Hugh Eltinge, a struggling artist, and Mark Dunbar, a genius of the pen, whom the world has as yet failed to reward, live together in MacDougal Alley. Across the hall is Doris Golden, a reporter on the Evening Star, who enthuses over the work of both. Mark's novel is sold and Hugh and Doris see a new Mark. Mark begs Hugh to allow him to stake him until his pictures sell, but pleasure in his new clothes and new popularity dwindle as he sees his old friends will not profit by them. A happy idea strikes him and he buys all of Hugh's paintings on exhibition at a local dealer, requesting that his name be not mentioned.

Madge Evans, World Film Corp. juvenile star, is sent to her Quaker grandparents, Timothy and Tabitha Mendenhall, when her father and mother go to serve in World War I. After bidding farewell to the World stars, Madge goes to her grandparent's home where she experiences stern discipline.

Helen Gray, the daughter of a hard working carpenter, receives the attention of her employer, much against her father's will. On her birthday, Mr. Adams invites her to dine with him and presents her with a handsome bracelet. That night, on Helen's return home, at twelve o'clock, her father, who has waited up for her, upbraids her.

Robert Brent and Dick Morgan, the former wealthy, the latter poor, are chums at one of the big colleges until they both fall in love with Viola Scott, a college girl.

Charles Trevor is a young chap just out of college, who is put to work on a daily newspaper and at once starts to lead a life of adventure and romance. A German spy and a maiden in distress cross his path the first day and, before the end of the story, he has landed a big scoop for his paper, put the German in jail and married the girl.

Tom Whitney, well connected but a social derelict because of his weakness for drink, is released from the draft because of an old football Injury, but a policeman persuades him that he can still do his bit in the shipyards. He takes a job in the yard owned by the man to whose daughter he was engaged in happier times. Three German propagandists seek to foment a strike to delay the work, and largely through Tom's efforts the plan goes amiss and the strike is called off. Rehabilitated by work, the launching of The Liberty is a forecast of his own rebirth.

Dick hastily marries a young woman, yet his wealthy father rips them apart. Unbeknownst to him, a son is born. Years later, Dick is in happy, but childless marriage when they decide to adopt a child. By chance and unknown to him, the boy is his son.

Margot, the motherless daughter of a New England fisherman, dreams of a better life. After rescuing the wealthy Jack Rutledge's mother, Margot is taken in by the family. Jack and Margot fall in love against the will of his mother and must find a way to marry.

At a dance on his parents' plantation in the early nineteenth century, Harry Rutter wins a duel with Langdon Willetts, but loses his fiancée, Kate Seymour, who disapproves of fighting. He is thrown out of his family home and forced to stay with others. Tired of accepting charity, Harry leaves for South America. Now he returns a rich man to a ruined home.

Circus dancer Babette learns from Zaidee, her fortune-teller mother, that her father is the respected businessman Ezra Butterworth, who had deserted Zaidee years before and then remarried. After Zaidee dies, Babette goes to live with Ezra, but fearful that his second wife will learn of his less-than-upright past, he takes her in as his ward and forbids her to mention their real relationship.