The Serpent

Disappointed that her daughter has not married into money, a mother meddles trying to make the girl unhappy with life in her new home, the economical housing development known as Honeymoon Flats.

Vera, a woman of questionable character places a wager that she will be able to destroy a happy marriage and inveigle the husband into becoming her lover. She succeeds to the extent of a midnight tryst in the family's home, witnessed by the couple's 12-year-old daughter. Her resolve weakened by the child's piteous pleas, Vera deliberately loses the wager, freeing the sadder-but-wider husband to return to his forgiving wife.

Rich club-man Kirk Rainsford, attends a charity bazaar at the home of Marjorie Vail, the society girl he hopes to marry. A fire breaks out among the booths and everyone is pulled to safety except little Peggy, Marjorie's kid sister. Marjorie pleads with Kirk to save the child, but he lacks the courage, and Randolph Sherman, Kirk's rival for Marjorie's affections, plays the hero part. For Kirk's public display of cowardice, he is disowned by his father and rejected by Marjorie, who soon marries Sherman. Kirk drifts to the South Seas, eventually landing in Manila, where he becomes a derelict. When Lillie, a fellow drifter, is roughly handled in a bar, Kirk goes to her assistance; she expresses appreciation for his bravery and soon effects his regeneration through her faith in him. Kirk and Lillie journey to the interior, and they obtain work on a plantation recently purchased by Randolph Sherman. During a native uprising, Sherman is killed, and Kirk saves Marjorie from certain death.

In a small town in Indiana in the 1890s, the domineering and ambitious Mrs. Biddle arranges a marriage between her spoiled daughter Thelma and the town's prize catch, harvester David Langston, who is wedded to the soil. David is friends with orphan Ruth Jameson and, although she is in love with him, he eventually gives in to the machinations of Mrs. Biddle and consents to marry Thelma. Meanwhile, technological advances come to town, including its first gasoline buggy, galvanic battery, and metal bathtub fitted with running water. When Mrs. Biddle tries to convince David to give up the farming life and join her husband in real estate, Mr. Biddle, hen-pecked and dissatisfied with city life, warns David against selling his farm.

Secretly engaged to Bernice, Albert becomes infatuated with the gypsy Mina. The rich and jealous Renard is in love with Mina enticing her father to take revenge on Albert. A scuffle ensues during which Renard accidentally stabs Mina's father but allows everyone to believe Albert guilty of the crime. Bernice hears of the events and breaks off her engagement to Albert. He is pursued by the police until a last-minute confession saves him.

While stopping at the Bronzegilt Hotel, Slick and Slim, two high-class and well-dressed burglars, overhear Baroness Vodka tell the manager she wishes to place her million-dollar box of jewels in the hotel vault, which is set into the wall at the end of the hallway. The manager accordingly escorts her to the big safe, and she watches him place the little box inside. Next morning the manager goes to cash a check for the Baroness, and finds the whole vault has completely vanished.

While touring Algiers, Mrs. Osborne and her daughter, Winnifred, make the acquaintance of Schuyler Van Norden, a young American banker. At a little booth, Mrs. Osborne purchases "The Moonstone of Fez." On their way to their hotel, Winnifred and her mother are accosted by a beggar, who seizes Mrs. Osborne's hand and insists upon telling her fortune. The following night they retire in adjoining rooms. In the morning, Winnifred is frightened to find her mother has mysteriously disappeared.

Returning home from a matinee, Ralph Brent, a poor actor, finds his step-child dead. The child's mother returns intoxicated, having purchased drink instead of medicine for the child, with the money he had given her. He accuses her of causing the little one's death, and snatching the bottle of liquor from which she is about to drink, throws it away. Infuriated, she springs at her husband with a bread knife, stumbles and accidentally kills herself. Fearing that he will be suspected of murder. Brent hastily makes up in the disguise of an old man and leaves the house.

A British beachcomber who lives on a Dutch colonial island in the South Seas. He is banished after missionaries claim he corrupts the native women, but he later tries to save them during a typhoid outbreak.

Pretty Patience Thompson, a "girl with a singing soul," lives with her cold-hearted and avaricious father, Jeff Thompson, on their Indiana farm. Her life of drudgery is brightened by John, the hired hand, but when he asks for her hand in marriage, the old man flies into a rage and discharges him. Soon an aged but wealthy widower courts Patience, and although she still loves John, "Old Jeff" orders her to marry the widower, claiming that a father's will is the law.

In order to inherit their uncle's property, two cousins must marry each other.

The black sheep of the family is protected by his sister.

A young woman does strange things, which are explained when it is discovered she is a sleep walker.

Hunter Ross deserts his wife and child and she is driven to the extremes of poverty, being obliged in sell pencils to keep the spark of life in herself and little one. Fearing the worst, she writes a note, saying, "I am the wife of Hunter Ross, and this is our child," pinning the note on the child's dress in the hope that someone will find and care for the little girl, in case anything should happen to herself.

Harry Brownley, son of a rich New Yorker, reads a newspaper account of U.S. Revenue officers' plan to raid an illicit distillery in the Tennessee mountains. The young fellow asks his father's permission to join the forces under Sheriff Jackson, of Pikesville, Tennessee. The father reluctantly consents and the son starts out to satisfy his adventurous nature.

Carleton Holt locates at one of the mountain inns. On one of his daily trips he hears a mountain maid singing in the woods. Jumping from his horse, he makes his way to where she is sitting to find her holding a bunch of arbutus in her hands. He is fascinated. It is mutual.

Maude Brooks is in love with an aviator, George Pinckney. Maude tells her father that she intends to marry George, as he is a splendid fellow, but her father will not listen to her. So she decides to elope. Maude meets George at the machine and together they fly up into the air. Mr. Brooks, who has been apprised of his daughter's intentions, starts in pursuit.

A mountaineer, who has been shot by a pursuing sheriff, is concealed by a mountain girl in her cabin. When the sheriff arrives, she gives him whiskey, while secretly removing the bullets from his gun.

Fred Hart, a young businessman, unknown to his wife, draws their savings from the bank with the purpose of buying a home as a birthday surprise for his wife. He finds a real estate agent who has just the kind of a home he is looking for. He has to visit the agent's home during the course of his business transactions, he becomes well acquainted with the agent's family. The real estate man, a camera fiend, suggests to Fred his taking a picture of him and his family. Fred is agreeable and the agent gives him a copy of the picture. Fred puts it in his pocket and returns home to his wife.

Mrs. Smartly thinks she is too fleshy and decides to take a course of treatment. She consults her maid, who recommends a beauty doctor, and the doctor in return recommends a course of exercises and appliances. She follows it regularly, but she still grows fatter and fatter until, disgusted, she gives up these fads and fancies and goes back to a normal state