A romantic rivalry among members of a secret society becomes even more tense when one of the men is assigned to carry out an assassination.

John and Katherine Colby decide to put off parenthood until he has become wealthy. Their friends, Tom and Grace Donaldson, decide to start a family right away. While John works his way up to a position of power at a steel firm, Katherine begins to question the wisdom of their decision.

Avis and Franklin Hilliard are the spoiled, overbearing children of a wealthy father who has just died. Lord Cecil Oakleigh, a fortune hunter, is Avis's fiancée, although there is no love between them, he marrying her for her fortune and she marrying him for his title. Mr. Hilliard has left the superintendent of his mine in full charge of his fortune.

Bill Evers, a gambling house keeper, is in reality the "Desert Scourge," an outlaw.

In 15th century France, a gypsy girl is framed for murder by the infatuated Chief Justice, and only the deformed bellringer of Notre Dame Cathedral can save her.

A destitute young woman named Lola Dexter falls in love with Walter Cosgrove, who establishes her in a luxurious apartment and promises to marry her. After his fortune has been squandered, however, he woos and marries wealthy Edith Danfield while her sweetheart, James Ashley, is fighting in the trenches overseas. Embittered, Lola decides that from now on she will use men to her own advantage and travels to Florida to seek her first victim. She soon loses heart, however, and is about to commit suicide when Edith's invalid father, Thomas Danfield, convinces her to begin her life anew. The two become close friends and together return home, where they find that Edith, neglected and abused by Walter, has realized her mistake and is longing for James. To provide Edith with grounds for divorce, Lola allows Walter to enter her room, but when he rushes to attack her in a drunken rage, he falls down the stairs and is killed.

Andrew McLeod, the Factor, is called "The Panther" by the Indians, owing to his cruelty. He wishes to marry Julie, the daughter of Francois Ledru, a French trapper. Julie is afraid of McLeod and rather than become his wife she runs away. Ledru is terrified when he discovers her absence as he knows McLeod will make him suffer for it, in which fear he is fully justified, as he is beaten and then shot by McLeod. Meantime, Julie, in her wanderings, runs into Father Lezare, who is journeying toward the trading station, and also David Brandt, a hunter. She appeals to them for help and upon David's assertion that he will do anything to help her, she begs him to marry her. After some hesitation on the part of both David and the priest, this is done.

Ben Anderson, factor of the trading station, impatient with his daughter Anne's coquetries, calls all the trappers to him and promises to wed her to the one who brings back the most valuable catch of furs in the spring. Anne fancies herself in love with Henri Levesnue, a Frenchman. So when he is reported to have brought in the biggest prize she is delighted. But the following day, Joe Eagle, a quarter-breed, reaches the station with twice Henri's catch, Ben insists that Anne marry Joe, but she swears she never could become the wife of the French Indian, and because he really loves her, Joe, who has overheard her protestations, hides half his furs under his cabin floor. Anne is married to Henri, but in a few months is very unhappy. He is a heavy drinker; he neglects her, and at last, being penniless, he steals a bale of furs from the station. The factor sets Joe to catch the thief.

Betrayed by a man when she was a naive young girl, Honore hates all men and takes her revenge on every man she can. When she meets Gen. Durand--the uncle of the man who betrayed her--she sees a chance to ruin his whole family. Durand falls in love with her and proposes, and she sees her plan for revenge about to come to fruition. Then she falls for a young French soldier who knows nothing about her past. Complications ensue.

"Rodeo" Bill is a hard-nosed, fun-loving cowboy who likes a lot of action and will go out of his way to create some if things are going too dull to suit him. He attends a circus/wild west show and stirs up some trouble with both the locals and the troupers but, after seeing Ruth Henson, the daughter of the show's operator/owner, he decides to join up and travel with the circus. He also manges to take care of some trouble not of his doing.