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- Myra Maynard, is plagued by a wide variety of metaphysical assaults by the corrupt Black Order, a secret organization which uses magic, curses and any supernatural means possible to achieve its ends.
- Serial about Japanese spies trying to invade the US but whose plans are foiled by a rich heiress and a Secret Service agent.
- With the help of a private detective, Elaine tries to catch the masked criminal mastermind The Clutching Hand, who has murdered her father.
- Eugenicist Harry J. Haiselden warns a young couple who are considering marriage that they are ill-matched and will produce defective offspring. He is right; their baby is born defective, dies quickly, and floats up into heaven.
- Episode 1: "The Lost Torpedo" Craig Kennedy's marvelous invention, a super-force torpedo to revolutionize warfare, has been stolen. Kennedy himself has disappeared, although Elaine has a note from him begging her not to grieve whatever happens, for he is safe. And then, one night, on a barren strip of land jutting out into the Atlantic, a fisherman, concealed behind a rock, sees the periscope of a submarine rise; sees a man's head and shoulders rise seemingly out of the sea, and sees a pair of athletic arms strike out bravely for the shore. That night, at a hotel in New York, a distinguished-looking foreigner, much resembling the man who seemed to rise up out of the sea, is shadowed by a fussy old gentleman resembling the fisherman of the coast scenes. The foreigner goes out and the fussy old gentleman goes to his room, where, after a short, sharp struggle with a valet, he searches through all drawers and papers. One paper he pockets with glee, and then departs. Elaine and Jameson are visited by the distinguished-looking foreigner who tells them he is a secret service agent from Washington, and begs to get information with regard to Kennedy and the lost torpedo. Elaine's dog, digging with its forepaws in a pot of palms, unearths the lost torpedo and carries it to the attic, where he drops it behind a trunk. The torpedo's propeller, however, has been left in the palm-pot. where Marcius Del Mar, the foreigner, finds it. Elaine is suspected by him of having concealed the torpedo. The fussy old gentleman, in Del Mar's tracks since he left his rooms, is an interested spectator. He is unaware that Del Mar has spies guarding the house, and is set upon by them. Rushing madly into the conservatory, he faces Del Mar. Both draw their guns, but the fussy old gentleman fires first. His gun is loaded with bullets containing an overpowering gas. Both Del Mar and Elaine fall suffocated to the floor. How the fussy old gentleman escapes is a fitting climax to this episode.
- Serial in 15 parts about a female crime-fighting reporter.
- An Indian rajah determines to give the prince, his son, the advantages of an American university education, and brings him to the United States. Arriving at the university town they stop at the hotel there and are immediately besieged by the reporters who scent a good story, especially as it is reported that the rajah brings with him one of the famous jewels of the world, a magnificent diamond. Among the reporters is a young man on his first assignment who at once makes friends with the prince. In the meantime Nell Reardon, the "badger queen," is approached by Moreland, a "gentleman" crook, and threatened with exposure if she does not aid him to obtain possession of the rajah's jewel. She promises her aid and as a first step registers at the same hotel as the rajah, under the alias of the "Countess Mirska." Billy is assigned to interview her. The prince is struck with the woman's charms and persuades Billy to introduce him. At the instigation of Moreland. the woman persuades the prince to show her the diamond. Fearing his father's displeasure the young man secretly takes the jewel from the strong box. Seeing their opportunity, Moreland and Harley, his "pal," invite the prince to have some refreshments at the hotel café and the prince asks to have Billy included in the party. The jewel is passed around and admired. By accident, and while no one is looking, it falls from the case and lodges in the cuff of the reporter's trousers. Later, while in his own room, he discovers it and immediately runs back to the hotel to return it to the prince. Unable to find him, he decides to stay at the hotel for the night, takes a room and throws himself upon the bed, fully clothed. The anxiety of his responsibility preys upon his mind so that his slumbers are disturbed and his rest is a nightmare. In the meantime the prince discovers the loss, tells the crooks of it and they search the café together. The crooks secretly believe each other guilty, but when they tax one another with the crime they mutually prove their innocence. Without saying anything to each other they visit the reporter's home and search his room. Finding one another in the room their mutual distrust deepens. Billy's distraught mind causes him to talk in his sleep and while doing so he drops the jewel over the hotel balcony. It falls at the feet of the prince, but he does not enjoy its possession long. Harley, who has been spying upon him, knocks him out and escapes with the diamond. The further vicissitudes of the diamond are intensely interesting and lead up to the superb climax where the prince recovers it and sees the baffled crook, Moreland, go over the bridge into the ravine below in the trolley car in which he has tried to escape.
- Hazel Kirke, daughter of Dunstan Kirke, a miller, is sent off to be educated by Squire Rooney, who has promised to marry her upon her return. All this in repayment for a small sum which Rodney advanced to save the old mill from the auction block. Five years later, near the end of her school years, she meets Arthur Carringford. At home again, she renews her promise to Rodney. Some days later, Arthur on a hunting trip, meets with an accident near the mill, and is confined there for some weeks, during which time a new friendship springs up between the two. Some time later, when Rodney and Dunstan see Hazel and Arthur embracing, Dunstan denounces them and sends them away. Arthur's mother, to save the family fortune, wishes Arthur to marry Maude, her ward, who is loved by Pittacus Greene, and whose fortune was squandered by the elder Carringford before his death. She sends Pittacus and Arthur's valet to dissuade Arthur from marrying Hazel, and they arrive as the two are coming away. At a nearby village, the valet, thinking the ceremony is to be a fake, goes to a saloon for a "minister." He then notifies Mrs. Carringford by letter. A few weeks later that lady arrives during Arthur's absence and tells Hazel that she has been duped. The girl, distracted, runs away and upon Arthur's return the panic-stricken mother tells of the plot and passes away from a heart attack. After a day or two's search for Hazel, Arthur rides toward home, stopping at a small church. The parson proves to be the one who married them and he tells of his good work in the slums of nearby towns disguised as a "tough." The two ride off to the mill hoping to meet Hazel. Unknown to the young people, Dunstan's terrible denunciation of them has left him sightless and it is before Hazel's blinded father that the two are reunited with parental blessing, only after Arthur has rescued Hazel from the icy millpond waters into which she had thrown herself.
- Episode 1: "The Serpent Sign" Miss Elaine Dodge, daughter and heiress of the late Taylor Dodge, whose murder has attracted such world-wide attention, has again had her life seriously threatened. It appears that before the death of Perry Bennett, this modern Dr. Jekyll disclosed the hiding-place of his tremendous fortune to one Long Sin, a Chinese adventurer. Bennett formerly owned the house now occupied by Miss Dodge's Aunt Tabby. On a recent visit to her aunt, Miss Dodge was startled in the early hours of the morning by strange noises. Her aunt had already been aware of this condition, but being superstitious, had put it down to ghosts. Miss Dodge, whose life has lately been one continuous round of self-defense, immediately communicated with Craig Kennedy, the scientific detective whose apprehension of the notorious Clutching Hand caused such favorable comment throughout the land. Kennedy has lately come into the possession of Bennett's papers and his keen eye detected at once the similarity of a plan on one of these and the construction of Aunt Tabby's fireplace. A secret passageway was disclosed, through which the redoubtable sleuth and his assistant descended, only to be overcome by gas, and almost murdered by Long Sin, who had entered the passage from the mouth of a cave in an adjoining woods. Miss Dodge, whose nerve has been put to the test in a hundred cases, alarmed by the fumes, and fearing for the lives of her protectors, descended to the passageway where a queer sight met her eyes. Interviewed to-day by a Journal reporter, Miss Dodge said: "1 had no sooner turned an angle in the passageway when I was almost paralyzed by the sight of Long Sin bending over Craig and Mr. Jameson with a long, murderous knife. A safe embedded in the rock had been opened, and the Chinaman had a small strongbox under his arm. Strength born of love then possessed me, and I closed with the heathen in a struggle that lasted for some minutes. Then I felt my strength desert me; the earth seemed to cave in and crumble all around me and [paper will here appear to have been torn.] Episode 2: "The Cryptic Ring" Elaine becomes the innocent purchaser of a cryptic ring stolen from Wu Fang, for the possession of which this desperate heathen will commit murder many times over. The ring is the key to the hidden millions of the late Perry Bennett, alias Clutching Hand, whose sudden death has left the whereabouts of his tremendous fortune a mystery. Wu Fang seeing the ring on Elaine's finger, decides she is the thief, and in an attempt to recover it, lures her to his rooms, where, but for the timely arrival of her lover and protector, Craig Kennedy, she would have met a horrible death. To make good his escape, Wu Fang has to walk a tight-rope over the yawning chasm between two city skyscrapers, and once over, severs the cable on which Kennedy, hand over hand, is following. However, Kennedy is spared to us for many another hair-raising episode, and Elaine, still ignorant of its value, holds the mysterious cryptic ring. Episode 3: "The Watching Eye" In Wu Fang and Long Sin, Craig Kennedy seems to have found an opposition worthy of his tempered metal. With Blaine kidnapped, and no clue to work on but a meaningless cryptic ring, the great scientific detective feels the necessity for his most concentrated thought. Aunt Josephine is the recipient of a huge vase, at the bottom of which Kennedy finds a note from Elaine, saying that she is as yet unharmed, and instructing him, if he would save her, to deliver the cryptic ring that night in an appointed place. Kennedy forges a ring the counterpart of the original, hoping thereby to trick the crafty Chinamen, but out from the side of the gigantic vase peers the crafty eye of the artful heathen, and unknown to him, Kennedy's plans are blighted in the making. Events then follow quickly. Kennedy in trying to double-cross the Tongs, is himself checkmated, and barely escapes with his life when he goes to barter the fake ring for Elaine. The ring, however, proves the "Open Sesame" to the underground treasure vault of the late Clutching Hand, although a small comfort in consideration of Elaine's probable fate. Episode 4: "The Vengeance of Wu Fang" With Elaine in his power, Wu Fang decides on a vengeance more fiendish than he had ever before contemplated. He releases Elaine, telling her that her ultimate punishment will be more frightful than any bodily injury he can now enact. Slowly, and one by one, he tells her, her dearest friends will die, while she will live on in dread apprehension of a fate that will ultimately overtake her. He then places an African Tick, an insect, whose bite means certain death by a lingering fever, in the 'phone receiver in Kennedy's laboratory. Two fake calls are enough to infect both Jameson and Kennedy, and the malignant fever is working in their blood. A specialist is called in who recognizes the symptoms, and prepares the only drug known to counteract this fatal fever. Wu Fang, seeing that he is about to be foiled, intercepts the specialist's message for a nurse, and sends instead a woman of the underworld to carry out his design. This is to infect whatever instruments the doctors are going to use on Kennedy and Jameson, with a virulent poison. His second failure he must needs credit to Elaine, who, arriving at Kennedy's apartment, and seeing Weepy Mary in the guise of a nurse, immediately denounces her to the company as a notorious criminal. Weepy Mary makes her escape in the excitement, and Elaine is installed as nurse of the men to whom she owes her life many times over. Episode 5: "The Saving Circles" A new ally of Wu Fang, the serpent, is an aviator in his plane circling ominously above Craig Kennedy's house. Balanced in the reckless flyer's palm is a bomb of Trodite, the new super-force in explosives. The bird-man looks for a painted circle as the prearranged target for his agent of destruction. He sees it. Straight to the mark goes the infernal death dealer. A startling white flash, a million splinters, an unrecognizable body, and far off on the horizon the fast fading outline of the modern bird of prey. Tense, expectant, shocked, but ultimately triumphant, the detective who harnesses Science in his pursuit of Crime stands watching at the window of his laboratory. He knew about the aeroplane; he knew that the Government had been robbed of the ultra powerful Trodite; he knew of the large white circle that was to mark his house as the object of attack. He knew also that directly across the court one of Wu Fang's henchmen was spying upon him. That's why, in the dead of night, he and his assistant Jameson ascended to the roof where they scrubbed out the fateful circle. That's why they ever so quietly ascended to the roof of the house directly across the court and painted thereon a large white circle the counterpart of the one recently scrubbed off, and that's why, when the detonation came, the fragments of what was once a Chinaman mixed with the fragments of what was once a house, and left Craig Kennedy shaken, but sound. Did you ever see an aeroplane high in the heavens get hit with a steel jacketed shell projected from an armored automobile? Did you ever see a death duel between a terror of the skies and a gun constructed especially to bring it down? Here you see the aeroplane get hit, shiver as though in startled hesitation, make a final desperate struggle to keep afloat, and finally descend in circles, fluttering helpless, like a wounded bird, to the ground. These are some of the awe-inspiring incidents to be seen in this episode. Episode 6: "Spontaneous Combustion" His constant failure to accomplish the death of both Elaine and her protector, Craig Kennedy, makes Wu Fang only the more persistent. Money means nothing to him. His enormous wealth enables him to carry out the most elaborate plans for the death of the hated detective and his fair-haired sweetheart. His followers know no word other than their masters, and his Oriental craftiness enables him to keep well out of the law's reach. He secures a corrupt young girl to help him carry out a plot as fiendish as it is intricate. A fake attack on the girl in front of Elaine's window is excuse for the girl's sad story, which so touches Elaine and her aunt that they take her into their service. Acting on the chemical principle of spontaneous combustion, Wu Fang rigs up a trick chair to hold fast whoever sits in it, and eventually burn its occupant to death. This chair is shipped to the Dodge home, where the new maid receives it and has it put up in the garret, knowing that Elaine will go there shortly to make a selection of her dresses for a charity gift. Meanwhile, Kennedy learns of the joint in which Wu Fang hides himself from the outer world, and disguised as a heathen goes there to smoke a pipe. How he is tricked by the cunning Wu Fang, how he learns of Elaine's imminent peril, how he manages to outwit the crafty Celestial, and rescue Elaine from the most frightful death, is all so graphically pictured on the screen that a word description fails utterly in its purpose. Episode 7: "The Ear in the Wall" Wu Fang, the Chinese master criminal, knows the charm of Elaine, and knows also the danger of her ready wit. He sends her a box of roses, half white and half red, with a fiendish note attached giving her a choice as to who shall die first, Craig Kennedy, or her Aunt Josephine. Elaine is terror-stricken, but Kennedy, all unknown to her, flashes the red roses in the window, as the signal that they have chosen his life as the first to be attempted. The signal is noted and the deadly machinery of Wu Fang set in motion. Kennedy prepares for what he knows will be an ingenious attack. He sprays his hall-mat directly outside his door with a fluid that will photograph whosoever's foot steps on it. Wu Fang, by means of a method of wiring, connects a detectaphone between Kennedy's room and the cellar, where, with bis henchmen, he hears Kennedy's 'phone instructions to police headquarters, ordering a raid on Long Sin and Innocent Inez, the demi-monde. Wu Fang communicates with Long Sin in time to forestall the police, who, when they arrive, find an empty apartment. Kennedy knows that his instructions must have been overheard, so, using a galvaniscope he detects the wiring in the hall, and knows that Wu Fang is listening at the other end of the wire, somewhere nearby. The super-grip of this episode is in how he tricks the wily Oriental at his own game. It's too good to give away in the synopsis. Episode 8: "The Opium Smugglers" Wu Fang, the serpent, kidnaps Elaine's chauffeur, and substitutes in his place one of his henchmen. Craig Kennedy, disguised, searching Chinatown for a trace of Wu Fang, is met by Capt. Brainerd, of the U.S. Secret Service. Brainerd is trying to locate a band of opium smugglers who are going to "pull off a trick" that night. Kennedy points out a passing Chinaman who he knows keeps an opium joint. Together they track him to a dingy apartment, where they find and overpower three Chinamen receiving messages via carrier pigeons from the captain of a tramp sloop. They learn where the sloop is lying, and start out in a revenue cutter to apprehend it. Meanwhile, Wu Fang, through his underling the chauffeur, kidnaps Elaine, whom he intends to slip abroad the smuggler's sloop for shipment to Shanghai, where she is to be sold. The opium is unloaded, and Elaine carried to the ship. Kennedy, Brainerd, and Jameson, after a sharp fight, capture the Chinamen guarding the opium and load the stuff into their boat, before starting to run down the smuggler's ship. Elaine, aboard ship, uses the wireless telephone Kennedy has provided her with, and apprises him of her predicament. She flashes a lantern from the porthole, and Kennedy's boat makes for it. She flees from the Oriental set to guard her and climbs a rope ladder to the dizzy height of the topmast. He follows, a knife in his teeth. She makes a startling leap into the dark waters and he after her. It is a race for life in the fathomless ocean, with the Chinaman gaining at every stroke. He overtakes her and is about to strike when a shot from the racing revenue cutter kills him. Elaine is rescued, and the smuggler's ship captured. Episode 9: "The Tell-Tale Heart" Jameson, Kennedy's assistant, follows Innocent Inez, one of Wu Fang's confederates, to her apartment where he attempts to question her. She touches a knob in the table carvings and an iron bar swings out from the wall behind Jameson and knocks him unconscious. Inez then sends a gypsy confederate to tell Elaine's fortune, and to incidentally bind Elaine's eyes with a handkerchief holding in its seam a vial containing a spark of radium. Inez has been instructed by Wu Fang that the proximity of the radium to Elaine's eyes for three minutes will be sufficient to blind her. Kennedy, informed previously by 'phone of Jameson's destination, follows him and when he arrives is assaulted in the same way as was his assistant. Jameson's glove on the floor attracts his attention and he stoops to pick it up just as the murderous bar swings out from the wall to strike him. Inez is overpowered and Jameson is found. A 'phone message to Inez from Wu Fang reveals Elaine's peril, and Kennedy and Jameson arrive at the Dodge home. They are relieved to discover that Elaine, in binding her eyes, substituted her own handkerchief for the one furnished by the gypsy. Inez is taken to Kennedy's laboratory, where the sphygmograph is applied while Kennedy repeats certain house numbers in the Chinatown district. Wu Fang is known to live in that vicinity and Kennedy realizes that when his house number is repeated, it will cause a quicker pulsation of Inez's blood. Wu Fang, knowing of Inez's predicament, makes a sensational rescue, but Kennedy "has his number," and the next episode promises thrilling situations. Episode 10: "Shadows of War" Wu Fang is approached by secret agents who commission him to secure at any price the model torpedo invented by Craig Kennedy, and in the possession of the United States Government. Wu Fang sets his machinery in motion and awaits results. In the meantime Kennedy, apprised by his agents of Wu Fang's hiding place, goes there with Jameson and by a piece of remarkable strategy, succeeds in capturing him. Wu Fang is wounded and taken to a hospital, where he manages to substitute another Oriental in his place and makes his escape. He meets his henchman coming in from Washington with the stolen torpedo model. The only other model in existence is one in Kennedy's possession, Kennedy is demonstrating its use in a fountain in the Dodge Conservatory. A momentary distraction gives Wu Fang's lieutenant opportunity to steal this model. He starts away with it, but is seen by the butler, who gives chase. Seeing he is likely to be apprehended, he quickly hides the torpedo model in a large flower-pot, and escapes, wounded to a waiting automobile. Kennedy commandeers another car, and follows. In the enthralling game of wits that follows Wu Fang is killed and the whereabouts of Kennedy becomes a matter of serious conjecture. END
- The revenue men in New York are after the smugglers of opium and find that a certain Chinaman is in the habit of receiving a supply of the drug at stated periods. They follow him in the hope they will be led to the headquarters of the international band, who they feel sure are back of the traffic. The Chinaman fails to pay on time for the last supply he has received, and in turn the New York distributor is unable to send the money to the headquarters of the gang. This brings the chief to New York to investigate. While there he visits his broker, John Maxwell. He intends his visit to be secret, but is seen by one of the stenographers. This incenses him and angry words pass. In the meantime the Chinaman comes to the office and pays his bill. As the clerk is making out the receipt the detectives raid the place and find the dead body of the broker. All suspicion points to the clerk, who is accused of the murder of his employer. He is taken away by one of the detectives, but makes his escape. He goes to the North Country, makes application to join the Boundary Riders, and after a probation is accepted as an agent of law and order. On one of his patrols he finds a note that gives him a clue to the headquarters of the opium smugglers. The detective from the New York office of the Revenue Service comes to the camp of the riders to continue his investigations. There he recognizes the clerk. The clerk employs a clever woman investigator, who in guise of a Chinaman gets employment as a cook at the smugglers' headquarters. With the information she secures, he leads the revenue men to the headquarters of the gang. The raid is successful, but as all are congratulating the new member on his success the detective steps up and arrests him on the charge of murdering his employer. The investigator, however, has done her work well and produces a coat belonging to the head smuggler from which are torn two pieces which exactly match two pieces of cloth found in the hand of the dead man. This exonerates the clerk and puts added power in the hands of the government men.
- Jimmy Barton's city editor handed him a newspaper clipping with the heading. "Indian Prince at Biltmore; Rajo Jaibel arrives from Calcutta." Jimmy was told to interview the man, but the Prince refused to see him. While he was talking to the clerk, another Indian arrived and was escorted to the Prince's room. A bellboy got Jimmy into the adjoining room, where he heard the Prince, his caller, and several other Indians discussing a plot to secure possession of a stolen idol and to "avenge Buddha." The only definite information Jimmy got was the address "220 Pelham Road," and the fact that something was to develop that night. Jimmy returns to his office, defeated. While he is pondering, Beatrice Fairfax enters. She has just received a letter from a girl who tells her that her fiancé has quarreled with her father, and asks if it would be right for her to elope. She signs the letter "Dorothy McRay. 220 Pelham Road." Jimmy and Beatrice note the address and start off to investigate. The scene shifts to the McRay home and shows the quarrel between Don Jordan and Dorothy's father, Christopher McRay. Jordan threatens the older man and is ejected from the house. Dorothy goes weeping to her room. McRay, alone, opens the door of a vault and brings forth the Stone God. He alone knows the combination of the vault. The inner door of the vault connects with an automatic revolver, so that if any other person, without the proper precaution, enters the vault, he will be greeted with a storm of bullets. McRay's memories take him back to his bridal trip. The scene shows him with Dorothy's mother in India. In a jungle temple, his bride sees an image of Buddha, and longs to possess it. McRay offers to buy the god from the priest, who ejects him from the temple. A fight follows. That night McRay returns to the temple, overpowers the priest and steals the stone god. The priest, Ali Rajo Jaibel, takes an oath that Buddha will be avenged. The scene again shows McRay in his library, haunted by his memories. With a sigh he returns the stolen god to the vault. He closes the door but does not lock it. As he emerges, Rajo Jaibel, who has gained access to the house, slips from behind a curtain and stabs him. He leans over the prostrate form and tells him he is the priest from whom the god was stolen. Ali opens the door of the vault. There is a fusillade of bullets and Ali drops dead inside the vault. With his last strength McRay staggers over and closes the door. Then he drops dead on a couch. While this tragedy is ending, Don gains entrance to the rear of the house to Dorothy, who agreed to elope with him. Hearing the shots in the library, he hurries there. The only thing that meets his gaze is McKay lying dead, and on the floor a knife. A maid hurries in, rushes screaming from the room and summons help. Don picks up the knife and is gazing at it in horror, when the police arrive. With them come Beatrice and Jimmy, who have just reached the house. Don is arrested for the murder, despite the protests of Jimmy and Beatrice. Jimmy learns of the rendezvous of the East Indians and hurries there with Beatrice, satisfied that through them the mystery can be solved. The plotters are assembled and are listening to a recital of the tragedy by one of Ali's aides who accompanied him to the McKay residence and has returned. As they stand at the door, a look-out traps them. They are hurried into the adjoining room. One of the Indians is left to guard them while the others decide how they are to be killed. Jimmy overpowers the guard, takes his turban and mantle, and passing their excited companions, unlocks the door. Then he and Beatrice make a dash for liberty. They escape after a fight. Jimmy and Beatrice again reach the McRay home just as Don is being taken away to jail. Jimmy halts the police with the announcement that the real murderer can be found in the vault. When the door is opened, Ali is lying on the floor dead. Don and Dorothy are reunited.
- Dana T. Morley was a member of the clique of unscrupulous financiers who ruined old man Warden, and J. Rufus and Blackie have promised the Warden girls that they will help in getting the money back. One Edward Bang, inventor of a sun engine, is deep in debt to Morley, and it is through him that the confidence men get at their quarry and lead him to slaughter. Everything is worked in unison and harmony and friend Morley falls hard. He is led to believe that the confidence men contemplate building a large factory to produce these sun engines and that there is no limit to the money that is to be made. Wallingford and his henchmen have a "row" and the Warden girls say they will sell their option on the whole "shooting-match" for several hundred thousand dollars. Morley snaps it up, figuring on selling it to Wallingford, knowing that J. Rufus wants it. They give him the options, all right, but when he goes after the genial Wallingford, that worthy offers exactly thirty cents for the whole thing. "Stung," says Morley.
- Henry Hanson and his wife are newlyweds and Mrs. Hanson is much perturbed because of her inability to learn anything about her husband's business. At the close of a pleasant evening together, he sends her to bed. No sooner has she retired than he admits a disreputable looking man. Mrs. Hanson's curiosity overcomes her and she comes downstairs and overhears a part of the conversation between her husband and his visitor. Among other things, she hears her husband tell the man: "You needn't fear me. I did two years in Atlanta prison and escaped." Mrs. Hanson returns to her room, and writes to Beatrice Fairfax. Beatrice receives the letter and decides to go to Mrs. Hanson. Jimmy, the reporter, promises to call later. The next scene shows the living room of the criminal gang. The man who called on Hanson at his home enters with him and introduces him to the chief as one who desires to join the gang. He is put through a rigid examination. After he has proved his worth, he is told that the big job the gang is pulling off is to place a bomb aboard an outgoing steamship, which the gang has been hired to destroy. An old hag is the housekeeper for the gang. As they are leaving the house, Doyle, the leader, complains of the littered condition of the place and suggests she hire a woman to help her with the work. She hangs out a sign, bearing the legend: "Strong Woman Wanted." The gang, with Hanson, is then shown riding through a country wood in a rough wagon. In the bottom of the wagon is a long box resembling a coffin. At a lonely spot, they meet an undertaker's cart. The box is placed in a long case, such as those in which coffins are shipped, and then into the wagon. As the gang completes its work, they see Beatrice and Mrs. Hanson, who had followed the latter's husband, peering through the bushes. They had followed Hanson to the scene. Hanson rushes to protect his wife, but is prevented by Doyle. The two women are forced to go to the house occupied by the gang, where they are bound and thrust into the cellar. Meantime, Jimmy, assigned by the city editor to investigate the actions of the gang, has located their headquarters. Seeing the sign for a strong woman wanted, he disguises himself as a Swedish girl and secures the place. He sees Beatrice and Mrs. Hanson brought in and thrust into the cellar. Jimmy releases them and prepares for the fight which is to follow. Hanson, upstairs, is seated by a window, smoking. Two men pass by the house. Hanson, nervously throws his cigar through the window to the sidewalk. One of the passing men picks it up and they hurry away. The gang hears voices in the cellar and attempts to descend. Jimmy holds them off with a revolver. Then Doyle throws a bundle of burning straw downstairs, smoking out the prisoners. As they come up the stairs a battle is fought, in which Hanson joins Jimmy and the two women. While the fight is in progress, the scene changes again and shows the man who picked up Hanson's cigar. He tears it apart and finds a message inside. It instructs him to wireless the steamship "Mandalay" to throw the coffin overboard, as it contains a powerful bomb, to be discharged in mid-sea. Having performed this service, the two men return to the house of the gang, just in time to take part in the fight and place the gangsters under arrest. Then, for the first time, Hanson is disclosed as the chief of the Secret Service. As he clasps his wife to his breast he explains: "There would be no secrets in the Secret Service if we told them to our wives."
- A series of 14 two-reel episodes, each complete in itself, involving the exploits of J. Rufus Wallingford and Blackie Daw, con men extraordinaire.
- The genial confidence men assume the roles of "business doctors, sick and dying enterprises cured while you wait." The eggbeater concern of one Pushman is the patient, but the reason for their interest is a selfish one. Pushman is heavily indebted to G.W. Slookum, who threatens to close the place, and Slookum was a member of the criminal clique, who ruined the father of the Warden girls. The enterprise suddenly becomes Pushman, Inc., Kitchen Utensils, and old Slookum, who becomes intensely interested, receives his money. Lots of loud talk of big money and the open books of the concern, left where Slookum gets a chance to see them, causes him to free himself from the tidy sum of $45,000, just the amount he extracted from old man Warden. Meanwhile, Toad Jessup has a little trouble with Slookum over some apples which the latter thought he has stolen, but when he proves his innocence before the town constable, Slookum's cup of woe is filled. The last he sees of Wallingford and Co. and his roll is when they take the first train out of town.
- A young man proposes a lottery with himself as the prize in marriage. However he finds himself very much in love with a woman other than the winner.
- A criminologist and a government agent team up to expose a ring of German spies.
- The newly-rich and simpering Mr. Charles Algernon Swivel is fussful and flirty and a conspirator. He is a member of a clique of criminal financiers who have caused the ruin and death of the father of Violet and Fanny Warden, who, in turn, are being aided by J. Rufus Wallingford and Blackie Daw in their endeavor to regain a part of the stolen fortune. Again Wallingford invests five thousand dollars, value received, the "Pine Lake Hotel." Aged, dilapidated, God-forsaken Pine Lake, with its oily swamp and an over-abundance of the infernal pest, mosquitoes. This was the luscious lemon into which Wallingford wanted Algernon to bite. Bite he did, Forty thousand dollars' worth. How the Prancing Pink Pretties, a stranded theatrical troupe, with Miss Tottie Vorhies, later Mrs. Charles Algernon Swivel, as star, gave the "Pine Lake" an air of something it wasn't, and how "Onion" Jones developed smallpox, cholera and leprosy at the one time in order that Pine Lake might be rid of its undesirable guests, is a very laughable bit of comedy.
- Beatrice Fairfax receives a pitiful note from Madge Minturn: "I must have a name for my baby. His father, a well-known lawyer, is to be married to-morrow." Beatrice shows the note to Jimmy Barton who wonders if the man could possibly be James Conley, society man and lawyer, who is to wed Margaret Payne. He goes to the Conley law office on the excuse of securing a political interview, and casually mentions Madge Minturn. His suspicions are immediately confirmed, for Conley becomes confused at the name. Beatrice then goes to Madge and hears her story. Conley's father, fearing exposure, advises his son to settle with Madge with money. Conley starts to see Madge and meets her in the woods with the baby. She scorns his offer of money. As he leaves, he sees a tramp lurking in the vicinity, he enters into an agreement with the man to kidnap the woman and baby, and to compel Madge to marry him. Madge places the baby on the grass, and leaves it for a moment to get a drink of water. The tramp secures possession of it and takes it to an abandoned hut. Madge follows. She gains entrance and the tramp overpowers and binds her. The tramp hides the baby in a barn, and then tells Madge that he will kill the infant unless she consents to wed him. Madge struggles to gain her freedom but it is useless. Meantime Beatrice has gone to the home of Margaret and informs her of Conley's duplicity. Margaret consents to aid Madge. Beatrice and Jimmy start for Madge's home. They are told she has been missing several hours. They trace her to the woods, and arrive at the deserted cabin while Madge is vainly trying to escape. A battle between Jimmy and the tramp follows. The tramp is overpowered, Madge is freed, and the baby recovered. The next scene shows the interior of the Payne home the following day, with everything ready for the wedding of Conley and Margaret. The bride enters on the arm of Margaret's father. The ceremony is performed and Conley raises his bride's veil to kiss her. He is amazed to find that the woman he has wed is Madge, Margaret having arranged the details for the substitution. Conley indignantly declares that the ceremony is illegal, as his license calls upon him to marry Margaret. But Beatrice and Jimmy, who are there as guests of Margaret, forestalled such a complication by having Madge procure another license containing her own name. Beatrice has the baby with her. When Conley sees it and realizes how beautiful Madge is in her wedding dress, he agrees to accept her as his wife.
- In the latest release J. Rufus and Blackie Daw use still another method to lay their talons on the bank account of P.S. Hutch, a shyster lawyer who has embezzled $120,000 from a man answering to the name of Lundy and whose home town is Berne, Switzerland. Lundy is the owner of American properties and has appointed Hutch his attorney. To live up to his reputation as a shyster, he confiscates them. Hutch did another crooked deed; he helped swindle the father of Violet and Fanny Warden and now has Wallingford and Daw on his trail. They make the acquaintance of Hutch, and for a whole week they pump him in vain. Unable to glean anything in the wake of his dirty shoes, they decide on Daw as a souse and a call on Hutch at his office at the time that he usually goes to the bank. Wallingford accompanies him while Daw does a Rip Van Winkle on the couch until they get clear of the room, then he gets the information he wants and gets back to the couch not a minute too soon. They rent a "Spirit Parlor" for a day and cleverly get Hutch to call rather hastily, and leave quicker. Wallingford and Daw call at Hutch's office a little later, planning a trip to South America, but Hutch refuses to go along until he again sees the Lundy spirit out for an airing; then and not till then does he do a double-quick for the bank and the remainder of the embezzled money. They have a little difficulty in getting the coin when he fetches it from the bank, but let it suffice that they get it.
- Jane Hamlin's father, a wealthy inventor, has just died and the young woman is going over his private papers. She finds a note addressed to her, which reads: "Open the safe and drop its contents into the ocean. Do not touch the third button. The machine is loaded with poison gas." She opens the safe and draws forth an infernal machine. As she does so, her fiancé, Clayton Boyd, enters. He has a handsome face, but it displays weakness of character. They sit conversing in the dark room far into the night. The scene changes and shows the interior of a room occupied by a gang of anarchists. They had tried to secure Hamlin's invention before his death and now plot to steal it. One of their number, Sverdrup, is delighted to commit crime. As Jane and her fiancé are talking in the dark room, they see Sverdrup at the window. As he jimmies it and enters, they hide behind a couch. Covering the anarchist with a revolver, Boyd compels him to throw up his hands. Jane switches on the lights and leaves the room to phone the police. When she is gone, the anarchist offers Boyd $1,000 to free him and help him get the "only perfect infernal machine." He accepts, allows the anarchist to escape and then throws himself on the floor. When Jane and the police arrive he feigns unconsciousness and as he recovers, claims the burglar beat him over the head. The police doubt his story and leave in disgust. Jane is greatly troubled and writes to Beatrice Fairfax for advice. Meantime, Boyd and the anarchist lay the plot to secure the infernal machine. Boyd makes up as the ghost of Jane's father. That night he gains entrance to the Hamlin house, and as the ghost, tells Jane to give his secret to the man she loves. Jane falls in a faint. Beatrice and Jimmy visit her the following day. After Jane has told her story, Beatrice agrees to spend the night with her. Jimmy has been shadowing Boyd and late that night follows him and the anarchist to the Hamlin house. He sees them go to the roof through an adjoining vacant house, sees Boyd disguise himself as Hamlin, wind a sheet about himself, and descend through the trap door to the Hamlin house. Sverdrup has been left on guard and Jimmy overpowers him. Then, winding a sheet about himself, Jimmy descends, too. Boyd appears before Jane and frightens her almost to death. As he is talking to her, he hears a noise behind him. He turns to confront another ghost, and almost collapses himself from fright. Jimmy drops his sheet and covers Boyd with a revolver. But Sverdrup has recovered and enters behind Jimmy. He is about to deal him a blow over the head when Beatrice, emerging from the room adjoining that of Jane, fires from the doorway and drops the anarchist. Jimmy then tears the sheet from Boyd and strips from his lips his false moustache, revealing him in his true character. Two policemen summoned by Jimmy take away the plotters and Jane takes Jimmy and Beatrice to the library to show them the infernal machine. As they are examining it, other members of the gang surprise them, compel them to surrender the infernal machine, and escape. As Beatrice scolds Jimmy for his carelessness he explains: "Don't worry. I pressed the third button."
- Whitestocking, a famous racehorse, has mysteriously disappeared. Jimmy Barton ascertains of Bitney, the owner, that a thoroughly reliable stable boy slept in the stall with the door locked and the key in his pocket. He was found doped and the horse gone. The only opening to the stall except the door was an opening over the manger too small to admit a man. About the time Jimmy is receiving this information, Beatrice Fairfax gets a letter from Cutie, the fat lady in a country fair sideshow, saying that her sweetheart, the dwarf, absented himself from the show for three days and would give her no explanation. She asks advice. Beatrice shows the letter to Jimmy, who explains about the stolen race horse. They go to the country fair and enter the freak tent. Beatrice talks with the fat lady, who points out the dwarf. Jimmy goes over to the dwarf's station and talks to him. He sees Wilder, a bookmaker, come in and slip a note to the dwarf. The note reads: "Sam arrested for shell game. We divvy after race." The dwarf laughs in delight and tucks the note in his belt. Jimmy, under pretense of whispering a joke to the dwarf, picks him up and filches the note. The scene changes to the main avenue of the fairgrounds, where Jimmy, disguised as a fakir, starts a shell game. He is arrested and locked in the jail in a cell next to Sam. As he is being thrust into the cell, Jimmy steals the keys from the jailer. Sam is induced to talk and tells Jimmy how the dwarf was put through the opening in Whitestocking's stall and doped the stable boy. Jimmy lets himself out of jail, and hurries off to stop the "Free-for-All" race. In the meantime, Beatrice urged on by Cutie, asks the dwarf where he was during his absence of three days. The dwarf is frightened and runs to warn Wilder, the bookmaker. He finds him in another box stall, superintending the blacking of Whitestocking's legs, the name of the ringer being Black Joe, as indicated by a sign on the door. Wilder sends the dwarf back with directions and he, returning to Beatrice, says: "If you'll come with me, I'll tell you." Beatrice follows the dwarf to the stable, where Wilder and his stable boy seize her and bind her in the stall, while the ringer is led out to the race. Jimmy ascertains from Cutie where Beatrice went and follows. He is recognized by the constable who arrested him and is followed by the crowd. At the stable he breaks down the door, overpowering the stable boy, who is on guard, and rescues Beatrice. He explains to the constable and hurries off to stop the race. Too late, they are off, Black Joe, the ringer, in the lead. Wilder and his confederates, who have wagered immense sums on the ringer at staggering odds, are arrested and when the race is over, Jimmy rushes to the judges' stand and protests the race. He proves his charge by washing the stain from Whitestocking's ankles and is applauded by the crowd. Beatrice attempts to console the fat lady while the detectives carry away the struggling dwarf.
- Arturo Bocetti is the first violin of a theater orchestra. He has been married but a short time and lives most happily. The two are seen together in their music room. A letter comes addressed to Arturo. He is terrified to find it is from a gang of black-handers, who demand $200. Unless he gives it to them, they write, they will kill his wife. Arturo takes $200 from their scant horde, and leaves to comply with the blackmailers' demands. Marie, already suspicious, finds the money gone and decides the letter was from a woman and that Arturo took the money to spend upon her. She writes a note to Beatrice Fairfax. Beatrice receives the letter just as Jimmy Barton, the star reporter on the paper, is given an assignment to hunt down a gang of black-handers, because he "knows their lingo." She hurries to Marie while Jimmy, disguising himself as an Italian, is soon with the gang. Meantime. Arturo changes his mind and decides to notify the police. At the station house door he is warned that he will be killed, too, unless he complies. Several days pass. The den of the black-handers is shown. Two of them are making a bomb with which they intend to blow up Arturo's house, unless the money is paid. Jimmy, in his disguise, is playing poker with other members of the gang. Suddenly his coat sleeve is pulled back. It reveals an arm, white as a woman's, with the hand stained brown. The gang is upon him, but Jimmy seizes the newly-finished bomb. The gang flees. They decide to act quick. The theatre is about to let out, and they wait for Arturo as he leaves the stage door. Marie, angered by Arturo's evasiveness, has summoned Beatrice, and they, too, wait at the stage door to see what he is doing. As he leaves Arturo is handed another note from the black-handers, telling him to leave the money in the cup of a blind man on the corner, really one of their gang. Arturo drops the note and hurries away to comply. Marie springs out, picks up the note and she and Beatrice read it. Then Marie realizes how cruelly she has misjudged him. They hurry after Arturo, with the black-handers following them. Before the two women can prevent it, Arturo places the money in the blind man's cup. Beatrice and Marie reach the blind man a second before the black-handers and grab the money. Their cries bring back Arturo. Beatrice, Marie and Arturo dash in the hallway, up a flight of stairs and into a photograph gallery, whose owner has just stepped out. They barricade themselves in. The black-handers, unable to open the door, rush to the rood and drop down through the skylight. Unnoticed, Jimmy still in his disguise has joined them. The gang is fast overpowering Beatrice, Marie and Arturo, when Jimmy, with the bomb in his hand appears. The black-handers are terror-stricken at sight of the deadly tube and gladly surrender, just as the police arrive. Jimmy has a difficult time explaining his identity, but Beatrice finally recognizes him. Marie falls weeping on her husband's breast, declaring that had it not been for the advice of Beatrice Fairfax her whole life would have been wrecked.
- Mimosa San is a little Japanese girl in love with Hako Satsu, a secret agent of the Japanese government. Satsu receives word from his government that it would like to secure the plans of a remarkable rifle sight that has just been invented by John Brayton. Brayton, however, has just disposed of them to the United States War Department. Satsu contrives to get the plans. He calls in Anna Cortes, a pretty Spaniard, to help him carry out a plot for stealing them. They meet in a restaurant where Mimosa San is employed as a cashier. Mimosa sees them and becomes jealous. She writes a letter to Beatrice Fairfax asking for advice. Jimmy Barton, a newspaper reporter, is given an assignment to interview Brayton on his invention. Brayton refuses to see him and Jimmy returns to the office. Beatrice Fairfax shows him the letter from Mimosa San and they go to the restaurant where she is employed. Mimosa shows them Satsu and Anna again talking together. Jimmy decides to go to Brayton's residence for another attempt at an interview. As he is nearing the Brayton country home, he notices an automobile hurrying away. He catches a passing glance of two persons he believes to be the Jap and the Spanish woman. When he reaches the Brayton home, he finds it in a turmoil. Brayton is just returning to consciousness. His plans have been stolen. He tells about being called outside to give assistance to a woman hurt in an automobile accident. He had assisted her companion to carry her into his house. Once inside, the two turned on him, beat him into insensibility and stole the plans. The man, he believed, was a Jap. Jimmy hurries to his office and writes the story or the theft of the plans. Then, with Beatrice, he again goes to the tea garden where Mimosa is employed. While they are talking to her, she receives a telephone message which changes her from despairing grief to radiant happiness. She refuses to answer further questions and hurries from the room. Beatrice follows the girl while Jimmy goes to a detective's office and meets Brayton. Beatrice sees Mimosa enter the apartment of Anna. Satsu is there. He explains that his friendliness for Anna was only for the good of their country and shows her the stolen plans. Beatrice hurries away and phones Jimmy, who, with the detectives, swoop down upon the place. The detectives search Satsu, recover the plans and hand them to Brayton. While the detective's back is turned. Mimosa San seizes his revolver. She turns the tables on the detectives, including Jimmy and Beatrice. Holding them at bay, Mimosa San and Satsu escape through a rear door. Jimmy, Beatrice and the detectives, after the departure of the Japs start in pursuit. The two reach the bay, jump into a launch, and are pushing away just as the pursuers, with Jimmy and Beatrice at their head, appear. Mimosa San is crouched in the stern, while Satsu is navigating the craft. Jimmy draws his revolver and is about to fire, when Beatrice stops him. "Let her have him." she pleads. "We have the plans." Together they stand on the pier, as the launch drifts out to sea.
- Wallingford's latest adventures, "Buying a Bank With Bunk," isn't pulled off in Jinkinsville because of anything particularly inviting about the town, but because it harbors Benjamin F. Quirker, president of the Jinkinsville Bank, and a member of the clique who have stolen the fortunes of Violet and Fanny Warden. Quirker has a "past" and maintains a present with the ladies. When Wallingford learns this he posts a small girl to call Quirker "papa," for which she shall receive a nickel from Quirker. The coin forthcoming, as Wallingford anticipated, he plans to use the man's past as his weapon. The father is curious to know why Quirker gives his child nickels for calling him papa; his call at the banker's home starts the hyena-like Mrs. Quirker on the warpath. Wallingford also learns that Quirker is carrying on an affair with Marie Supont of Richfield. He sends Quirker an anonymous letter telling that all has been discovered and that he must flee. At the opportune time he goes to the bank, and, as a stall, offers to sell some stock to Quirker; instead, he buys Quirker's share in the bank for $51,000, giving a worthless check on a New York bank. From the bank directors he borrows a like amount, giving his stock as collateral. Telling Mrs. Quirker to meet him at Hotel St. Vitus in New York, he hurries to the metropolis to make the deposit. At the bank Quirker is shown a telegram from Wallingford stopping payment on the check on the ground of fraudulent transaction. Mrs. Quirker is steered to the bank by the Wallingford party, thus cutting short Quirker's argument with the teller. He hurriedly departs in a taxi, minus $51,000.
- The confidence men assume the roles of detectives and try their hand at relieving the town of Spanglerville, which was mixed up in the death and ruination of the father of the Warden girls, from some of the contents of the exchequer. This little town harbors one Henry Closby, a man of mystery, who has patented a clay image called the "Lost Dog," the royalties on which net him a handsome sum every year. On arriving at the only hostelry in town, they register as "Mr. Scotland Yard" and "Mr. S. Holmes." They tell the innkeeper that they are on the trail of a mysterious man, and learn of Closby. The latter aids them in their efforts to hoodwink the town. With the judicious use of the "sneakograph" and "sleuthophone," they give the rubes an exhibition of the latest devices for the detection of crime. So interested are the townspeople in the exhibition that they buy another "invention" of this Closby for the sum of $60,000, just enough to cover the sum stolen from old man Warden.
- The Warden sisters, assisted by Wallingford and company, continue the crusade of vengeance. Elias Boggers, who profited $40,000 from the death of Mr. Warden, is the next target. When Wallingford arrives in the town Boggers lives in, he sees the circus has come to town. He decides to "sell" the circus to Boggers for $65,000. Boggers then goes to see his investment and is discouraged from ownership by the unruly circus performers #Wallingford's associates in disguise). He wants out and sells the circus back to Wallingford for $25,000, leaving the con artists with the $40,000 taken from the Wardens.
- Violet and Fanny Warden, whose father's ruination and death has been caused by a criminal clique of financiers, are being aided by Wallingford and Daw to recover a part of the stolen funds. J.D. Prine is the next name on the list, and this is the way it is led to the sacrificial stake. Violet and Fanny learn from Qualey, a discharged employee's of Prine's that Prine and his associate bankers have $350,000 in bad loans for which they may be sent to jail. They relay this information to Wallingford and Blackie Daw. Wallingford goes to the crooked bankers and telling them they are wise to their game, offer to take over the bankers' bad loans for a consideration of $100,000. The frightened bankers gladly agree to this and J. Rufus takes over their debts, receives $100,000, and immediately proceeds to double cross the pirates. J. Rufus has speculated $5,000 in a lot next to Prine's general store on Main street, and in an excruciatingly funny scene has thousands of skunks shipped to him, for use, as he says, in the chemical factory he is about to start there. The awful smell drives customers out of Prine's store adjoining, and J. Rufus sells $5,000 option on the farm to J.D. Prine for $10,000.
- Beatrice Fairfax receives a letter signed Robert Wells, who writes: "Is there any way an honest man can prevent his girl from falling in love with a fascinating foreigner?" At Jimmy Barton's request the letter is handed to him, for he knows Bob. Jimmy visits Bob at his office and finds him much excited over the attention paid to his fiancée, Martha Ainsley, by Andre Versale. A scene shows Versale calling upon Miss Ainsley. He is a fortune hunter and has established an accomplice in the Ainsley home as Martha's maid. Versale urges Martha to elope with him from a masque ball that is to be held at the Ainsley home on the following night. Jimmy and Beatrice secure cards to the ball from Bob, who also furnishes them with a description of the costumes to be worn by Versale and Martha. On the night of the ball the two men and the two women, their faces covered by masks, look exactly alike. Versale mistakes Beatrice for Martha and urges her to elope. She agrees. He tells her he will go to her room and instruct the maid to prepare for the trip, taking all her jewels with her. Beatrice tells Jimmy and then detains Versale. Jimmy goes to the room, but after the jewels are in a handbag, the maid becomes suspicious and tears off Jimmy's mask. She sees she has been imposed upon, but Jimmy overpowers her and takes the bag with the jewels. He hurries downstairs and gives the bag to Beatrice. Versale has completed all his arrangements. Jimmy leaves Beatrice a moment. While he is gone, Versale, believing Beatrice to be Martha, carries her bodily, despite her struggles, into a waiting automobile. When Jimmy gets back he is amazed to find Martha instead of Beatrice, and Beatrice, the jewels and Versale gone. He tells Martha of Versale's duplicity. Accompanied by Bob, they jump into a high-power automobile and start in pursuit of Versale and Beatrice. A wild ride follows. Just at dawn, they come within sight of Versale's car. He starts shooting at them. Bob, who is driving, puts on the greatest speed and the car dashes alongside that of Versale, just as the adventurer puts a bullet into the front tire of Bob's car. As it explodes, Jimmy leaps from the running board into the flying automobile. A battle follows. Jimmy finally compels Versale to drop the revolver. Beatrice picks it up and as Jimmy overpowers Versale, she covers the chauffeur and orders him to stop. The two prisoners are bound and Jimmy turns over the jewels to Martha. She weeps on Bob's shoulder and promises him she will never flirt again. While Bob takes Martha home and policemen take charge of Versale and the chauffeur, Jimmy and Beatrice hurry to the office, where they write the story of their night's experience.
- In spite of the influences of his father, a minister of the Gospel, Lester Goodrich seeks the companionship of fast friends. He makes constant demands on his parents for money, which he squanders. One night he and his comrades repair to a café and Lester becomes helpless with drink. His parents wonder at his failure to return. His mother induces her husband to seek him and bring him home. Following a clue, Lester's father finds him at the café about to be ejected for not paying his score. Settling the bill, the father returns home with the erring boy and warns him to give up his tempestuous career. With his father's warning impressed on his mind, he falls into a heavy slumber, in which he has a vivid dream and sees what his life might become if he continues. Arising from his bed, he goes into his parent's room. Noting their absence, he takes their money and jewels and joins his friends. They go to a gambling resort, which is raided. Lester escapes and returns to his home. Next day, Sunday, his parents start for church. He promises to join them later. He watches until the collection is deposited in the chapel and steals it. His father and mother discover the robbery and find evidence points to their son. Lester, meeting a girlfriend, invites her out. He rows her to a lonely spot in the lake and attempts to embrace her. Endeavoring to evade him, she falls into the water and is drowned. The tragedy is seen by those on shore. One man pursues Lester on a motorcycle. In the struggle, Lester kills his antagonist. Cornered by the pursuers, he attempts to escape by swimming, but is caught by the police in a boat. He succeeds in escaping by a ruse, but is arrested at his home. He is brought to trial for murder, convicted and receives a long sentence. One day, while working with the convicts he and another escape after attempting to kill the guards. Lester returns home for funds to enable him to leave the country. He is heard by his father, who overcomes him after a struggle. Horrified to see the prisoner is his son, the minister decides to take the law in his own hands. Lifting the bound prisoner upon his shoulder, he carries him to the lake, the scene of Lester's crimes. There he compels him to kneel. Raising his hands to the Almighty, the minister asks for strength to fulfill his mission and prays for the soul of the boy. Dashing the tears from his eyes, the father casts his son into the lake. Simultaneously with the fall Lester awakes and finds himself on the floor. Bewildered by his dream, Lester hastens to his parents and tells them of his awful experience, promising he will lead a better life.
- J. Rufus Wallingford and Blackie Daw, the gentlemen crooks who are endeavoring to recover a stolen fortune for the Warden girls, get a little of their own medicine in this episode. Jones Squibble, the man they have scheduled for a "shakedown," is a tightfisted old farmer, and taxes the Warden girls ten cents for taking a drink from his well. Blackie gets in a jam with him and he, too, is assessed. Then J. Rufus himself runs afoul of Jones for driving his automobile across his property. This angers our hero and he immediately buys the place for $200. He acts the part of a mine owner in boom times and Zeke, the brother of Jones, plants a mine on his property, expecting Wallingford to "fall." But Jones tips him off, expecting J. Rufus to sell him back his property for the sum paid in exchange for the information. However, this our hero refuses to do, and Squibble has to fork over $35,000 for it. But what cares he? He sells it right away for $50,000, and rather slips one over on Wallingford. Nevertheless, the Wardens get their $35,000, just the amount due them.
- Simeon Gold, editor of "The Vampire," a scandal weekly, is seated in his office. Madeline Grey, a pretty young matron, enters. She has been summoned by Gold, who has in his possession some indecent letters she wrote to another man, prior to her marriage. Gold demands a large sum of money for them, under threat of publishing them. She is unable to secure the money and, terrified, writes to Beatrice Fairfax for advice. Beatrice shows the letter to Jimmy Barton, and they decide to go together to Mrs. Gold's home and from her learn her story. Jimmy later calls on Gold under pretext of interviewing him for his paper. The only information he gets from the blackmailer is that he keeps all of his private papers in his bedroom. Jimmy watches the Gold home and forms the acquaintance of the vegetable man. By a liberal use of money the vegetable man consents to let Jimmy take his place. Thus disguised. Jimmy gains access to the Gold kitchen and makes love to the maid. She is baking a pie, and while her back is turned, Jimmy secures an impression of the key to the kitchen door in a piece of dough. That night Jimmy, learning that all of the Gold household is out, visits the house. Beatrice, despite his protests, accompanies him. They have assured Mrs. Grey that her letters will be returned to her within a few hours. Meantime Gold again visits her. He demands the money. In her eagerness to ward him off she declares she will have the letters within a short time despite him. Gold, alarmed by the threat, hurries home. There is a light in his bedroom. Taking his chauffeur with him, he hurries there and surprises Beatrice. She and Jimmy have just located the Grey letters in the hall safe, but have not secured them. Beatrice pretends she is a friend of Mrs. Grey. Gold backs her into an adjoining room and leaves the chauffeur to guard her. Then returning to the bedroom, he takes the letters from the safe. Jimmy is hiding behind a curtain and when Gold turns, he finds himself looking into the muzzle of a revolver. Before he can move, Jimmy deals him a blow that renders him unconscious and secures the letters. Beatrice and the chauffeur in the next room hear him fall. The chauffeur rushes to his side, but also finds a revolver at his head. The maid, who has returned, enters the room, sees Jimmy and collapses as she exclaims: "It's the vegetable man.'' With the letters, Jimmy and Beatrice back out of the room and escape. They hurry to Mrs. Grey, who burns the letters as the episode ends.
- A husband, mistakenly believing his wife has cheated on him and that he is now the father of their newborn son, throws both her and her child out of the house. Frantic to the point of madness, she abandons her baby, and when she gains her sanity she flees to Alaska to start a new life. However, her husband finds out and follows her there.
- Jimmy Barton, the reporter and amateur sleuth, is given an assignment to hunt down a gang of counterfeiters who have been passing spurious bills. He tells Beatrice Fairfax about it. She has just received a letter from John Miles, who writes her that his fiancée, who was to have met him at church, has mysteriously disappeared, and that Madame Gaillard, her employer, denies all knowledge of her whereabouts. After consulting with Moran, the United States Secret Service agent, about the counterfeiters, Jimmy and Beatrice start out to try to locate Jean Moore, the missing girl. The scene reverts to the interior of Madame Gaillard's home. Jean is at work in the library and starts toward the door of a rear room. Madame appears and warns her never to attempt to enter that room again. Later in the day. Jean's curiosity overcomes her and she enters the room and finds various articles for making counterfeit money. While she is there, Madame surprises her, a desperate struggle follows, which results in Madame overpowering Jean, and locking her up in a deserted chamber. Then she circulates the story that Jean has left her employ. Madame goes out and is seen travelling from store to store, making trifling purchases, and always paving for them in bills. In a drug store, when she stops, Jimmy Barton also happens to be making a purchase. He offers a large bill in payment and the clerk gives him, among his change, the bill he has just received from Madame. Jimmy thinks it looks strange, and follows the old woman, and is satisfied she is passing the spurious money. As she nears her home, Madame realize she is being followed. She enters a small restaurant adjoining her home, from which there is a secret passage to the cellar of her house. Jimmy follows her into the restaurant, but the man in charge declares the woman never entered there. Meantime Beatrice has gone to the home of Miles. She learns the location of the house where Jean was employed and together they go there. As they alight in front of the house, they encounter Jimmy, who has lost all trace of the woman he has followed. The three enter the restaurant. It is deserted. Jimmy goes into the back room, just in time to see a trap door slowly being raised. Concealing himself, he waits until the restaurant keeper, who is really one of the counterfeiters, emerges. With the assistance of Miles, he binds and gags the man. Then, he, Miles and Beatrice pass through the trap door. In the dark passage where they find themselves, they hear a woman's muffled screams. The scene changes and shows Jean attempting to escape. Madame Gaillard loses her wig and is revealed as a man, the leader of the counterfeiters. Prior to this, Jimmy, satisfied that he was on the right trail, has Beatrice telephone Moran and the latter, with a force of his operatives, starts for the place. Jimmy and Miles overpower the supposed Madame Gaillard and rescue Jean. She tells them the story of the counterfeiters and they start for the cellar. After they have gone, Gaillard succeeds in freeing himself and starts by another passageway to warn the other members of the gang. They arrive in the cellar about the same time. A battle follows. The counterfeiters are winning when Moran and his men arrive. Gaillard is shot dead in the fight, and the others overpowered. John and Jean are happily reunited, while Jimmy and Beatrice hurry away to tell the world, through their newspaper, of the capture of the counterfeit gang.
- Violet and Fanny Warden's father was ruined by a group of unethical businessmen. J. Rufus Wallingford and his associate Blackie Daw are enlisted to help the girls avenge their father's undoing. Target number one is a businessman named Falls who sells portable houses. Wallingofrd invests in Falls' company and gains his confidence. A farmer arrives and orders a house contingent on some improvements. Wallingford happens to own the patents on such items and sells them to Falls for $125,000. As the house is completed Onion Jones (another Wallingford associate) arrives and claims he owns the patents. He attaches the house and Falls' business for patent infringement. Falls is ruined and it is discovered that the farmer is none other than Blackie Daw; the farmer's daughters are in reality the Warden girls.
- Clinton Harding of the U.S. Revenue Service, sleuthing for smugglers at Smith Harbor, falls in love with Dorothy Dane, the niece of Donald Dane, of whose occupation as a smuggler Harding is unaware. He tells Dorothy of his love and when he bids her good night at her cottage inadvertently leaves his gun. he is stopping at the village hotel and late that night goes to the cottage for his gun which he finds against a tree near the old well, just where he left it. He is about to return when he sees Dane and two fishermen slide down the well rope. Harding hides his gun in the bushes and follows them. At the bottom he comes upon a large cave which extends through the cliff to the sea. He sees Dane and his helpers taking cargo from a small boat at the cave's opening but before he can get away with his information he is discovered by the smugglers and overpowered. Two days later Beatrice Fairfax received a letter from Dorothy saying that her sweetheart has mysteriously disappeared. At the same time Jimmy Barton, a reporter on the same paper with Beatrice, who has been on the trail of the smuggling story, learns that Harding has not been heard from by his chief in two days. The fact that both disappearances occurred at Smith Harbor leads the reporter to connect the two. He advises Beatrice to pay a visit to Dorothy and without taking Beatrice into the secret goes down to Smith Harbor himself disguised as a peddler. While Beatrice is talking to Dorothy, Jimmy as the peddler appears and arouses Dorothy's interests by a display of wristwatches. Dane coming up is induced to put on what he thinks is a watch, but which is in reality a symograph. "That won't tell," he says. "No," Jimmy replies. "It tells secrets. I can sell it cheap because I buy from smugglers." The hand on the dial of the instrument attached to Dane's wrist rises to "high" and Jimmy is elated. As he is going away he stumbles over Harding's shotgun and observes the initials G.H. carved on the stock. He looks down the well and mentally connects it with Harding's disappearance. Quickly hiding his pack Jimmy writes a note telling Beatrice to summon the revenue officers and creeping to the edge of the cliff drops it at Beatrice's feet as she is returning to the village from her visit to Dorothy. Jimmy then returns to the well and lowers himself by means of the rope. He finds the cave at the bottom and sees Harding bound in one corner. He crawls to him unobserved by the smugglers and cuts his bonds, returning to the well opening, where he shouts, "Didn't I tell you that watch told secrets?" As the smugglers rush for him Jimmy climbs up the rope, and Harding running the other way escapes by diving into the sea. The revenue officers arrive in time to arrest the smugglers and the lovers are made happy in their reunion.
- Silas Haskins, a poor farmer, is made happy through his wife bearing him a fine girl baby. At the same time the wife of his neighbor and landlord, Singleton, gives birth to twin daughters. While Mrs. Haskins is still in a highly nervous and weakened state from her illness, a deputy sheriff comes to the house demanding that the overdue rent be paid under the penalty of immediate ejection. The farmer pleads for time, pointing to his wife's condition as serious. The deputy sheriff reports to Singleton the result of his call and is ordered to go back and get the money or put the Haskins out. Enlisting the aid of two other deputies, he attempts to forcibly eject Mrs. Haskins. Her husband enters in the midst of the confusion, and angered beyond all control throws the emissaries of the law out of his house. While he is engaged in this Mrs. Haskins, temporarily deranged from the shock, attempts to hide her baby in the bureau drawer. The child, of course, soon suffocates. When Haskins returns he finds out what has happened, and in order to shield his wife from her insane act, decides to bury the child himself. While he is doing this, the nursemaid for the Singleton children wheels them in their perambulator to the top of the hill directly above the farmer. Owing to her carelessness the carriage escapes from her and plunging over a rocky precipice lands at Haskins' feet. Looking inside he discovers that the babies are uninjured, and determines to substitute his dead baby for one of the living in order to try and save his wife's reason. His deception succeeds and passes unnoticed. Shortly afterwards he decides to leave for the west and start life anew. Twenty years have passed and the twin sisters, ignorant of each other's existence, have grown to womanhood. Alice has become an orphan and is employed as stenographer by a young business man of her town, whom she eventually marries. Mary tends bar for her father, who owns a saloon in a little village in the west. High-hat Harry, a big-bodied, big-hearted gambler, comes to town, and being insulted by one of the cowpuncher patrons of the saloon, shows that he has also plenty of nerve by throwing the offender out of the door. He tells Mary that as it seems to be a nice quiet little town, he thinks he will stay. He soon learns to love the girl and tells her supposed father that she needs a protector, and that he proposes "to be it." When he asks Mary to be his wife she tells him that if he'll go to some big city, stop gambling, and be good for a year, she will marry him. Obeying her request he at once leaves for the east. Registering at a hotel in an eastern city he is astounded to see a girl whom he takes to be Mary. Stepping up to her and asking what she is doing there, he is amazed to find that she denies his acquaintance. He follows the girl (who, of course is Alice) to her home and later writes her a letter recalling the past. Smith, her husband, reading the letter, is filled with unjust suspicion and orders his wife from the house. How the truth is revealed, husband and wife, and Harry and Mary all reunited, end an interesting story.
- Louis Trapp, the next victim, is one of the clique of criminal financiers whose manipulations have caused the death of the charming Violet and Fanny Warden's father. A lucrative mail-order business is used as the "come on" by J. Rufus and Blackie, who, by mailing to themselves hundreds of ten dollar bills, excite the cupidity of Trapp. Onion Jones, a Wallingford confederate, pretending to mistake Trapp as the owner of the company, offers him $60,000 for it, and the crafty Trapp, scenting an enormous profit in the deal, rushes off and buys the business from Wallingford for $50,000, hoping to turn it over to Onion for a $10,000 gain. The postal authorities get on to the mail order business just as soon as Trapp becomes its proprietor, and things look dark for the amateur plunger.
- Billy is a fourteen-year-old messenger boy. When he is not delivering messages, he is learning telegraphy. He delivers a telegram to Judge Richard Morton, from the warden of Sing Sing. It reads: "Peter Raven escaped. Thought to be headed for New York." Peter Raven is a desperate criminal. A scene shows Judge Morton sentencing him. Raven creates a disturbance in court and declares that his first act when he is free will be to kill the Judge. While Billy is waiting for an answer to the telegram he encounters Judge Morton's daughter, Jean, aged twelve, in the hallway and falls in love with her. They are having a delightful conversation, when Jean's governess, Mme. Laurette, carries her off. Billy, with his first love sorrow, writes a letter to Beatrice Fairfax, asking for advice. Beatrice receives it just as Jimmy Barton, star reporter, is started out on the story of the escape of Peter Raven. Jean writes a playful note to Billy, calling him her knight, and asking him to save her from an imaginary ogre, her governess. Little does she know that the woman is a villainess. As Jean dispatched the note, Mme. Laurette receives a check for a trunk. She is the wife of Raven. She hurries to the Pennsylvania Station, where she receives the trunk and takes it to her home. Inside is Raven. They plan to kidnap Jean. Meantime Jimmy Barton, who has been sleuthing, discovers that Raven has come to New York. He starts to trace the final destination of the trunk, Billy has received Jean's playful note and hurries to her home. When he arrives he observes suspicious actions between an alleged blind man and the governess. The latter, with a thimble on her finger, begins tapping on the window pane. Billy's quick ear detects the Morse code. She is sending the blind man a message regarding the plans for kidnapping. Billy notifies Beatrice. The kidnapping plan is to steal Jean while she is taking her automobile for a ride with the governess. Jean and lime, Laurette come out of the house and enter the automobile. The kidnappers follow in another car. Billy, desperate at the delay of Beatrice, hangs on the steps of the kidnappers' machine. When a lonely spot in the country is reached, the kidnappers pretend to have a breakdown and they hail the car containing the governess and Jean. When it stops they overpower the chauffeur, drug the child and escape with Billy still clinging to the step. In the flight Billy is thrown from the car, but Beatrice soon appears and picks him up. They follow the kidnappers to a shack at the river's edge and burst in upon them just as little Jean is recovering consciousness. The kidnappers then throw Jean out of the window and into the stream below, but she is rescued by Billy. Jimmy and two detectives row across the river to the kidnappers' house. With the detectives following, Jimmy burst into the room. Beatrice is rescued and Raven, Mme. Laurette and the other kidnappers overpowered. Beatrice, Jimmy and Billy take Jean home. When the Judge and his wife learn of Billy's bravery, they promise that someday when the children are older, and Billy is earning more money, they will entertain the proposition that they wed. Jimmy and Beatrice hurry back to their office with another good story.
- Larry Earle, the idol of Engine Company No. 7, decides to spend his vacation in the country. Hiram Stewart, his expectant host, calls for him at the station and they drive toward the farm. On the way their buggy meets with an accident and they are compelled to seek assistance from Sarah Lane. She makes an immediate and deep impression on Larry. While out on his subsequent trips through the country, Larry frequently meets Sarah. She tells him that she is the adopted daughter of a neighboring farmer whose son, Jim, wants to marry her. Her affections for Jim are not very encouraging to that person. Realizing that in Larry he has a strong rival for the hand of Sarah, a fierce hatred is nurtured in the breast of Jim, who vows to rid himself of the fireman. Larry, seeing him abusing the girl, goes to her assistance. Soon the two rivals are locked in a deadly embrace. Struggling in the middle of a stream, they lose their footing and are carried by the rushing waters over the falls and along the rapids, still fighting desperately. Larry proves the victor and is compelled to go to the assistance of the exhausted Jim. He learns that Larry and the girl intend to meet the next morning to elope and enlists the aid of his father in frustrating them. They capture Sarah and conceal her in a cave in back of a waterfall. Larry misses Sarah at the appointed rendezvous and traces her to her place of concealment but sees that she is guarded by her two captors. Securing a long rope, he lowers himself over the falls and makes known his presence to the girl, whose guards have gone to watch at the entrance to the cave. They stealthily approach Jim, who, left by his father, momentarily relaxes his vigilance, and overpower him. Binding him tightly, they hasten to Larry's boarding house, where his hostess kindly loans the girl a change of raiment. Jim is found by his father, who releases him, and they prepare to overtake the firemen and his sweetheart. Larry and Sarah have meanwhile driven to the village for the purpose of being married by the justice of the peace, who is also the sheriff. While pronouncing the final words, the pursuers are seen hurrying to the spot heavily armed. The sheriff hastily enters the buggy with the nearly married couple, and they drive for the train in an effort to evade trouble. Just as the train rolls in, the sheriff succeeds in marrying the lovers, who board it as it pulls out of the station. Jim and his father, realizing that they have been outwitted, determine to follow and wreak vengeance on the happy couple, but Cody, the sheriff, holds them back at the point of his gun. Larry and his bride, installed in their new home, decide to ask the old man and Jim to visit them, telling them that they hold no grievances toward them. Their invitation is accepted, and Sarah meets them at the station. Guided through the streets of the city, they spy a fire-alarm box and ask Sarah regarding it. She decides to demonstrate its workings, and innocently pulls the alarm. With a clattering and banging, the fire apparatus responds to the call. Great is Larry's surprise when he learns that his bride is the cause of the false alarm. He explains the situation to his amused comrades, who decide to teach the rubes a lesson. In a moment, Sarah, sheltered by Larry's rubber coat, and the two farmers, whose only shelter is a cotton umbrella, are the center of a veritable cloudburst, the firemen having turned all the available hose on them. After the downpour ceases the little party, drenched but forgiving, pursue a dripping course to the haven of Larry's home.
- Martin O'Day, professional gambler and saloon-keeper, has bet heavily on the New York Yankees winning from the Giants in the deciding game between the two clubs for the championship of New York City. O'Day has been led to believe that Bert Kerrigan, star pitcher of the Giants, will not be in condition to play. At the last moment, however, McGraw, to the consternation of the Yankee backers, announces that Kerrigan will pitch. Realizing that he stands to lose many thousands of dollars, O'Day decides to kidnap Kerrigan. The pitcher is engaged to marry Rita Malone, and has already furnished an apartment for his bride-to-be. O'Day sends an anonymous letter to Rita, warning her that Kerrigan has another girlfriend, and that if she calls at a certain hotel at 9 o'clock the morning of the game, she can get proof of his duplicity. He also sends a letter to Kerrigan, telling him that Rita is untrue and visits the hotel. Kerrigan is told to watch a certain window of the hotel at 9:30 the next morning. Rita, greatly worried, writes to Beatrice Fairfax, who confides in Jimmy Barton, the newspaper reporter. Jimmy is already working on the story of the ball game, and has had several interviews with Donovan, of the Yankees, and McGraw, of the Giants. He knows that O'Day is betting heavily on the Giants and goes to see him. Meantime Rita and Kerrigan have separately gone to the hotel. Rita is escorted into a room, the window of which Kerrigan is watching. She is seized from behind and her face is covered with kisses. From the street it seems to Kerrigan that she is returning the caresses. He rushes up to the room, is trapped, captured and bound. One of the gang then sends a note to O'Day, telling him that Kerrigan is trapped and being held. The note arrives, while Jimmy, feigning drunkenness, is talking to O'Day. Jimmy sees its contents and covers O'Day with a revolver. Then he makes the gambler write a note to his subordinates, telling them to obey orders from Jimmy, after which he locks O'Day in a vault. Jimmy hurries to the hotel, presents the note and secures possession of Kerrigan and Rita. It is then afternoon and the ball game is on. Beatrice has just arrived at the hotel too. The four leap into an automobile and there is a wild race through the city streets to the Polo Grounds, in which several policemen take part. The fifth inning is being played when they finally reach the crowded grounds, and the score is 2 to 0 in favor of the Yankees. The Giants bat and score three runs in the sixth, giving them a lead of one. The Yanks come back in their half and the first three men up get on bases. Kerrigan has hurried to the clubhouse and at this stage of the game appears on the field in uniform. "It's up to you to save us, Bert," says McGraw to Kerrigan, "there's three on and nobody out." Kerrigan goes on, strikes out the next three and holds the Yankees safe for the remaining innings, the Giants winning, 3 to 2. It is not until after the game that Kerrigan can explain his mysterious absence to Manager McGraw. Then, too, Rita and Kerrigan explain their presence at the hotel and Jimmy tells of O'Day's attempt to wreck their lives to accomplish his end. While the great crowd is surging from the grounds, Beatrice and Jimmy hurry to their offices to write the story.
- Cornelius Rockewell, the next target of the Wallingford company, is in Zwick's Sanitarium with a nagging ailment. Hearing that Rockewell will give a great amount of money for the cure of his ailment, Wallingford sets up his own sanitarium. Onion Jones meets Rockewell on the train and tells him about the miracle cure that he is investing in. Rockewell takes the bait and follows Jones to Wallingford's bogus hospital. So impressed is Rockewell that he outbids Jones and invests $150,000 with Wallingford. Yet another name is crossed off the Warden girls' list.
- Andre Perigourd, a dress maker, is Wallingford's next victim. Violet buys a dress from Perigourd, only to find out that it is a cheap, illegal copy of a designer's original. A burglar breaks into Wallingford's house and just happens to have Perigourd's address on him. Wallingford enters the dress shop pretending to be a customer, and Blackie Daw follows him and gives him $1,000 for his $150 investment. Perigourd asks to be let in on such a profitable investment, and Wallingford lets him in for $100,000. But Perigourd quickly realizes that he has been swindled and gets the police. However, Wallingford lets Perigourd know that with their arrest the fact will come out that Perigourd has been making illegal dresses. Perigourd gives in and once again the Warden girls get their revenge.