Lieutenant Commander Colton, U.S.N., is in love with Caroline Austen, daughter of a prominent political power in Washington. Colton has a rival in James Archer, a journalist of prominence, unscrupulous and secretly in league with the Ruanian Ambassador, who is endeavoring to obtain for his country inside information as to the United States naval resources.
Charles RichmanLt. Commander Colton
James MorrisonGilman Austen
Anders RandolfJ.F. Austin
L. Rogers LyttonThe Ruanian ambassador
Zena KeefeEthel McMasters
Charles WellesleyCaptain McMastersThomas R. MillsJames Archer
Eleanor WoodruffCaroline AustenWhat is more miserable than love-blighted life? For the heart that truly loves can never forget. Such is the sad fate of the hero of this Biograph story.
Lydia Jansen is happily married to a young customs inspector, but she harbors a dark secret. She is addicted to smoking opium or in slang parlance “hop.” To keep her secret, she willingly pays the blackmail her maid extorts from her having learned of Lydia’s habit through her own fiancée who is part of the ring importing the devil’s brew. Something unknown to all is that the operation is run by Lydia’s father an important politician in the city where this all occurs. As her husband’s investigation tightens the noose on the organization Lydia faces a crisis.
Miles Machree (J. Warren Kerrigan) meets Irish-American Sheila Lynch (Fritzi Brunette) when she travels through Ireland with her father (James O. Barrows). Soon after the Lynch's return to the States, Miles follows, and through his uncle's connections, gets a job on the New York City police force.
After Jeanette becomes the mistress of the ambitious Jean du Barry, he marries her off to one of his cousins so that she has an entre to the royal court. She soon becomes the favorite of the King and Jean du Barry becomes a regular around the court too. But all this is disturbed when Madame du Barry falls for Conte Brissac of the King's Guard. Jean du Barry's attempts to expose her affair only get him banished from the court.
Thinking that her husband is paying more attention to his work and to their little daughter, Nina, than to her, Cleo Morin runs away with Henri Mordan. On the afternoon of their elopement, Morin, who is a ballet master, is seriously injured on the stage, and the doctor tells him that his spine is so affected that he will never be able to walk again.
A wealthy young fellow during vacation becomes infatuated with a poor country girl.
Though her father forbids her to marry Jack Harvey, a poor young artist, Molly Wilson becomes his wife and goes away with him to another town. Bessie, the eldest daughter, an attractive widow with two baby boys and a baby girl, pleads with her father in Molly's behalf, but he is obdurate.
Irked by the success of a brassy nightclub owner. her rivals set out to drive her out of business, and frame her for a murder in the bargain.
Mary Boyne, who made shirts at four dollars a week, had no place for love in her life - only despair and hate for the son of the man who had plunged her family into deepest distress. Peter Kenwitz loved Mary, but because he was a mathematician and a pessimist by trade, his love was as hopeless as her chance for happiness.
Albert Jordan, publishing house manager, lavishes his salary on his adored wife, Rita, and little daughter Edna. She is a churchgoing woman, while his home and his family is his religion. While returning home one day, Jordan sees his little daughter in the path of an auto. He runs to snatch her from instant death. He saves her but is seriously injured himself.
When Edith Graham returns from school to live with her father, Lieutenant Graham, at a Northwest Mounted Police post in Hudson's Bay, she finds herself courted by two suitors, Corporal John Emerson and Reginald Annesley, the latter of whom is a wealthy purchasing agent for the post. Annesley however is also involved with the half-breed Marie. When Marie tells him she is carrying his child Annesley kills her and attempts to frame Emerson. However, Edith is suspicious and sets out to find the truth.
A gang of crooks are employed to get possession of valuable papers of international importance, held by the French Ambassador, Vicomte de Jarlais. They are also instructed to get the Ambassador out of the way and make it appear that he has committed suicide. His mysterious disappearance arouses the United States Secret Service officers
Leaving England, in search of an American wife, young Cyril, son of the Earl of Creston, on reaching America meets Lilly Penn, and immediately lays siege to her heart and her fortune when he learns that she is an heiress.
Fresh from her college matriculation. Ruth Grantland returns to her country home. She is courted by two of the village beaux, who propose marriage. She likes the boys, but not sufficiently to marry them. Her preference is for Jack Hall, a young man of extreme culture and refinement. She tells the two boys that she will consent to marry them if they can beat her in a footrace, taking each one on separately. They agree, and she, being fleet of foot, runs away from them, crossing the line far in the lead. Jack, riding horseback, happens along and takes in the fun. Later, he proposes to Ruth.
Helen Winthrop has ambition for the stage and when, during his summer sojourn at her home town, she is introduced to De la Marre, a popular star and dramatic favorite, she is elated and asks him to give her a part in one of his plays. He consents and from that moment she becomes restless, and longs to shake the dust of her village home from her feet. Her old sweetheart, John Tobin, is no longer in her class and receives a very cold goodbye when she leaves to shine in the limelight.
Billy Emerson and Mildred Girard are secretly engaged to be married after Billy graduates from West Point and becomes a lieutenant. A very serious setback to their tentative understanding occurs when Mr. Girard loses heavily in a stock transaction that places himself under obligations to his friend Morley, whose son Paul, is anxious to marry Mildred.
When his buddy is murdered a dedicated cop, goes after the gang responsible.
To help his dying father, assistant bank cashier Arthur Mansfield enters a fake sum in the bank's account book, but before carrying out the pilferage, he confesses to cashier Slayton, his superior. Slayton, who needs money to pay for his unsuccessful speculations, goes at night to take the money that Mansfield planned to embezzle, so that Mansfield will take the blame.
The Twelfth Regiment is to leave for the front in the morning at seven, and Captain Steadwell, who has been missing for three days, has not yet appeared. Unless he is found and returned to the head of his company by seven the next morning, disgrace will fall on him and his fiancée, Ellen Ferguson. Ellen is also loved by the new assistant secretary of war, Richard Ralston, who does not know of her engagement, Worried by Steadwell's continued absence, Ellen appeals to Dick to find him. Dick sets out to locate him, and the trail leads to Gladys, an actress whose photo was on Steadwell's table.
A husband, jealous of his wife's flirtations with another man, hatches a plot to make his wife jealous.