Expressing post-war cultural internationalism, this silent film follows the mysterious Orchid and the man who loves her.

The story of "Jack" is well-known. It is a beautiful story of a natural child. His mother, Ida de Borancy, worships the dear little nameless and fatherless being whom she decides, as he is getting on in years, to place in a boarding school. The child's professor of literature is a certain Amaury D'Argenton, a failure of the faculty, and an uninspired poet. During one of her visits to the institution, Mme. de Borancy is attracted by D'Argenton, and falls in love with him. The "Ne'er-do-Well" soon gives up his starving position and makes his abode with her, exercising over her absolute control. He soon learns to hate little Jack and forces her to leave him permanently at school. The poor child, unaccustomed to the separation, runs away, only to find, when he arrives at his former home, that his mother has moved and is now living thirty miles away. He undertakes the journey on foot, and reaches his mother's house completely exhausted. Here he meets Dr. Rivals and his daughter, Cecil.

A hula dancer at a carnival sets out to seduce the naive son of the show's manager.

While cleaning her gloves which she was to wear at a ball, Cecilia meets with an accident and becomes blind. Her slim resources are soon exhausted, and being unable to work, the poor girl is soon brought to distress. Led by her little sister, she is forced to beg. Young Doctor Humbert, noticing the young girl one day, becomes interested, and persuades her to go to his offices, where he operates upon her, and in time the girl recovers her sight. Meantime, the young doctor has fallen in love with his pretty patient, but feels it is a rather delicate matter to declare his affection for the girl, under the circumstances, and cannot gain sufficient courage to do so. At the same time Cecelia acknowledges to herself a love for the doctor which she dare not hope even may be returned. All seems very hopeless when, upon leaving the room one day, Dr. Humbert, thinking himself unobserved, out of the ardor of his love, throws a kiss to the girl of his choice. Cecilia, however, has been watching ...