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Richard of Gloucester uses manipulation and murder to gain the English throne.

John R. Bradley, a wealthy ship builder, seeks a title for his daughter, Miriam. Mr. Bradley introduces Baron de Coverly, a fortune hunter to Miriam. The baron becomes an ardent suitor and after a short courtship Miriam consents to be his wife. They start for a long cruise on Mr. Bradley's new schooner, Carpathia. Captain Hastings is taking his son, Gilbert, a rising young artist, on the cruise. Miriam and Gilbert become friends and the jealousy of the baron is aroused. During a drunken frenzy the baron sets fire to the schooner. Mr. Bradley and Miriam escape in a boat; the baron jumps into the sea and causes the disappearance of the father. The girl left helpless, Gilbert, grabbing a piece of wreckage, binds her to it and starts his battle for life. With the dawn of day Gilbert guides the now unconscious form on the spar to a cave of rocks. Fate casts the baron upon the same island. Gilbert makes a bow and arrow with his pen knife. Sighting a duck, he raises his bow and watches the arrow strike true, swings a rope across the chasm and begins to cross hand over hand. The baron is surprised to see the duck fall at his feet, looks for the archer, and sees Gilbert crossing the rope. Hatred and revenge takes hold of the baron and he cautiously creeps to the edge of the rocks, where he begins to sever the rope. Gilbert is cast upon the rocks below. Taking the duck the baron looks for shelter. Seeing a fire he goes cautiously forward and finds Miriam. She tells him Gilbert was also saved. A look of fear comes across his face as Miriam leaves to look for Gilbert. Gilbert, staggering along the road, hears her coming. As she tells him of the baron he realizes who cut the rope, but ever manly, he does not tell of the baron's cowardly act. Miriam looks to the baron for protection, tut his selfishness shows his true character. Gilbert shows her many acts of kindness which rouses the jealousy of the baron. The selfishness of the baron causes Miriam to break the engagement and seek the protection of Gilbert. With growing trust and confidence, Miriam acknowledges her love for Gilbert. Gilbert leaves to explore the island. Aflame with jealousy, the baron follows him. Gilbert discovers a very old recluse, the lone inhabitant of the island, and after efforts. Gilbert gains his confidence and the old man tells his story. The baron listens but disappears as the old man finishes his tale. The baron follows the old man and sees him fondling his treasure. The baron watches the old man close the chest and totter away toward his hut. Seizing the treasure, the baron is gloating over his find, when the old hermit, looking back, muttering over his treasure, sees the baron. Seizing his stick, he attacks him. Weak and feeble, he is overcome by the baron and his body is cast from the cliffs into the sea. The baron running from the cliffs, his mind aflame with the deed, is confronted by the form of the old hermit. In fear and terror the baron flees from the form of the old man. Reaching the place where the treasure is hidden he begins to gloat over it. As he fondles it the accusing finger of the old man is again pointed at him and the thread of reason again is strained. He runs from the place as the old man slowly fades away. Encountering Gilbert on the way he makes a murderous attack on him. Gilbert watches his chance and by his superior training gains the upper hand over the baron. During the fight for his life Gilbert hears Miriam calling as though in need of help. By a carefully aimed blow Gilbert leaves the baron on the ground and goes to see what is happening to Miriam. Standing at her hut she sees a thin line of smoke against the horizon. Not believing her eyes she watches until the vessel is clear against the sky. Wild with joy Miriam is still calling when Gilbert comes to her. Showing him the vessel in the distance they hurry to the flag station. Snatching the flag out of the ground Gilbert waves it wildly. It is sighted by the passing vessel. The captain orders a boat lowered and they start to rescue them. The baron, hearing the shouts, comes on the cliff, sees the boat taking Miriam and Gilbert aboard. Shouting and calling, he is about to go forward when the form of the old man raises to forbid him. The baron becomes a raving maniac. On the vessel we leave Miriam and Gilbert flooded in light from a beautiful sunset, watching the fading of the land of the lost.

Mazie King, an adventuress, through the kindly patronage of Mr. Niel, a society man, is enabled to be a guest at an anniversary reception. Taking advantage of the opportunity she lays her plans to get away with some valuable jewels. Jim O'Bryan, the tool, enters stealthily by way of a side window. He then waylays one of the house butlers and manages to change clothes with him, after which it is easy to get about unrecognized. In the guise of a butler and under the direction of Mazie Jim finally gets possession of the jewels. In making his escape from the house he is discovered by Detective O'Bryan and is wounded. Arriving at the rendezvous, where his partner in crime is waiting, they undertake to divide the spoils, but an argument arises and the wounded crook is forcibly ejected, minus the spoils, from the shack. Ill from loss of blood he manages to reach the home of Tom and Molly Ryan, where he seeks protection, and is finally hidden in a clothes closet. In the meantime the detective arrives at the home of Tom, and although they are innocent, he arrests them. The detectives then return to the river front and finally locate the shack, but Travis, another crook, and Mazie manage to escape and get away on a steam launch, they took without the owner's permission. The detective follows on a river tug, finally overtaking and capturing the pair. At the police court, Tom and Molly, the innocent, and Travis and Mazie, the guilty, are brought face to face, but no evidence is available against Travis and Mazie, when suddenly Tim O'Bryan staggers in and acknowledges his part of the robbery at the same time accusing Travis and Mazie and clearing Tom and Molly of the charge. The finale is very effective, especially when Detective O'Bryan learns it was his own son whom he had wounded and was the actual thief.

Tom, the son of Mr. Wright, a retired business man, leaves to complete his medical course at college. Mr. Wright accompanies his son to the depot, where he meets an old friend of his, who is sending his nephew, Bob Farrell, to the same college. A year later, Bob loses the last cent of his allowance in a game of cards, and returning to his room he discovers where Tom leaves his money. He is caught in the act by Tom, and the next morning Bob is expelled from college and disowned by his uncle. Left to shift for himself, Bob chances to meet a man by the name of Falk, who is chief of a band of smugglers. Falk offers him a position, and Bob accepts. In the meantime Tom has received his diploma; he introduces James King, connected with the Secret Service, to his sister Nell. One night a week later Tom receives an urgent call. Jumping into a taxi he orders the driver to make haste, and in turning a corner they strike a woman. Tom assists her home and discovers that she is the proprietress of a gambling house. While attending to the injured woman, Tom is surprised to hear the voice of his former roommate, Bob Farrell, who is still a patronizer of the card table. Farrell offers the doctor his hand, but he turns away, which aggravates Farrell. Suddenly a confusion is heard in the other room. Farrell realizes that the house is being raided, and while attempting to escape he is prevented by a policeman. In the tussle Farrell draws a gun, fires, and mortally wounds the policeman. The doctor, re-entering the room, stumbles over the body of the dead policeman, and stooping down to examine the man, picks up the gun which was dropped in the tussle. He is found in that position by the inspector, who has captured Farrell. Farrell accuses the doctor of the shooting. Next morning Tom's father reads the report that his son is held for murder and succumbs to the shock. At the trial Farrell's false testimony and the circumstantial evidence prove fatal to Tom, who is sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment. While in prison, Tom writes a letter to his sister, requesting her to seek the services of James King in watching Farrell, whom he believes fired the fatal shot. Nell, delivering the letter, sees Falk talking to a Chinaman in the same building, and she mentions the fact to King. He is interested, as he has just received information that a clever band of smugglers has been operating on the border. He reads Tom's letter and leaves with the girl, who stops him at the corner, where she recognizes Farrell talking to the same Chinaman. King's suspicions are aroused. He orders Nell home and shadows Farrell to the back door of a saloon, where he is discovered by the bartender, who makes an outcry and springs upon him. The noise attracts the attention of Farrell, and one of his gang who hastens into the room. But the detective breaks away. The next morning King intercepts an important telegram sent to Falk from Farrell. In the meantime Tom is dumbfounded to see one of the guards struck down by an outraged prisoner. Left alone with the fallen guard, he dons the guard's suit and makes his escape. King tracks Falk to a railway station, where Falk steps into a waiting auto and starts off, followed by the detective in another auto, which breaks down; he starts after Falk on foot. He sees an automobile and recognizes the occupant as Tom's sister, Nell. He quickly explains the situation and jumps in and starts in pursuit. Upon arriving at a cross road they see Falk's machine stop at a building, and the detective makes his way to bushes across the way from the house; he recognizes Falk and Farrell and two smugglers placing two Chinamen into the automobile. Hastily retreating he comes back with Nell, and arrives just as the machine starts off with the Chinamen. Telling the girl to remain and watch the building. King returns to the machine and follows the smugglers, who recognize him and open fire on him. In the wild chase which ensues the machines are heading toward the railroad track, where a freight train is seen approaching. The smugglers' machine is overtaken by the train, and the Chinamen killed, but the smugglers crawl away from the ruins of the wreck to the nearby woods. Tom suddenly comes upon the wounded smuggler, who begs him to assist him to the rear entrance of the cave. The detective, returning to where he left Nell, finds her gone. Fearing for her safety, he creeps up to the building and peers through the window, but is discovered by Falk and Farrell, who capture him and drag him to the cave. After binding the detective, Falk orders Farrell, who is under the influence of liquor, to watch the detective to see that he does not escape. One of the gang tells him that he has captured a girl hiding in the bushes watching the saloon, and Farrell upon being shown the girl, recognizes Nell and he drunkenly brags to her that he is the man who had shot the policeman and sent her brother to prison. The doctor, finding the detective, sets him free, and he tells Tom that his sister is a prisoner in the cave; he goes for help. Farrell returns and recognizes Tom. A struggle ensues, and Nell, hearing it, runs out of a chamber in the cave just as Farrell and the smuggler are binding the doctor. Nell tries to drag off Farrell, who turns on her; she scratches his face, which infuriates Farrell, and he and the smuggler drag her out of the cave, put her in a barrel and send it over the falls. The doctor's cries for help are heard by the injured smuggler, who, out of gratitude, crawls on hands to him and releases him; he pursues Farrell and Nell. In the meantime King is on his way to get help. He comes upon Falk, captures him, ties him to a tree, and then proceeds to the cave. As they enter the injured smuggler points to the opening of the cave; they leave in pursuit of the others and arrive just as the girl is put into the barrel and sent on its death dealing journey. The doctor and Farrell struggle right on the brink of a precipice, and Farrell, losing hold, goes headforemost into the falls. The detective meanwhile runs below the falls, and with the help of some workmen on the bank, pulls in the barrel and extricates the girl, unconscious but alive. The mother, son, daughter and detective are happy in the extreme at their reunion.

When some criminals kidnap a rich man's daughter and nurse. A wise detective goes under cover as a harmless old drunk into the Italian-immigrant ghetto where they're being held.