- Dr. Montrose's attempts to develop a chemical which would make a person super-intelligent fail, and the subjects of his experiments metamorphose into hideous monsters who band together and prey on humans. With the police stymied, a young detective attempts to track down the leader of the group of killers, known only to have a small crimson stain in one eye.—Doug Sederberg <vornoff@sonic.net>
- Episode 1: "The Brand of Satan" New York is in a panic. Men whose names are household words are being murdered wholesale by an unknown, strangled to death. Robbery is invariably the motive. Dr. Burton Montrose, a scientist, discovers a biological element which he believes will improve the faculties of the human race. Tested on several human subjects, the discovery reacts, making of them murderers. No one knows of the doctor's connection with the murders that are rocking society to its very foundation. The New York Examiner, the biggest newspaper in the city, owned by Jerome Stanley, is relentless in its attacks upon the police for their failure to apprehend the criminals. Jerome Stanley assigns his son, Harold Stanley, to solve the mystery, working upon the only available clue, the ante-mortem statement of one of the victims that the arch-killer has a crimson stain in his eye. Harold Stanley is in love with Florence Montrose, daughter of Dr. Montrose. Walking one evening with her, he tells her of his assignment to catch the murderers. Suddenly he sees silhouetted on a nearby window three figures, one of whom is murdering one while the third is urging him on to the deed. While Florence runs for a policeman Harold breaks in through the window and in the darkness sees the crimson stain in one of the killer's eyes. The killers attempt to kill Harold, but the police arrive in the nick of time and save him. That night Stanley and his father and Robert Clayton, a young artist, are guests at dinner at the Montrose home. During the evening Mr. Stanley steps into the library and is strangled to death by the Crimson Stain. Florence discovers the body and sees the Crimson Stain, who makes good his escape upon the approach of Stanley and the artist who answered Florence's screams. Stanley vows to avenge his father's death.—Moving Picture World synopsis
- Episode 2: "In the Demon's Spell" Taking charge of his father's newspaper Harold Stanley bends all his efforts towards the capture of the murderers. He advertises far and wide the fact that the murderer's eyes are tinged with red. Fear of Pierre La Rue keeps Florence from telling that she had seen him as he bent over Harold's father. The Crimson Stain sends Vanya Tosca, the woman member of the gang, to make the acquaintance of Robert Clayton, the artist, and friend of Harold Stanley, and through him put Harold out of the way. Vanya meets Clayton. The Crimson Stain gang decide not to use Clayton, but to go to his studio and while Vanya is making love to him Jim Tanner knocks him unconscious and puts him away behind a couch. Shortly after, Florence Montrose appears. La Rue tells her he will kill her because she is the only person who has ever seen him outside of his own gang. She screams. Harold Stanley coming up at that moment hears her screams and dashes up the stairs to her rescue. Tanner stops him and a fight ensues. The janitor goes out to hunt a policeman. Hearing the noise of the fight outside the door, Pierre La Rue, the Crimson Stain, hypnotizes Florence, and carries her out through another door just as Stanley bursts in through the main door, Stanley sees Vanya who tells him it was she who screamed. Stanley is puzzled. La Rue gives Florence to Tanner and tells him to jump in her automobile and take her to their hangout. A policeman interferes and La Rue kills him. Looking out of the window, wondering what has become of Florence, Stanley sees Tanner carry her unconscious body to the automobile and drive off. Stanley hurries downstairs to the street and gives chase in his own machine. Out in the country he catches up with Tanner, who runs away. Harold takes the unconscious Florence to her home and Dr. Montrose weeps at seeing her, and says that only the man who hypnotized her can bring her out of the trance. Then a new element bursts into the moment of tense crisis.—Moving Picture World synopsis
- Episode 3: "The Broken Spell" Harold Stanley's first impulse is to give publicity to the fact that Florence is hypnotized by an unknown, but upon the protestations of Dr. Montrose he decides to keep the fact quiet. A nurse is sent to care for Florence and Harold lays plans to bring Florence out of her trance. Harold goes to Clayton's studio and finds Clayton on a couch in a semi-conscious state while Vanya Tosca is bathing a wound in his forehead. Vanya denies knowledge of how Clayton was injured. Clayton remembers nothing. Harold suspects that Vanya knows more than she wishes to tell. Next day as Dr. Montrose is seated beside Florence's bed his gaze shifts and he looks in the long mirror and sees the door behind him slowly open and Pierre La Rue enter. The presence of Pierre in the room acts upon Florence and Dr. Montrose immediately realizes that La Rue is responsible for her condition. Dr. Montrose springs to his feet to attack La Rue, but La Rue vanishes through the door. Picking up a heavy vase, the doctor throws it after fleeing La Rue, but misses him and smashes the door. The shock brings Florence out of her trance. Harold Stanley reaches the house in time to hear the crash of the vase upon the floor. Florence is completely conscious. She remembers nothing of what has transpired during the last few days. Harold tells her she was hypnotized and she recalls her experience with La Rue in Clayton's studio. Harold informs Florence and the doctor that a new murder had been committed the night before in the Old Lent House in the Bronx. Florence begs to go along on his investigation of the murder. Harold promises to take her later and as he leaves the house he runs into Vanya Tosca, who gives a weak excuse for her presence in the neighborhood. Harold takes Vanya in his automobile and tells her of the discovery of a new clue. Later Vanya goes to the Crimson Stain Den and tells Pierre and his henchmen of Harold's activities. They plan to put Florence and Harold out of the way. Accordingly, Vanya is assigned to get Harold to Clayton's studio and Tanner is assigned to get Florence to the Old Lent House. Vanya telephones Harold and gets him to come to Clayton's studio. At the studio she goes into another room to bring Clayton and Harold drinks and mixes a sleeping powder in each one's glass. Harold breaks his glass accidentally and leaves to keep his appointment with Florence just as Clayton succumbs into unconsciousness. Florence receives a note in Harold's handwriting stating that he is in trouble and asking her to accompany the bearer to the Lent House in the Bronx. Later when Harold arrives to keep his appointment he finds Florence is gone, but on the floor is the note which she dropped in her hurry. Harold gives chase and reaches the Lent House just as Florence is bound and gagged by Tanner and the chauffeur. In the ensuing fight he rescues Florence and both make their escape just as the Lent House is demolished by a bomb explosion.—Moving Picture World synopsis
- Episode 4: "The Mysterious Disappearance" Felix, the doctor's man of mystery, tells Dr. Montrose that a patient is awaiting him in the laboratory. The doctor finds Tanner waiting. Tanner demands the drug which the doctor refuses at first, but is compelled to give it to him because of Tanner's threatening attitude. Parrish, the detective, pays Harold a visit in the latter's office to warn him to cease his attacks upon the police for their failure to solve the mystery. Robert Clayton, the artist, comes in at that moment and Parrish, unsatisfied, makes his departure. Listening at the door. Parrish hears Harold remonstrate with Clayton for not dropping the acquaintance of Vanya Tosca. Robert ridicules the thought and tells Harold he is on his way to Vanya's apartment. Parrish walks away. Speeding along in her automobile, Florence espies Tanner. She follows. Reaching Vanya's apartment, Tanner slinks in, knowing full well that Florence is following him. As Florence enters the apartment, Tanner grabs her by the throat and gags her. Tanner then pushes Florence into a closet, and as he enters the hall he sees Clayton come in, but Clayton does not see him. Vanya comes in shortly afterward with Lambert, a fresh victim. Robert sees the pair come in and hides behind draperies, from which vantage point he sees everything that is going on. He sees Vanya and Lambert making love to each other. Vanya goes into another room to bring her new lover a drink and a mysterious arm reaches out from behind a curtain and grabs her throat. At that moment a pistol is fired. Harold, who is passing the house, hears the shot, rushes in and finds Lambert dead on the floor and Robert unconscious beside him, clutching in his hand a pistol. In the closet Florence struggles to get the gag out of her mouth and screams. Her cries attract the attention of the police and as a detective throws open the door to the closet Parrish steps out. When the detective broke into the house the fingers that clutched at Vanya's throat let her drop and she regains consciousness, telling the detectives what little she knows of the whole affair. Robert Clayton is accused by Parrish of the murder of Lambert. In the meantime Tanner has spirited the unconscious Florence into a taxicab which is taking them to the den of "The Crimson Stain" gang. Florence regains consciousness and jumps out of the taxi. Tanner precludes following her because of the crowd. Robert is in the den of "The Crimson Stain" gang in a sort of hypnotic trance. Later Stanley and a detective go to Robert's studio in search of a clue to his disappearance. Robert writes a note in which he admits being guilty of the killing of Lambert, then he walks out upon the roof and continues walking along the edge in his trance. Stanley and the detective come up at that moment and see him in this perilous position. They rush up and save him just as he is about to step off into space. Robert is arrested by the detective for the murder of Lambert. At the Montrose home, Florence is awaiting the arrival of her father, and as he enters she tells him of her experience.—Moving Picture World synopsis
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