Edith Frome (Stevens) finds it impossible to live with her alcoholic husband Arthur (L ‘Estrange), and finally leaves him. After three years she returns but leaves each evening, returning late arousing the suspicion of her husband. Having her followed he soon learns that she visits a child. Suspecting the worst because of her friendship with Dr. David Brett (Phillips), he institutes divorce proceedings. Edith confesses the truth about the child and Arthur, realizing his folly, swears off liquor and they are reunited.

The disgrace and suicide of her father drives Eleanore Marston from her comfortable existence into a life as a department store clerk in New York. There she meets wealthy Powers Fiske, who offers her a life of luxury if she will consent to an operation on her brain which would deprive her of her memory.

Young high school teacher Rosalie Allen rejects the love of Dr. Paul Duncan to "save" Lionel Brooks, a man down on his luck.

The story of a girl who rebelled against the "double standard" of morals, and demanded that women should have as much right to expect virtue in the man they are going to marry as a man expects of a woman.

Robert Wallace, the elder son of a rich and indulgent father, marries Margaret Christy, a spirited patriot, so that he can escape the call to war. Discovering the reason for Robert's haste to get married, Margaret is appalled and resolves to bring home to her husband a sense of his personal responsibility. In order to instill patriotism in Robert, Margaret contrasts him with John Harding, the man who gave her up to go to war. When Robert protests his wife's tactics, Margaret accuses him of being a contemptible coward. The next day a German insults the American flag, and Robert, his sense of justice aroused, makes him salute it. He then bids Margaret farewell and marches off to war. Margaret sees him off without divulging the secret that she is pregnant, thus sacrificing her own welfare for that of her country.

Parisian opera star Nora Harrigan is idolized by legions but not her rival Flora Desimone. Edward Courtlandt pursues her, but she rejects him in favor of Herr Rosen. Nora is abducted but by whom is a mystery though Courtlandt is suspected. Once free Nora goes to the south of France accompanied by her parents. By chance she again meets Courtlandt and though she has lost interest in Herr Rosen she remains cool to Edward. Subsequently, Courtlandt discovers that Rosen was responsible for Nora's abduction and Nora finds that Flora and Courtlandt were once married. However, Flora's husband intervenes, forcing his wife to explain the misunderstanding and thus clearing all obstacles from love's path.

A husband and wife are arguing about how to spend their money, when 'Democracy' appears and convinces them to invest in Liberty Bonds.

At her mother’s behest Kate Leigh marries wealthy Basil Kildare, owner of a Southern plantation called Storm. When Basil’s servant and mistress Mahaly protests bitterly he takes their shared son away from her. Kate discovers her new husband is a coarse and brutal alcoholic and turns for friendship to Dr. Jacques Benoix and his mother. When Basil becomes aware of their relationship, he finds the doctor and they have a brutal fight. Later Basil is found dead and Jacques is sentenced to life in prison. On her deathbed, Mahaly confesses that she killed Basil, leaving Kate and Jacques to begin a new life together.

Lillian’s affluent parents raised Identical cousins Janet & Lillian Ford. Lillian marries Sir Anthony Jessop and settles in England. Jessop soon tires of Lillian's frivolity but loves their son Bobby. Under the pretense of visiting her dying father, Lillian travels to America, followed by her lover, Raymond Fleury, and they travel West together after she persuades Janet to impersonate her at Ford's deathbed. When Janet learns that Bobby has been hurt, she sails to England and cares for him. After Jessop's uncle dies, he returns as the Earl of Devon, and grows to love Janet, who he thinks is Lillian. Hearing of Jessop's good fortune, Lillian returns. After Fleury pursues and shoots her, Jessop proposes to Janet that they quietly marry and keep their past secret.

Duplicity and double crosses run thick and fast when Ben Farraday forces Nan Kennedy to steal documents from Ben’s enemy John Lawson in exchange for his silence about her escapee brother’s whereabouts. Betrayed by all around her Nan resorts to deception to regain control of her life.