Uncle Tom and Eliza's child are sold to Haley, a slave dealer. When Eliza learns that her son is to be taken from her, she steals the boy and runs away.
While vacationing with his father Edward at a Palm Beach hotel, George Welston becomes smitten with Eve Pendleton, the daughter of Edward's business rival Judson. After George prevents Pendleton from getting an option on a deal by racing in his car with his father's $100,000 deposit, Pendleton favors Eve's other suitor, Arthur Trask, whose gentlemanly manner conceals his intent to rob Eve and her wealthy friends.
The Woman Pays is a 1914 silent film that follows the story of an "innocent society woman" who finds herself in a difficult predicament.
The waif came to live with the unsuspecting old shoemaker. Then a homeless newsboy followed. One friendly heart bred another. That was too much for the proud, wealthy widowed sister. She declared she would have no orphans wished on her. Stilling her conscience, she took the children's legacy, but one Sunday morning after the war, peace silenced all conflict.
At her dying mother's bedside, Kate promises to bring her young brother into manhood. Eager to gain possession of the farm by marrying Kate, the foreman intends to get rid of the boy. He brings a physician to prove him demented. Kate refuses to believe this. Later, the foreman is a worthless husband to another and for the sake of the son that might have been hers, Kate demonstrates the golden rule.
While studying in Paris, Princess Oluf of Kosnia (Andree LeJon) befriends an American girl, Ruth Townley (Clayton), and gives her a locket bearing her name and the royal coat of arms. When Ruth accidentally drops the locket off a balcony, it is returned by a handsome stranger. Back home in Kosnia, Oluf wants to get married, but her choice of mate is challenged by Valdemir, the ruler of a neighboring principality (Warner Baxter).
Miss Edna White is very much grieved when she has not a suitable gown to wear at a party. Mrs. Donald, a wealthy customer, calls and asks Edna to try the dress on she has bought for her inspection. It answers her purposes, and Edna is instructed to deliver the dress that night, on her way home.
Patience and Anne, two spinsters of the old school of aristocratic birth, have managed to keep up appearances under very trying conditions and with limited means, until they are reduced to such circumstances they are obliged to sell their household furnishing, of antique pattern, to raise the necessary "wherewithal" to live and pay the mortgage off the old home.
Mrs. Pearson is a little different from most mothers, at least in her general appearance, for she has that sweetness and calmness of disposition, which is characteristic of the Quakeress. Lois, her only child, does not inherit her mother's sedate and quiet temperament, apparently she is no different from other girls, quite natural, and does not object to the attentions paid her by John Harmon, who is very much in love with her.
Rose Leigh is a young schoolteacher. She sees a paragraph in the paper, saying that in a certain small village they have had in six months, three teachers (men), and all have left because the boys are so unruly and impossible. She resolves to try the experiment of giving them a woman teacher, and applies for the situation. The trustees of the school, who are at their wits' end, gladly accept the offer.
The leader of "The Sons of the Brazen Joss," one of the Tongs, or Chinese social organizations, is murdered by Moy Wong, cunning leader of The Four Grains of Rice," a Tong of higher class and bitter enemies of the "Sons." Sworn to vengeance, the "Sons" await an opportunity to get even.
Successful author Dane Ashley learns he has inherited an estate in a small village. Traveling to see his property Dane sees a crowd of children tormenting a young girl. He rescues the girl, but she vanishes through the door in the separating wall between his house and the next. Intrigued he investigates and learns that she is a Miss Virginia Carlton and rumored to be crazy. Disbelieving the rumors as to Virginia's insanity, Dane contrives a meeting and in time they fall in love. Virginia confides that it is her twin sister Helen who has had a mental breakdown after a traumatic incident and the loss of her beloved. In time all is made aright.
Mark Truitt dreams of becoming a steel magnate, so he leaves his home in the country and his sweetheart Unity and settles in Pittsburgh. He starts out as a laborer in the steel mill but soon becomes a foreman and then a superintendent. Mark lives with the shop foreman, whose daughter Kazia falls in love with him. Truitt, however, returns alone to his hometown and builds his own mill. Wealthy now, he marries Unity, but money changes her, so the couple gets a divorce. In the end, Mark goes back to Pittsburgh, finds Kazia, who has never stopped loving him, and marries her.
The old gardener, attracted by the ducks' antics, goes to the lake to find a basket with a baby in it. He becomes her guardian but passes away when she is fourteen, leaving her the house and garden. Beloved by the woodsman Jean, one day Lionel, a famous painter, approaches her to be his model, and she accepts. Eventually she finds herself torn between the two men.
A hunchback, sworn to revenge against a woman who rejected him, lures her stepdaughter Elaine to the stage and assists her to become a dancer. Her stepmother goes to see her dance where the hunchback murders her goes mad and falls off a cliff to his death. John Butler, who is loved by Elaine, is accused of killing him, but Elaine clears him of the charge by proving the hunchback was the murderer of her stepmother.
Tragedy in the Snow
Young marrieds Paul, the Viscount De Sallure, and his bride Florence are in financial straits. Florence’s inheritance is available to her only if she separates from her husband so the pair concoct a scheme to give that appearance. Problems emerage when Paul seems to be taken the ploy to heart with Mlle. Fifi but all turns out well in the end.
Hosiah Howe struggles to earn his living on a farm that lies in the shadow of a wealthy summer resort. Visiting the resort are Dr. Rand, his daughter Virginia, and a scoundrel named Ward Andrews. One day Andrews stops at the Howe farm and discovers that the land contains water with a highly-exploitable medicinal value. Smelling money, Andrews convinces Dr. Rand to buy an option on the farm, then runs away to the city with Hosiah's innocent sister Martha.
A young wife slaves for her cad of a husband. When she learns that he has been "stepping out" with his secretary, she gets revenge by going after the attentions of her husband's employer.
Annette is in love with Sheriff André Porel, but her father Gaston, promises her to Paul Gerard, after Gerard witnesses Gaston kill Indian Charlie. Despondent, Annette considers suicide, but Gerard drinks the poison by mistake. Annette is convicted of murder and is being led to her execution by André when an avalanche buries the gallows and Gaston. The villagers take this as a sign of Annette's innocence; she is released and marries André.