman, when he thinks of the peril of his daughter, overpowers the desperate young man and staggers up the stairs and lights the lamp. The fishing boat is shown in the terrible storm. The lights of the tower flash out across the waters, showing the haven of safety. Bert, enraged beyond reason, at his failure, staggers out of the lighthouse and, endeavoring to reach the mainland, falls off the walk and is drowned. His descent down the lighthouse steps is spectacular, falling and rolling down the steps in his mad fury. The storm continues and the ocean is shown with the waves running mountain high. The villagers congregate on the beach, praying for the safe return of the fishing smack. Finally, the waves having subsided, the boat is shown, making a landing with Polly and Tom safe, to the joy of their friends, the old father being conscious that his struggle with the younger man was not in vain.
- Jose Almedo is a cattle thief. Marie, his wife, endeavors to assist him. Jose and his band plan to run off some cattle belonging to a rancher. Marie goes to warn them, carrying her little girl, Nello. In her desperation, she struggles across the range but is in the path of the cattle which are being pursued by the thieves. There is no escape by flight. Breathing a prayer to her Maker, she lies down with her child beside her. The affrighted cattle sweep on, over the. Marie is trampled to death but the child is unharmed. Years elapse and Nello has grown to be a woman. She is riding one day with the son of the rancher and becomes lost from him. She is captured by the band of Jose, who has not forsaken his life of crime. She is taken to a cabin and held for ransom. Jose intimidates Nello and is struck by her beauty. Becoming bolder, he makes improper advances only to discover by a locket she wears that she is his daughter. Parental love triumphs and he bids the girl go. Left alone Jose is stricken with remorse and fear. Realizing that he will pay the penalty with his life, which is worthless to him, he deliberately goes to the window, thrusts his body out and is shot by the guard and falls dead.
- Things go too far for a group of bullies, when Raymond, a 12-year old boy with a troubled life, who they make fun of and tease for their amusement is hit by a car.
- Bill Going is the star pitcher for his local Choctaw baseball team. Gamblers from Jimtown try to persuade him to throw the game and he shoots and kills them. He is given a reprieve to pitch the last game of the year.
- Cora casts aside young spendthrift George after he spends his last dollar. As he leaves he reproaches her so severely that she is frightened and threatens him with a pistol. He seizes it, it is actually discharged, and she is wounded. Horrified, he is about to kill himself when the police enter and she accuses him of attempted murder. He is sentenced to prison for 10 years. She is scarred for life and broods over it until she is warned that her reason will be affected. George is released on parole after he has served less than half of his sentence. He falls in love with Marcelle and later marries her. She knows nothing of his criminal record as he has broken his parole and changed his name thus rendering himself liable to arrest. Cora has opened a gambling saloon. One night George visits the place and she recognizes him. She pleads for his love. He scorns her. She has him followed and sends him a letter threatening to denounce him. He decides to plead to her. His wife follows him and hears him denounced as a convict and she confronts Cora with deep scorn. Cora calls up the police and tells where they can find the convict who has broken his parole. The young couple goes home to await the officers, who go first to Cora and find her a maniac; the excitement has been too much for her. They go to George who clasping his wife in his arms is awaiting arrest. To their surprise the officers tell them the department has decided to pay no attention to the charge of a maniac and leave. Later, George and Marcelle attend the deathbed of the repentant adventuress.
- A weird story of a large diamond abstracted from an image of Buddah and which is followed around the world by a Hindu in his efforts to recover it and return it to its rightful place. The sailor who removed it from the temple in India is finally found in a dying condition in the United States and is conveyed to the home of a physician, who, with the assistance of another medical man, attempts to resuscitate him. By the side of the sailor had been found a bottle which contains an unknown poison, which the physicians attempt to analyze in order to procure a proper antidote, but being unsuccessful, the man dies. Before dying, however, he reaches in his bosom and brings forth a chamois skin bag containing the diamond, which he has had set in a bracelet. This he presents to one of the physicians. The doctor, in turn, presents the bracelet to his young wife. The Hindu having failed to take the diamond from the sailor has lingered about the doctor's home and through a window has seen the sailor give him the jewel. He then, through letters of introduction, meets the doctor and his wife at a reception and observing the bracelet on her arm, tells her where it came from. Before he can tell her more, he is interrupted by the entrance of the husband and his physician friend, who are going home. That night, as she is removing her wraps in her bedroom, she is startled by the sudden entrance of the Hindu through a large window. He goes to her quietly and informs her that he must have the diamond at once. She attempts to escape from him, but he prevents her and renews his demand. She, in great fear, removes the bracelet from her wrist and hands it to him. The Hindu then gives her, in exchange, a beautiful pearl necklace and is just placing it about her neck, when her husband enters unobserved by either of them. He is horrified at the sight and believing the worst of his wife, quietly withdraws and staggers away heartbroken. The Hindu then leaves as he entered. The husband, seated in his study crushed by the blow he has just received, notices the bottle of poison left on his table after the death of the sailor and decides to use it as the means of escaping from his sorrow. He therefore makes his last will and testament leaving everything to his wife, and drinks half of the contents of the bottle, which taking immediate' effect, he falls heavily. The noise of his fall brings his wife to his side, who summons the other physician. This doctor, who had suspicions regarding the Hindu and has been watching the house now appears with two servants dragging the Hindu with them, he having been captured in trying to make his escape. Doing to the side of his dying confrere, the physician noticing the half empty bottle and reading the will, comprehends the situation at once and rushing back to the Hindu, demands the antidote. The Hindu sneeringly tells him there is none. In order to test the truth of this statement, the doctor, with the assistance of the servants, starts to force the bottle between the teeth of the Hindu and thus compel him to take a dose of his own poison. This terrifies the Hindu to such an extent, that he begs for mercy and reaching into his pocket produces a small vial which he hands to the doctor with the necessary directions. The poisoned physician's life is saved by means of this antidote and the Hindu is thrown off the premises. Of course, the wife explains to the husband the scene in her bedroom and the harmony between them is restored. And the grim likeness of Buddah is again bedecked with its baleful eye.
- Eric Masters and his wife are leading the life of society people on a very limited income. Their friend, Vernon Godfrey, who is quite wealthy, is interested in Mrs. Masters, holds a note of Eric's, which he is willing to renew, provided the wife will go away with him. She very nearly consents to do this, when he threatens to ruin her husband, but in the end, love for her husband triumphs, and she remains true to him. At a fashionable ball, one of the guests, Mrs. Leslie, loses a valuable jewel, which is found by Eric. This means a way out of all his difficulties, as the jewel is worth $10,000. He is tempted to retain it, giving his wife all she desires, and repaying his friend. But after deliberation, he returns the jewel, preferring to be honest, and with his repentant wife agree to lead a happier and more economical life in future.
- Hester Prynne has left Holland in advance of her husband, Roger, to join the colonists in Salem, Maxx. Roger follows her to the new world but upon landing in New England is captured by Indians and Hester waits for him in vain. There has never been much love in their marriage, Roger being an old man and she a comely young woman. Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale, the handsome Young minister of the Salem community, is revered and beloved by his parishioners. He meets Hester clandestinely and an unlawful love is the result. When Hester is discovered with a baby, a mother but not a wife, she is arrested, tried and condemned to stand upon the public pillory with her child and for the remainder of her life to wear conspicuously on her breast the letter "A." As she stands on the raised platform, the governor of the colony commands her to divulge the name of the father of the child. She refuses. The Rev. Master Dimmesdale is asked to persuade her to reveal her secret. He addresses her, and tells her if she thinks it for the best, to do so. She again refuses. Roger, her husband, has been released by the red men and he appears in Salem on the day of her public disgrace and recognizes her. He signals for her to be silent as the recognition is mutual. A silence for a silence is agreed upon. He takes the name of Roger Chillingworth and, being a physician, is called to prescribe for the suffering minister, knowing him to be the father of Hester's child. The child, Pearl, grows into a beautiful girl and the governor decides that Hester is not the proper person to rear her. Hester in her grief, appeals to the minister and he in turn prevails on the governor to allow her the custody of the child. As time passes the minister is growing weaker and weaker in bodily strength and the guilty secret gives him no peace of mind. Meeting Hester and Little Pearl by accident, he tells the woman of his terrible punishment. She, in love and pity, tears the letter from her breast and proposes that they leave the country together to begin life anew. Little Pearl finds the letter and restores it to Hester and they realize they cannot escape the consequences of their sinning. On a holiday the minister preaches a powerful sermon in the church on the sins of the flesh and the penalty for evil doing. As he appears in the market place, he is cheered by the members of his congregation. He is overcome by emotion as the awful truth is brought home to him that he is a hypocrite. Seeing Hester and Little Pearl standing near, he pulls himself together by a mighty effort and resolves to confess his sins publicly. Taking them by the hands, he slowly and deliberately mounts the pillory, with Hester amazed, and then, to the astonishment of his flock and the loungers standing near, proclaims Pearl as his child and arraigns himself as a sinful teacher. The members of the church are appalled and dumb with astonishment. They cannot comprehend it. Hester smiles through her tears. She will no longer bear the burden of shame alone. The moment has arrived when she is partially vindicated by the self-sacrifice of the sharer of her degradation. The final effort, coupled with years of intense suffering, proves too great a tax on the strength of the minister and he falls dead at the foot of the pillory. Hester supports his head, with tears coursing down her cheeks. The vindication has come, but with it has gone the man she has loved in secret while being subjected to the jeers of her fellows.
- Prince Alberto loves Gilda, the sister of Queen Amalia and his love is returned. He asks the permission of the king to marry Gilda and the ruler gladly grants the request, having a high regard for the prince, Duke Arturo, a villain at heart, of an intriguing nature, loves Queen Amalia and resolves to win her from her husband or compromise her. Prince Alberto notices the duke holding whispered converse with the queen, and taking the king aside, cautions him to look to the queen's honor. The king, already suspicious of the attentions of the handsome duke, decides to keep the queen and the duke under espionage. Through a subterfuge the duke appoints a clandestine meeting with the queen. Her sister, somewhat suspicious, discovers them and takes in the compromising situation. She leads the queen away and then pleads with the duke to not annoy her sister with his unwelcome attentions. The king and the prince, looking through a secret panel, discover the duke and Gilda together. The enraged king demands an explanation and Gilda, with her quick woman's wit, confesses that she loves the duke and has met him by appointment, to shield her sister. The king's suspicions are not fully allayed, and he commands them to go to the chapel and be married, while the prince is broken-hearted. The duke and Gilda persist in their statement that they are married, to the grief of the prince and the dismay of the queen. The king, still suspicious, conducts them to their bridal chamber and leaves them. The duke, although a villain at heart, does not attempt to take advantage of the situation, but conducts his wife to her bedroom and hands her the key. She locks herself in and he remains in the outer room during the night. The next morning the prince meets the duke and challenges him to a duel. The duke refuses to fight, but takes the prince to the altar of the chapel and, after swearing him to secrecy, divulges the story, leaving the prince and Gilda in front of the altar engaged in prayer. The duke and the king engage in a friendly fencing bout, but while the attention of the king is directed elsewhere, the duke removes the button from the king's foil, poisons the point of the weapon and leaves it where the king may pick it up without knowing it has been tampered with. When the king returns to renew the friendly passage at arms, he touches the duke and he is killed by the deadly poison. Thus ends the story, with the king in ignorance of the true situation, having killed the man who tried to betray him, the queen relieved from an embarrassing situation, and the lovers free to marry, the king the only one of the principals who never knew.
- Ross conducts a little auto repair shop and is building himself a racing car, which is entered in the Corona race. Trumbull reads a description of "Speed King" in the papers, and wagers a large sum with Short that this unknown will "show in the money." Short proposes to Margery and is rejected. Margery's car refuses to start and Ross is phoned for to come and repair it. he meets Margery and while fixing her car they become friendly, he telling her of his racing ambition and of his despair because he has not money to complete his car. His visit makes quite an impression on Margery. She longs for another chat, so she unscrews an important part of her machine and tosses it away. Ross is again called to repair it. Again their conversation is most entertaining, so much so that Trumbull feels it his duty to cut it short, so he calls Margery to the house, where Short, who has been observing, is consumed with jealousy. Ross is loathe to leave, but as an excuse to return, he "forgets" his tools. Margery asks her father to lend the young man money to complete his car. Trumbull refuses. Margery tells him that the man has a chance in the race if he can complete his car; that his name is "Speed King." Trumbull is stumped. If he doesn't lend the money he will lose the bet to Short. Short solves the problem by telling Trumbull to lend the money conditionally and to have Ross sign a paper agreeing that if he cannot repay the amount after the race he will agree never to speak to Margery again. Trumbull takes the plan, as he has seen Ross return for his tools, and the very evident interest of his daughter for the young man. He broaches the subject to Ross, appeals to his "sporting" side, and Ross agrees. He accepts the loan and signs the paper. On the day of the race Short bribes the mechanician to cripple Ross's car at about the middle of the race. Margery overhears the plot and informs Ross. The latter changes mechanicians. Ross wins the race and incidentally the love of Margery.
- Miner Hank Denby has a loving little wife, but he is a brute and abuses her. She bears it patiently until one day when forbearance ceases to be a virtue. He goes out to his work after an unusually violent scene, in which his wife is in tears as a consequence. She is all alone on the mountain, but resolves to desert her husband, to go anywhere to rid herself of the obnoxious presence of the husband. She packs a few of her belongings, writes a note to Denby, and is about to go out into the world when Philip Baldwin, a much-older prospector, comes into the cabin in search of food and drink. He is welcomed by the woman as he is kind. He looks about the cabin and notes her preparation for flight in surprise. On being questioned, the girl-wife tells him of the ill treatment she has been subjected to and her decision to leave it all. He mildly tries to dissuade her, to no avail. She is determined to leave and asks to be allowed to travel in his company. The big rough fellow sees no impropriety in that and the woman is guiltless of any wrong-doing. They leave the cabin, arrive at the tent of Baldwin and in attempting to secure water for her, he falls over a cliff. She runs around the eminence and finds him in the meantime, the husband has returned home, read the note, takes the trail and follows the pair with the insane idea that some man has stolen the affections of his wife. He comes upon them just as his wife is trying to extricate Baldwin from his perilous position. He is about to kill him when the wife interferes. Denby takes Baldwin on his back and carries him, unconscious to his cabin, where he nurses him back to health. On being convalescent, Baldwin leaves, but is followed by Denby to a rocky peak. Slapping Baldwin's face, he challenges him to a revolver duel. Baldwin is loath to fight, but is provoked, and back to back they start to walk apart. At the signal they turn and fire. Denby falls dead. His wife comes out and falls prostrate across his body. Baldwin gazes at the woman for a time and then, not understanding, walks away, down the slope, leaving Mrs. Denby alone with her dead husband whom she had not loved in life.
- A rejected suitor rebuffs the woman he loves after the death of her husband.
- Charlie Hart, a young ribbon clerk earning about seven dollars a week, invites Helen Vaughan to luncheon. He possesses just two dollars and as he is about to leave his room, his laundry is delivered to him, for which he has to pay one dollar and fifty cents of his total, leaving him but fifty cents with which to entertain his guest. He is compelled to carry out his invitations, however, so he calls on Miss Vaughan, and she, in delightful anticipation of a pleasant afternoon, leaves with him for the luncheon. Knowing that his bankroll amounts to but 50c, he tries to guide her into a very cheap restaurant, where the prices range from 5c to 35c. She absolutely refuses, and she brings him to a real café. They enter, and Helen immediately orders a dinner that amounts to almost $5.00. Charlie is dumbfounded, and to add to his embarrassment, two young lady friends of Helen enter and she invites them to join Charlie and herself at their table. They accept and at once order two sumptuous repasts, which adds another $10.00 to Charlie's bill. An hour or two elapses and the young ladies decide to have fruit, cake and wine for a fitting climax to a splendid dinner. Poor Charlie is almost prostrated and at his wits' end how to get out of his predicament. He at last decides his only chance is to excuse himself, hustle out and borrow the money from some friend. He hits on a Dr. Sykes to help him out. He calls at his office, and after many funny incidents, manages to procure $20.00. In the meantime the ladies are in a state of hysteria. The waiter had demanded the payment of the cheques, they have but small change and are held in durance vile, awaiting the arrival of the lost Charlie. After moments of awful suspense Charlie comes on the scene. The waiter gives him a bill amounting to $20.50, which he pays, it taking every cent he possesses. The girls leave in anger. The waiter demands a tip. Charlie hasn't it and runs out. The ladies leave in an auto with an obliging friend. Charlie is soundly thrashed by the waiter and a patient from the dentist's whom Charlie had made miserable during his visit to Dr. Sykes.
- Felix Mendelssohn taking a stroll near his home in the Austrian Tyrol, in the early spring, receives the inspiration for his famous "Spring Song." The first notes of the song are furnished him by a hunter blowing his horn; he receives his idea for the second strain from the crying of a child; the third strain is brought to him in the yawning of some sleepy laborers. Continuing his walk, he comes upon some peasant girls singing in a cabbage garden and from them obtains more material. The finale of the third strain he gets from a quarrel between the forewoman and one of the girl laborers, which quarrel he aids in prolonging for his benefit. The final strains come to him as he listens to two peasant lovers, the man playing a violin, the girl singing in unison. Taking the violin from the man, to whom he gives his card, he proceeds, playing as he goes. Coming to a beer garden, he meets two of his friends who aid him in his work. Finally, surrounded by the many followers he has picked up, the huntsman, the mother and child, the peasant girls and the lovers, he completes the piece and plays it, when all join in singing it under his leadership.
- This beautiful story of the passing away of Hiawatha's beloved Minnehaha comprises the winter scenes of Longfellow's poem, "Hiawatha," which was the first release of the "Imp" and which told how the Indian brave wooed and won the winsome maiden. It is a bitter winter. Hiawatha, Minnehaha and old Nokomis are suffering from hunger: game is scarce in the woods. They are famine-stricken. Poor Minnehaha is ill and Nokomis is trying to keep a feeble fire alive to afford a little comfort. Hiawatha, noble brave that he is, does not betray his anguish and misery, but stolidly takes up his bow and arrow and goes forth into the woods, in the hopes of finding food. Over snow-clad hill and dale, round the great mountains and by the ice-silenced waterfall he wanders, seeking even to beard the savage beast in his own den; but Nature has given her things of life impenetrable hiding places from the hardships of winter, and Hiawatha's heart is sick: "Gitche Manito, the Mighty! Give your children food, O father! Give us food, or we must perish! Give me food for Minnehaha!" It is of no avail. And even as he prays he hears the call from the tepee, where Paugok, Keeper of the Happy Hunting Grounds, is taking Minnehaha away. He hurries there, but too late, and seven days and seven nights he sits there and mourns her until at last he carries her to a spot by the river, where he buries her with his own hands. "Farewell," said he, "my Minnehaha! Farewell, O my Laughing Water! All my heart is buried with you; Soon your footsteps I shall follow To the islands of the blessed, To land of the Hereafter."
- When a senator falls victim to morphine addiction, a look-alike double takes his place.
- Mr. and Mrs. James Elkins and Mr. and Mrs. Dent were warm friends. The Dents had a little boy named Harry, while the Elkins had a little girl, Maud. These two children were playmates and were always teasing each other. One day while playing, Harry sprang up and pursued Maud, who ran away as fast as her little legs could carry her. She goes a long way and turns into a deserted street. A gypsy happened along, took her by the hand and led her away. Harry followed and arrived just in time to see Maud disappear with the gypsy. Harry then returned home as fast as he could and informs his parents and Mr. and Mrs. Elkins. Careful search was made, but no trace of her could be discovered. Fifteen years elapse. Maud's disappearance is now a mere memory. Harry, grown to manhood, is riding, in his automobile past a gypsy encampment when the chauffeur discovers that the machine requires water. Harry goes to the camp to procure some, and while there, meets a girl, with whom he falls in love. He pays a second visit some days later, and proposes marriage to her, is accepted, and married. The couple do not succeed very well in life, and soon reach the end of their slender resources. Then through worry and exposure Harry is taken sick. It is then that the wife, resuming her gypsy dress, goes forth in an endeavor to obtain aid for her husband. She goes from place to place but always with the same result, nothing. She finally falls exhausted by the roadside, where she is soon afterwards discovered by the Elkins and the Dents, who are passing in their automobile. They get out of the machine, and pick her up, and as soon as they revive her, she tells about her husband, and gives his name. The two families then hurry to Harry's bedside, and subsequently he is removed to his parents' home. Greatly to the joy of all concerned, the wife is found to be the little girl, who had disappeared fifteen years before.
- The scene opens at the termination of a dance where the Duke of Chatmoss is supported by his nephew and his daughter to the throne, the daughter occupying the place of honor by his side. One of the court maids approaches and the Duke's nephew, Edward, falls in love with her instantly, and his love is reciprocated. The aged Duke notes the beautiful maiden and is also smitten by her charms. In his infatuation he sends his hunch-backed serf to her apartment commanding her immediate appearance before him. The cunning hunchback discovers that his master has been forestalled by the nephew, who is the accepted lover of Irma, the maid. His master, the Duke, is apprised of this fact, and when the girl appears before the Duke the old gallant immediately overwhelms her with his attentions, but she, in her righteous indignation, repulses him. The Duke is wrathy, and in his rage vows to win the frightened girl. She runs immediately to Edward and tells him of the occurrence. Edward is indignant and strides into the presence of his uncle, the Duke, demanding an explanation. There is a war of words, the nephew and the Duke growing excited, the hunchback fearing harm to himself stands aside with a drawn sword. The Duke coolly tells Edward he must renounce all hope of winning the maid. Angered to desperation, Edward draws his sword to attack the Duke, but is prevented by the hunchback. The Duke summons the guard and commends them to disarm his nephew and take him to the dungeon and torture him. To add to the cruelty of his purpose, the Duke has Irma seized, and taken to the cell where Edward is confined, and there a mock trial is held, and the nephew ordered to the torture chamber. During the time of the torture the hunchback is pacing quickly to and fro between the dungeon, reception room and the girl's chamber. The Duke in forms Irma that the price of the lover's life is herself. She refuses, and the trap-door is opened, showing the agonized girl her lover on the rack, being seared and tortured. She consents to sacrifice herself and the torture ceases. The Duke is satisfied at the result of his diabolical method of winning the girl. The hunchback is commanded to bring the girl to the bed-chamber of the Duke. Irma left alone in a fit of desperation, sears her face with a red-hot poker, horribly disfiguring her beautiful face. She accompanies the hunchback into the presence of the amorous old Duke, wearing a veil. The Duke lifting the veil is horrified at the face of the woman, who was once so beautiful. He renounces all pursuit of her and consents his nephew to appear in the audience chamber, where Irma is still veiled. The Duke announced to Edward that he must marry her, being possessed of the idea that the girl will be cast aside by Edward when he gazes on her once-beautiful face. Edward is all too willing, and raising the veil is shocked at the result of her sacrifice, but draws her towards him in a fond, loving embrace and leads her away; loving her in spite of her blemished face.
- Edith's grouchy father has no use for Billy, a mere "actor fellow." Dad has set his heart upon roping in the high-falutin' Lord Helpus, who is flat broke. To avoid being pestered by Billy, Edith is packed off to a seminary. She arrives as the principal is about to leave on a vacation. Dad tells the principal that Edith is a bit of a flirt. The principal telegraphs for her friend, Lydia, aged 45, to take her place. Lydia happens to be Billy's eldest sister. Expecting an engagement, Billy opens the telegram and decides to take the job. All goes well at the seminary until Lord Helpus arrives in New York, when Dad announces he's coming along with his Lordship to introduce Edith. Edith and Billy get married secretly and Lydia gets the job in the nick of time. Father's storm of abuse when sees Billy receive a sudden check when a wedding ring is thrust under his nose, and all they say when the see the battered and bewildered aristocrat is "Lord Help Us."
- Ebenezer Sage after a year of widowerhood decides to marry again. When the lady of his choice arrives in Eben's home town she is received with acclamation by Eben's fellow townsmen, but she has barely established herself in her new home before she evinces signs of bohemianism. She is musical and she likes cider not wisely, but too well, so well indeed that she succumbs to the influence of it. Eben's straight-laced neighbors are somewhat scandalized by the lady's free and easy manners. Eben himself finds it hard to tolerate them. However, in the long run the wife is cured of her propensity for cider and peace reigns in Eben's home.
- The lonely wife of the District Attorney believes that her husband doesn't love her anymore, as he seems too busy with work to pay any attention to her. She finds herself attracted to a seemingly nice young man named Rhodes, and soon believes that she is in love with him and makes plans to elope with him. What she doesn't know is that her new "suitor" is actually the head of a gang of thieves her husband and the local police department have been pursuing, which was the reason why he was spending so much time away from home. Complications ensue.
- In the Canadian woods live Jean Caumont, his wife, Marie, and their baby. One day Jean shoots a rabbit and picking it up, forgets to extract the empty shell and reload his revolver. In the evening of that day, he plays cards in a saloon with a member of the mounted police named Burke and accusing him of cheating, he springs to his feet and overturns the table. One of the bystanders, Louis Fabert, who hates Burke, immediately extinguishes the one light in the place and in the darkness a shot is fired and when another light is brought, Burke is found dead on the floor from a bullet wound. Jean is seized as the murderer by the bystanders. Two other mounted officers are summoned, who take charge of the case. They examine every revolver in the place and find all fully loaded with the exception of Jean's, which contains an empty shell. Before the arrival of the police, however, Louis Fabert had disappeared from the room. Then the trial takes place and Jean is awaiting the verdict. The verdict is "Guilty," and Jean is condemned to be hanged. After he goes out, Louis Fabert, who has attended the trial and has been tortured by remorse, rises and fiercely attacks the jury for having convicted Jean on merely circumstantial evidence, but is overpowered and thrown out of the court room. He then rushes off into the woods in the midst of a terrible blizzard and wanders about He falls exhausted near the door of Jean's cabin, with a cry for help. Marie hears the cry, goes out and drags him into the shelter of her house and revives him. As soon as Fabert realizes who it was that saved him, his remorseful feelings are redoubled and he tells Marie that it was he who shot Burke and not her husband. He then begs her to write at his dictation and he makes a full confession of his crime and signs it. She then puts on her snow shoes and starts out for the jail, She has a terrible journey and arrives at her destination after her husband has ascended the gallows, the awful noose has been tightened about his neck and the trap about to be sprung. The arrival of Marie, with Fabert's confession, of course changes the entire aspect of affairs and Jean is released and he and Marie go happily home to their baby. Fabert was never seen again, he having disappeared in the trackless wastes of snow.
- Picturesque old Lawrence Shea was quite a figure in his district. He was crippled as well as venerable, and he peddled shoe laces and other trifles for a living. His only possession of any consequence in this world was a small but precocious grandson, who tended the old man as best he could, and was himself tended in return. The little boy was thrifty, frugal and persevering, and so it fell that when one day old Lawrence was arrested for peddling without a license, the boy was able to come to the assistance of his grandfather by going to court and proffering payment of the fine, which the kindly judge refused to accept, and released the poor, old man. So the aged derelict and the small boy, so full of promise, returned home to work out their respective destinies in accordance with probabilities.
- Emerson Boyd is the owner of the Great Boyd Mills, a relentless scheming, grinding corporation, which employs child labor and disregards all laws of health and sanitation. He is also in control of the Boyd Chemical Company, another large corporation with the same greedy and heartless policy which turns out upon the public certain harmful and toxic medicines, among which is Saco-Ozone, a widely advertised cure for tuberculosis and pulmonary diseases. Back of the powerful arm of Emerson Boyd is David Duncan, general manager of the Boyd Mills. Duncan is also a crooked politician. He is in love with Eleanor, Boyd's daughter, who, however, is secretly engaged to Matthew Brand, one of the idle rich. Emerson Boyd reads a newspaper attack upon the Boyd Corporation and, in a great rage, calls Duncan to see what influence he can use as a political boss to muzzle the paper. Eleanor goes away and Brand runs across the newspaper article against her father. Alarmed by the facts set forth in the paper, Brand determines to investigate, and, calling upon Cole, the editor of the "Clarion," hears a story that makes him sick at heart. Then he learns that Boyd's political machine has muzzled the paper. Brand pays a visit to Boyd's factories, and is horrified at the unsanitary conditions. Brand visits the "Clarion" office and buys the paper, but retains Cole to help him. They start at once on an article that drives Boyd wild with rage when the paper comes from the press. Brand goes to call on Eleanor. At the same time Duncan and the detective are closeted with Boyd. While Brand is telling Eleanor of his campaign with the Tuberculosis Society to wipe out the dread disease the detective is telling Boyd that the man who is so bitterly opposing him and printing the vitriolic stories is none other than the quiet Matthew Brand, who has been courting his daughter. Boyd is astounded. Meanwhile, Eleanor has become so enthusiastic that she determines that her father must hear the story and hurries to the library, where Boyd is closeted with his hirelings, and begs him to come and listen to Matthew Brand. When Brand sees Boyd, the latter attacks him unsparingly and, refusing to grant him a hearing, orders him to leave the house and never return. Eleanor is astounded. The National Tuberculosis Society meets with failure, for, when Boyd learns of the proposed sanitarium, he orders the mayor to prevent it, fearing that it might hurt his patent medicine business. Following the dictates of his superior, Mayor Alrich replies that the finances of the town would not warrant such a measure. Meanwhile Boyd becomes interested in the persistent attack upon the horrible system of the great mills and inquires of Duncan as to the truth of the stories. The latter lies glibly. In the meantime, Eleanor has gone to the "Clarion'' office to see her sweetheart. Duncan calls, and Brand pushes Eleanor into an adjoining room, that she may hear what is said. Duncan threatens Brand to induce him to stop the damaging articles, but Brand defies him. Boyd is beginning to admire Brand, but Duncan plans to dynamite the "Clarion." Eleanor, becoming very ill, the old family physician is sent for, and, making a thorough examination, tells Boyd the crushing news that his daughter has symptoms of tuberculosis. Duncan arrives at the rendezvous where he learns that the police have become suspicious of the gangsters and they had retired to await his orders. Duncan is angered to the utmost over the hitch in the well-laid plans, and, calling them all the utmost cowards, takes the bomb himself and bids them follow. In the darkness of the rear of the "Clarion" office, Duncan sets the bomb and lights it, while on the inside, Brand and a helper are working over some copy. The bomb has a defective fuse, and a premature explosion takes place, killing Duncan, while the falling bricks and masonry seriously injure Brand. Boyd's family physician tells the money king that there are no places in Every-town for the proper treatment of tuberculosis, as Boyd and other corporation owners have persistently fought to keep out all sanitariums. Boyd thinks of his own remedy, and sends for a case of Saco-Ozone. He reads from the testimonials of its wonderful cures, but the family physician appears, and hurls it all from the window, telling him that it is harmful and poisonous. He then tells Boyd that Eleanor, to get well, must be sent to an open air sanitarium. When Boyd tells Eleanor of the doctor's suggestion, and offers her anything her heart desires, if she will only try to get well, he is told that her one wish is that he will send for Brand and listen to him. Boyd leads Brand to the library, where he listens to the other's talk on the existing evil conditions and of his efforts to prevent the spreading of tuberculosis. Boyd thereupon plans to reconstruct Every-town. Miracle upon miracle is accomplished by the enthusiastic money king, who sends his daughter to a sanitarium, where she ultimately recovers after receiving good care, fresh air, rest and wholesome food. The story ends one year later with a big banquet to celebrate a new and clean Every-town and, incidentally, the engagement of Eleanor and Brand.
- Young Dan Gardner is down-and-out. Arrested as a tramp, he is thrown into jail and forced to associate with disreputable characters. He is released with but a single coin in his pocket. Arriving at a bridge, he gazes into the water and his thoughts turn to suicide. He reaches into his pocket, extracts the coin, and flips it: Heads he dies; tails he lives. Fate is against him and he is about to carry out the decree when Farmer Barton drives on the scene. He's bound for the village to hire a man to assist him on his farm Dan is more than anxious to secure employment and accompanies the kind-hearted farmer home. Dan is fitted out with clothing and takes up his quarters in a detached cabin on the farm. Alice Barton, the farmer's rosy-cheeked daughter, has attracted the attention of Ed White, the sheriff who released Dan from jail. Dan and Alice are thrown much into each other's society and the new farm-hand loves her. Assisting her one day in the field where she has sprained her ankle, he realizes the truth, the difference in their stations, and resolves to leave the farm and go out into the world. He flips the coin and once more fate decrees that he should do that which is not satisfactory to him. The two thieves who were released from prison with him come to steal the farmer's money, and while Dan is temporarily absent from his cabin, Alice comes to bring him some socks she has darned. Ed White, the jealous sheriff, notices the action and mistrusts the girl of being unduly intimate with Dan and informs her parents. Dan arrests the scoundrels, holding them up at gunpoint and turns them over to the sheriff, but he's indignant at White's accusation and about to leave the farm when his deed of heroism is made clear to the farmer, who has implicit faith in his daughter. Dan and Alice have a pretty little love scene and Dan is welcomed by the honest old farmer as his prospective son-in-law, to the sheriff's discomfiture--he'd sought to prejudice the old man against him. All ends happily for Dan and he has at last found a home among kind, loving friends.