Set in the years before and during World War I, this epic tale tells the story of a rich Argentine family, one of its two descending branches being half of French heritage, the other being half German. Following the death of the family patriarch, the man's two daughters and their families resettle to France and Germany, respectively. In time the Great War breaks out, putting members of the family on opposing sides.

Sonya Schnoema, a Jewish girl, comes to the United States as an immigrant and works in her father's ghetto grocery store, where she gains the affections of a young settlement worker, David Dahlman. But she loves Mischa, a young doctor who soon arrives from Odessa, and to aid him financially, she distinguishes herself in the local Yiddish theater.

Sylvia Palprini is a waitress at The Black Beetle, the leading bohemian café in New York City’s Greenwich Village. Among the eclectic customers is artist George Duray, whom she admires from a distance. A jealous suitor, Movros Tarkides, attacks Sylvia and she strikes him with a chair. He is later found dead and she is accused of the murder.

A law student becomes an outlaw French revolutionary when he decides to avenge the unjust killing of his friend. To get close to the aristocrat who has killed his friend, the student adopts the identity of Scaramouche the clown.

Zabette de Chauvalons leaves a convent in Brussels to join her father on the island of Martinique, escorted by Père Bénédict. In St. Pierre she finds that her father has died; his widow, who rules the island's French society, believes Zabette to be the child of a beautiful quadroon with whom Zabette's father left for France; when Zabette is sent to the mulatto quarter, Stéphane Séquineau is present and takes an interest in her. Destitute, Zabette is forced to auction off her Paris fashions, and though Quembo, a cunning quadroon, is the highest bidder, Stéphane outbids him at the last minute and professes his love, which she accepts, believing herself to be une fille de couleur; however, his older brother, Maurice, insinuating that a mixed marriage would ruin him, persuades her to desist.

After 15 years of searching, Bud Watkins finally has his revenge on the cattlemen's gunman who killed his homesteader foster father, Pop Watkins. Bud finds refuge from the sheriff at the ranch of The Spider, falls in love with the bandit's daughter, "Miss," and is betrayed to the sheriff by his rival, Steve Lanning. In an attempt to escape, Miss is shot and Bud risks discovery to get a doctor from town.

Tom Mix plays Tim, a goodhearted cowpuncher who, while riding down a trail, gets robbed of the money he was carrying for the Belgian Babies' Milk Fund.

Joan Cameron is engaged against her will to Paul Bisson, the trading post factor. While her father and Bisson are away, Joan's sister, Esther, elopes with trapper Jules Perrault, and Joan meets Barry O'Neil, a dashing Northwest Mounted Police officer who falls in love with her and departs, promising to return.

Kent Hollis has arrived in Dry Bottom, New Mexico to settle the affairs of his dead father. But when he discovers that the town is at the mercy of "Big Bill" Dunlavey and his crew, he decides to stick it out at dad's old ranch for a spell.