Virginia Clerson lives in sordid surroundings with her drunken father, her thieving brother Frank and her wastrel sister Laura. Deciding to take a different path, Virginia runs away from her unhappy home and obtains work in a millinery factory, telling her employer, Frederick Parker, that her relatives are all dead. Virginia works hard, soon becoming superintendent of the factory, and Frederick falls in love with her. She rescues Laura from her lot as a scrubwoman, but just as Virginia and Frederick are to be married, Frank appears and reveals his sister's past.

Josephine is called to her Western home from an Eastern college and brings a party of girls with her, accompanied by one man.

The hero impersonates a "spook" bandit and aids in bringing the band to justice.

"Red" Byrd and his aides succeed in learning that a large treasure is being shipped on a certain freight car under special guard. They overpower the relief operator at Helen's station and tamper with the signals so that the treasure train stops, while the crew runs ahead to investigate, leaving Spencer alone to guard the treasure.

Red Stanley's band has successfully robbed the express car and the members are making good their escape when they come upon Helen and her girl chum riding in the woods. The girls are set upon but they succeed by desperate riding in making their escape temporarily and, when danger seems near again, are saved by the approaching railroad detectives searching for the Stanley band. A running fight results in the capture of one of the band, but Stanley and his chief aide escape. Under cover of darkness, as Helen is working alone in the desolate station, the two enter and bind and gag her.

Billy Warren, timekeeper on the construction job, arouses the enmity of Brent and Easton when he resents their bullying of the other men. Pay day finds the men celebrating in riotous fashion, and Brent in a crazed moment breaks into the station and attacks Helen. Her cries bring Warren, who trounces the bully.

To prevent a three mile journey around the mountain the telegraph wires at the construction camp have been strung over the precipice from the station on the mountain top. The operator is discharged when the superintendent suspects him of treachery and Helen is transferred to the station. Later, after the former operator has enlisted the aid of crooked brokers to use his knowledge in ruining the value of the road's stock, he receives an opportunity to get revenge on the superintendent.

Following the wreck of the pay-car, it is rifled by a band of conspirators. All but one of the band later succeed in making their escape from the town by automobile, but this one is forced to jump aboard a freight train to which is attached the wreck train and huge crane.

The film is directed by James Davis from a story by Edward T. Matlack. In this episode Helen Gibson performs one absolutely breathtaking stunt, which just shows how dangerous it was to act for silent film pioneers, especially for stuntmen and stuntwomen. There is a twist to the plot, and Helen Gibson not only has to save her governor from mortal danger, but also the life of somebody close to her, who has been sentenced to die without guilt.

Dick Benton is making a game attempt to start life all over again, after escaping from prison where he was confined for a crime he did not commit. "Peeler" White, who was really guilty, and who aided Benton to escape without telling the reason for his interest, stumbles across the young man who is now an express messenger. "Peeler" threatens to disclose his knowledge unless Benton aids him in a fake hold-up. The young man pretends to be a willing victim, but really warns the railroad detectives and "Peeler" and his companion find themselves in a trap on the train the following day.

Young industrial tycoon Philip Borden is smitten by musical-comedy star Miss Frou Frou, who in daily life is Fern Hardy, the foster daughter of a repentant thief who is pressured into robbing Borden's company. When Hardy, Fern's father, tries to make Bates, the leader of his criminal gang, return the stolen money, Bates beats and incarcerates Hardy.

In 1857, Mary McLean leaves her sweetheart in the Scottish Highlands to teach school in India, where her father is a missionary. In India, the new Sepoy leader, Nana Sahib, sends his agent Azimooah to appeal to Queen Victoria to restore the pension given during his father's reign, but the Queen refuses because Nana Sahib is an adopted son. The infuriated Sepoys attack an English town and capture Mary and her father. After Nana Sahib adds Mary to his harem, she pretends to like him to learn information about his plans, which she passes on to British officers when she escapes.

A movie serial directed by Francis Ford.

This is the first of the Sherlock Holmes' stories by the famous English author. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes and his friend, Dr. Watson, receives an invitation from Mr. Gregson, of Scotland Yard, to assist in unraveling a murder mystery. Holmes makes a careful study of the case and as a result of his ingenious deductions rounds up the murderer, one Jefferson Hope, a cabman. The man confesses his guilt and tells his life story and of the vengeance of the many wrongs he has suffered at the hands of the dead man in the years gone by. Before the case comes to trial the prisoner dies from heart failure. This is another victory for Holmes and his wonderful deductive methods, as the officers of Scotland Yard had all but fastened the guilt upon another and an innocent person.

Awakened during the night by a thunderstorm, a young Parisian woman hears a violin playing in the house next door. The following morning, she becomes acquainted with Ellis, the musician, and they fall in love. The happiness of their subsequent marriage is brief, however. The wife begins frequenting the cabaret where Ellis is employed as a violinist, accompanied by one of her husband's friends, and she becomes disenchanted with her marriage. Learning of his wife's infidelity, Ellis attempts to jump into the Seine, but he is restrained by the police. He returns, insane, to the cabaret, where he discovers a secret door leading to a crypt. There he dwells among the bones, and time passes.

The great awakening in the Colonies in the spring of 1775; the patriotic activities of Samuel Adams and John Hancock; the midnight ride of Paul Revere; the gathering of the Minute Men and the battle of Lexington, all these important details of Colonial history are shown as a prelude to the intense war romance woven around the situation at Valley Forge during the terrible winter of 1777, when the cause of Liberty looked next to Betty, daughter of a Minute Man who was killed in the battle of Lexington, is stopping at the inn of her uncle, a Tory sympathizer, near the winter camp of Washington's army at Valley Forge.

At a military hall in a Southern mansion the Confederate officers are amusing themselves. Captain Ford is the officer in charge and Virginia, the young hostess, is his sweetheart. At the height of their fun the sentries outside report the approach of Union soldiers. All officers hurry to their commands. At first the Confederates, having less men, attempt to outmarch the Federals. However, after a short time, they change plans and entrench themselves on the surrounding hills.