Lacking patients, Dr. Sumner sets himself up as a psychologist and opens a sanitarium, becoming quite successful. Virginia Zelva, a clairvoyant who wants to get into what she regards as a racket, signs on as his nurse. Sumner falls in love with Virginia and, after numerous complications, wins her for his bride.
When she is orphaned Lily Upjohn, from the London slums, becomes a chorus girl at the Pandora Theatre. During a performance a scene painter drops some paint near Lily and her screams prompt the show's composer to create a hit song "Mind the Paint Girl," which Lily makes an overnight sensation. She is courted by young officer Nicholas Jeyes and by Lord Francombe. Driving both men to near ruin she promises marriage to both but in the end choses neither.
Wealthy John Steele has a handsome young son, Frank, on whom he pins his hopes. But riches lead Frank not into social standing and duty, but into depravity, drug-addiction, criminal activity, and finally to tragedy.
The Northwest Mounties are after Cheyenne Harry for the murder of an Indian boy, and the only witness to the crime is a priest - who can't tell what he saw because the real killer, Black Michael, has confessed to him.
Secret Serviceman Allen takes a job at Bart Stevens' mine in order to find evidence proving that Stevens is a mail robber named Smoke Gublen. He does - but by then, he is in love with the man's sister - and to make things harder, Stevens saves his life...
Rustler Pete Sontag kidnaps Merlin Warner after he kills her father. Pete, a drug smuggler who uses his saloon as a front, coerces Merlin though beatings to become the dancer Mexicali Mae. She meets and falls in love with morphine addict Joe Blanchard but Pete frames Joe for a murder that he committed, forcing Mae to hide Joe in a homestead in the hills. After many struggles, Joe is cured of his addiction and proposes to Mae. She accepts, but when his mother and fiancée Eleanor arrive, they offer her money to leave, Mae refuses the money but becomes convinced that she is not good enough for Joe and writes to him that she is returning to the saloon. Joe learning of his mother’s plot arrives at the saloon and in the resultant fight Pete is killed. Mae and Joe are reconciled.
Maida Carrington goes to the city with gambler Jack Morgan but flees after witnessing him stealing money from Steve Boyce. Joining the Salvation Army, she meets a now destitute Steve in need of help. In time they fall in love and Steve proposes, but Maida feels guilt that her past association caused his downfall. She determines to find Morgan and reclaim Steve’s money, but when she does, he refuses, and a struggle follows resulting in Maida accidentally shooting Morgan with his own gun. The sheriff, aware of the gambler reputation, releases her and she and Steve marry.
After her family is financially ruined in a lawsuit by John Rutherford of Wall Street, Carol Raymond leaves Virginia to set matters straight. Three weeks later, after marrying Bruce Armitage, the now deceased Rutherford's nephew and heir, Carol tells her father the story in a letter: When she arrived, she succeeded in making Armitage fall in love with her. However, Armitage's twin brother, Alan Rutherford, and an adventuress lured her to a roadhouse. After she drank much champagne, Rutherford, appearing as Armitage, attempted to assault her until she threatened to jump from a balcony. When she saw both Rutherford and Armitage together, she learned that it was the disinherited twin brother who pursued the suit. She then married Armitage. As she finishes the letter, Rutherford, after binding Armitage in the cellar, enters her bedroom, but Armitage escapes just in time to save Carol from Rutherford's embrace.
An orphan named Innocence leaves her county home after her foster-father dies. She travels to the city and makes a living as a novelist. Subsequently, she has an affair with a painter named Amadis de Jocelyn, who later dumps her.
Rose Jorgenson, a poor tenement dweller who lives with her daughters Rose and Norma in a slum and whose husband is in prison, finds out that he is to be electrocuted. Distraught, she commits suicide. The children are adopted--Rose by the wealthy Judge Keith, who brings her up in the lap of luxury, and Norma by a poor neighbor, who raises her in the squalid tenement she was born in. After they reach adulthood Norma is hired as an assistant to the shady hypnotist Caistro, who also knows Rose and notices the strong resemblance between the two. Complications ensue.
Henry intends to leave his wife for Mrs. Lenning but seeks to retain custody of their son, leading to a situation where they attempt to force Mrs. Jackson to run away, allowing him to secure a divorce.
Author Gibbons sitting on the porch with Silas Hawkins says there is a story in everything, but the landlord disagrees. He says there is no story in the passing funeral of Good-for-Nothing Gallagher. Silas Hawkins spins a tale of lost love, bravery and betrayal, and that is the story of the funeral of Gallagher.
Der Pfarrer von Kirchfeld
David Graham has become so absorbed in his work that he seems to have no time for his wife, Amy, and she has been having fun with Captain Guy Bracebury. Things continue this way for a while, until Dr. Meredith, the Grahams' family doctor, finds out about all this.
Farmer Leo Bannister is obsessed with his neighbor Auriole Praed, but she finds him too strong. She travels to Paris and marries a young painter, but Bannister plots to use an actress to win her back.
Yale graduate, Yale Durant, facing financial ruin and contemplating suicide, discovers his fiancée's father is also facing ruin; he tries to save them but ends up in a perilous situation, getting caught up in a family feud and a rival's plot.
A Lady stops her daughter from eloping with a farmer, takes away her baby, and makes her marry a Lord.
Young Virgie's father, Captain Herbert Cary, is a Confederate soldier. During the Civil War, Virgie, along with her slave Uncle Billy and her mother, are caught between the lines. While Virgie's father is fighting, her family is visited by Union soldiers, including Colonel Morrison, who is assigned to capture her father. Virgie inadvertently helps Morrison, by singing "Dixie" to him and then hiding her father. In the end, Virgie and her father are able to escape, and Virgie even sings "Polly Wolly Doodle" with the Union soldiers and hugs her father, now a Union officer,
Tomboy Jane Dwight’s father strikes oil on their farm and becomes smitten with young millionaire James Thornton when he comes to purchase the land. She heads off to a posh boarding school, returning a year later with fancy airs thinking it will impress James, but he preferred the original Jane. Will she realize in time to keep his interest?
European peasants Albert & Louise are separated by war with Albert only able to return once during the conflict. While he is away the enemy’s captain seizes their home as his headquarters and forces himself on Louise. When the war ends shortly afterwards Albert is overjoyed at the news of a birth of a son but begins to question when he finds that Louise has rejected the child. Forcing a confession from her about her molestation he reacts with vengeance towards the child but Louise realizing the boy is blameless acts to protect him and the three form a family.