In Puritan Boston, seamstress Hester Prynne and kindly Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale fall in love. After Dimmesdale must go away for a time to England, he returns to discover that Hester has given birth to their child and is the focus of local censure.

In 15th century France, a gypsy girl is framed for murder by the infatuated Chief Justice, and only the deformed bellringer of Notre Dame Cathedral can save her.

Patches, a kind-hearted orphan of the slums, finds life unbearable under the cruel abuse of his stepfather, Old Whiskers, for whose support he is forced to steal. Stowing away in a freight car with his dog, he escapes to a neighboring town where he is given a home by Mrs. Lane, sister of the town judge.

After returning home from years spent in a convent, Marie Beaulieu, is shocked to discover that her father, the leader of a band of smugglers, desires she marry Dave Roi, one of the members of the band.

"Squint" Taylor owns a ranch and has a much older mining partner. When the partner is fatally wounded, he makes Taylor promise to take care of his daughter Marion. Taylor is more than happy to do his bidding, but Marion and her uncle are both involved with William Carrington, who is trying to cheat them out of her share of the mine.

Buck Duane guns down the man who killed his father and flees from the law. He rescues a girl he once loved from outlaws, but the wife of outlaw chief has her own designs on him.

In this western, William Farnum plays yet another Zane Grey character. Duane Steele (Farnum) is a Texas Ranger who is determined to get the outlaws out of his part of the Lone Star state for good.

Robert Stevens robs the bank where he is employed, and through the efforts of Calvin Stedman, the prosecuting attorney, he is sentenced to six years' imprisonment. While in jail his wife dies and his little daughter, Agnes, is placed in a convent.

Tom Ennis, a stalwart, sturdy fellow, is apprenticed to John Matthews, the village blacksmith, whose daughter is a likable girl. Tom falls in love with her, but her father opposes him and Meg marries one who is her father's choice.