Advanced search

A deformed criminal mastermind plans to loot the city of San Francisco as well as revenge himself on the doctor who mistakenly amputated his legs.

Jim Rittenshaw is happily married to Daisy, or so he thinks. Richard Desborough, Jim's friend from his college days, becomes enamored of Daisy, who leads him on. Desborough lives by the creed "No God. No Sin. No future life." Desborough neglects his own wife and child. His wife Caroline goes to Rittenshaw and tells him what is going on. Rittenshaw then kills Desborough. However, before his spirit can be at rest, Desborough must make right the things he left wronged. He appears in visions to the various characters, even his dog, and one by one they are guided to perform acts that set conditions right. Eventually Flora confesses that she is the reason Desborough was murdered. When Desborough's wife recognizes him, she forgives him, and he is able to depart the earth.

Rudolph Klein, a German spy, tries to persuade his brother Herman, a trusted employee of the Spencer Steel Works, to blow up the munitions factory. When World War I breaks out, Spencer's son Graham decides to enlist in the army, but when his mother Natalie, a cold-hearted social butterfly, objects, he wavers in his decision. Rudolph persuades Herman that Graham is trying to seduce his daughter Anna, and, for revenge, Herman finally agrees to blow up the plant. Anna overhears the conspiracy and rushes to warn the Spencers, but gets caught in the explosion instead. Her death cements Graham's resolution to enlist and he goes off to war. Natalie then decides to leave Spencer, freeing him for Audrey Valentine, a widow who has lost her son at the front.

A young man who has proven a failure in business goes to Alaska and enters the salmon-fishing industry, in direct competition with the father of the woman he loves.

Impressed with Margaret Hill's singing ability, Al Levering takes her from the notorious dive in which she is performing and pays for her musical education. Just as she is about to join an opera company, Levering is arrested for embezzlement and Margaret, out of gratitude, promises to marry him when he is released. Later, Margaret meets and falls in love with nobleman John Ordham. Separated during a shipwreck, the two lose track of each other and five years pass, during which time Margaret has become a famous opera star. Discovering Margaret while attending one of her performances, Ordham breaks his engagement to Mabel Cutting and plans to marry the singer. In the meantime, Levering escapes from prison and arrives at Margaret's house. Anxious to save Ordham from scandal, the singer agrees to go away with Levering. Her sacrifice is averted by Scotland Yard detectives, who shoot Levering, thus freeing Margaret to marry her nobleman.

Upon observing the adoration that track star Culver Covington receives, his friend, J. Wallingford Speed, decides to impress Helen Blake by also posing as a sprinter. Meanwhile, when Roberta Keap decides to retire to her Western ranch while awaiting her divorce, Speed, Helen and various friends accompany her while her husband Donald takes up residence at the neighboring Gallagher ranch. A rivalry springs up between the two ranches, and Helen persuades Speed to challenge the Keap homestead in a footrace. Matters become serious when Roberta and Mrs. Gallagher bet their entire holdings on the race. It begins to look ominous for the Keaps when their star sprinter develops a lame foot, thus placing the burden of winning on Speed. Miraculously, the intense competition of the race spurs Speed to win both his match and Helen's love, while also accomplishing the reconciliation of Donald and Roberta.

In an effort to uphold his distinguished family's financial position, Henry Guion embezzled $400,000, and is now on the verge of ruin. When engineer Peter Devenant, a former suitor of Henry's daughter Olivia, returns East after making his fortune and hears of the family's dire circumstances, he offers to repay the funds. Olivia, now engaged to British nobleman Colonel Ashley, objects to his offers initially, but finally reconsiders to save her father's reputation. Abhorred that his fiancee is indebted to a former suitor, Col. Ashley breaks the engagement. Hearing of her niece's difficulties, Olivia's wealthy aunt, Mme. De Melcourt, intercedes and refunds Peter's money, forcing her niece to realize that her true affections lie with the young engineer rather than with the haughty nobleman.

A tricky woman criminal, in league with an international crook, falls in love with the honest detective tracking them.

At a boys' boarding school, young Stoddard and his pal "The Wop" develop a scheme to get rich after "The Wop" finds a pearl in an oyster in a restaurant.

In Germany, young Marie Louise's foster parents commit suicide rather than face charges of treason. Marie emigrates to the US, but when she gets there she is met with contempt and suspicion because of her German nationality. She meets Davidge, who owns a shipbuilding company, and persuades him to get her a job in his shipyards, so she can prove her dedication to the war effort. One day at work she is approached by a man named Verrinder, who is in actuality a German spy. He and some fellow spies are planning to sabotage the shipyards and want Marie to help them.

When a young man courteously scratches the back of a young woman at the opera, she sees in him the chivalric sort who might be able to aid her in a problem which threatens her marriage.

A young woman, a tenderfoot in the Alaskan mining country, falls in with the Curly Kid and his gang, unaware of their criminal activities. The gang members come to love her and she in turn leads them toward a better life.