Fort St. David, Cuddalore, southern India, 1748. While colonial empires battle to seize an enormous territory, rich in spices and precious metals beyond the wildest dreams, and try to gain the favor of the local kings, Robert Clive (1725-1774), a frustrated but talented clerk who works for the East Indian Company and struggles to earn his fortune, makes a bold decision that will change his life forever.

Just as Mr. and Mrs. James Randolph Emerson, Jr. are about to depart on their honeymoon, Lucille Emerson discovers her husband gazing at a photograph that bears the inscription, "With love to my husband, Grace." Too proud to question James about the photograph, Lucille is tormented by the image of the woman for many years. Finally Lucille becomes involved in a flirtation with another man, and when her husband learns of her infatuation, he becomes insanely jealous. Enraged, he is choking her when a small boy rushes into the room and collapses. James leaves Lucille, who returns the boy to his tenement home. While there, Lucille discovers that the child is James's son, born to a woman who died in childbirth.

Burgess and Greeley are rustling horses and shooting Indians. When they kill Manual they frame Lieutenant Allister. His older brother John now attempts to defend him at his murder trial.

Blamed for the theft of an orphans fund, Captain James Wynnegate flees to the West where he makes a new life with the Indian woman Nat-U-Rich.

International con artist Martha Hicks a.k.a. Countess von Claudwig is released from another stay in prison and decides to treat her rheumatism with a stay at her estranged husband's hotel at a Wisconsin spa. There undercover, she checks in on the two daughters she abandoned as infants.

Tom, a young man in a small town, wants to marry his sweetheart Jane, but Jane's father won't allow it until Tom proves he can support her. Tom heads to New York City to make his fortune and prove to Jane's father that he has what it takes, but he meets and falls in love with Amy, a chorus girl who already has a wealthy suitor. Complications ensue.

Two apprentice violin makers are in love with the same girl, who happens to be the daughter of their mentor. A violin competition is scheduled, with the winner being the one who will marry the girl.

Noble born Mignon is stolen by a band of gypsies as a child. Her mother dies from grief and her father, unhinged by the double blow, gives up his ancestral home for the roaming life of a minstrel wandering from place to place in search of his child. Ill-treated by the gypsies in time she is rescued by traveling student Guglielno, with whom she falls in love. But he is enamored by the seductive actress Filina. Events come to a climax at a castle where all the participants meet, and drastic actions lead to near fatal consequences until all is resolved happily.

The good people of the Solax community realize that they have cause to make merry before the New Year because the Almighty has guided their breadwinning footsteps toward the Solax Studio's happy atmosphere, bank together like the big happy family they are, to give expression to their happiness in the form of a gift to the immediate cause of their good fortune and sunshine.