Silent Madden and his daughter Molly have left the criminal underworld of San Francisco thanks to the wise teachings of Chang Low, a Confucian master. But the evil Black Mike Sylva is determined to frame Madden to avenge a mistake from the past…

A miner's happiness is destroyed when a rival steals his mine. He becomes obsessed with revenge, and plans a trap for the man who took his mine.

An outcast who runs a road house of ill repute leads his mother to believe him dead. His only friend, a doctor, falls for a married woman.

When Rachel Stetherill's daughter marries a man of whom she disapproves, Rachel disowns her. Five years later her daughter, now widowed, is killed. Her young son comes under the influence of a professional safecracker and is soon on his way to becoming a hardened criminal. Twenty yeas later the Stetherill family lawyer learns that the infamous thief known as Ladyfingers bears a striking resemblance to Rachel's husband--and has fallen in love with Enid, Mrs. Stetherill's young ward. Complications ensue.

Betty Austin gives up her dream of going to the city and marries Warren Wade, but she sadly finds him selfish and insistent on her acting like a "clinging vine." Disgusted, she joins her career-girl chum, Leila Mead, in the city, where she meets Dr. Devereaux. Shortly after returning home with Warren, their son is injured. Betty takes him to Dr. Devereaux, and Warren follows, accusing Betty of leaving him for the doctor. Their son is cured; Warren learns his mistake and gives Betty greater responsibility in managing family money matters.

To support their siblings, Julien accepts "protection" from a wealthy man, inheriting his fortune but gaining an "infamous" reputation. A teacher, Max, falls for her, unaware that the real Julien died and he is actually in love with her innocent sister, Paula.

Ralph Kirkwood is falsely tried for murder. He is found guilty after being represented by lawyer, Tom Gannell. Kirkwood's wife believes she knows the identity of the real killer and sets about trapping him.