Max suffers from drunkenness, but gets serious after he falls for the daughter of a circus director - who forbids her romance with an outsider.

A wealthy Chinese man treats his white wife and her lover with cruelty.

A blind Chinese poet, in his affliction, believes that everyone and everything about him is good and kind but immediately his sight is restored, the words of a prophet are fulfilled and he sees his friends are false, his wife is faithless and his young son mimics his blindness.

While her husband is away on a secret mission, the Marquise Yorisaka is Americanized by Mrs. Hockey and becomes the object of Captain Fergan's affections. Warned of the captain's activities, the marquis obtains a post for him on his battleship and forces him to take command when he himself is wounded. The death of the captain brings about a reconciliation of the couple and resumption of a life in keeping with their tradition.