While his daughter, Consuelo, is visiting the United States, Emanuel García, the Mayor of Alcorta in the Argentine, arranges for her marriage to Juan Martin, in return for Martin's financial assistance. On her return, Consuelo, who is in love with Philip Sears, an American engineer working in Argentina, refuses Juan but gives no reason. Juan is furious with outraged pride and soon kills Rafael Cornejo, the son of a senator, when he flirts with Consuelo.

The wanton dancer Thais, tries to entice Paphnutius from becoming a monk but fails. He later returns to reclaim her soul and follow in his footsteps. They attempt to live lives of simplicity, but the pull of worldliness is too strong.

Connie urges her friend Molly and Molly's boyfriend Tom to attend a party with her. Molly, who has never tried alcohol before, is temporarily blinded by her first drink. Connie, feeling Molly's blindness is her fault, agrees to marry a wealthy man in order to get the money to restore Molly's sight. Complications ensue.

Jim Malvern is one of the richest men in the world. Unscrupulous and greedy, he uses beautiful young women as his playthings. But after meeting gorgeous actress Gloria Dawn, Malvern decides to put aside his philandering ways. With a marriage date set, the millionaire invites a flock of his famous friends -- including some of his former lovers -- to a remote island. Moments before the ceremony, Malvern is shot and killed by an unseen assailant. A grieving Gloria, realizing the murderer must be one of the guests, goes on a hunt for her fiance's killer.

After being disinherited by their wealthy father for their wild and irresponsible ways, two brothers embark on vastly different paths. One turns to crime and the other follows the straight and narrow falling in love along the way. When their paths cross again both find their lives in danger and only one will emerge safely.

Adventures of a youth saved from a shipwreck. He is adopted and grows to love foster sister. A band of smugglers take foul means to connect him with their nefarious enterprises, but the exposure of the leader of the smugglers by another saved from the ship from which Moses was rescued brings a happy conclusion to the romance.

Pampered Frederic "Freddy" Pritchard, warned by his father that he must work or be disinherited, learns how to crack safes to help his girlfriend Gloria Nevins, whose villainous uncle holds security for the family jewels, as well as the right to vote on the disposition of the Nevins Motor Works. After Freddy steals the papers with the aid of his valet Smithson, Gloria's uncle locks him in a warehouse to prevent him from attending a crucial stockholders' meeting. Freddy escapes and saves the factory for Mrs. Nevins, who gives him power of proxy. Pritchard, Sr., pleased with his son, consents to Freddy's marriage to Gloria.

Telephone operator Peggy, puts on an act with Matt Wilde at a Bowery amateur night and is seen by Billy Laidlaw, who becomes convinced of her talents. Billy subsequently arranges for the Broadway debut of the act and falls in love with Peggy, who wholeheartedly returns his affection. When the World War breaks out, Billy remains unconcerned until his younger brother is killed in action. Billy then immediately enlists and is sent to France; Peggy joins the Red Cross to be with him, and Grace Laidlaw, Billy's wife, also goes to France, working with the Y. M. C. A. Billy is assigned to destroy an ammunition dump, and Peggy learns, after he has left on the mission, that he has been recalled.

Georgina asks permission from her old aunt, Patricia Mercer Vanderpyl, to marry Capt. Nugent before his departure for France. Patricia refuses and, in reply to Georgina's questioning, gives her a diary from her own girlhood to read. The diary unfolds the story of Patricia's marriage to soldier Anthony Vanderpyl. Returning on furlough after the outbreak of the Civil War, Anthony suddenly leaves Patricia to visit Mrs. Le Roy, an old flame, and is killed by her jealous husband. Positive that Anthony had been unfaithful to her, Patricia refuses to open the letter that her husband sent her on the day of his death. Georgina now opens it and discovers that Anthony had gone to Mrs. Le Roy to end the affair that his brother Bentley was having with her. With this revelation, Patricia sanctions her niece's marriage, then dies, joining Anthony in "the spreading dawn".

The Brockton clan considers the mountain Little Smoky their own, but then the government comes in and declares it a forest and game preserve. This doesn't stop the family, who swears they will do what they want with the land.

A wealthy New Yorker falls in love with a burglar's sister.

Ben Jordan runs away after accidentally setting fire to a barn in his small New England community. He returns when his mother dies to find that she has left everything to her ward, Jane Crosby.