1918
James Brieson, a wealthy stockbroker, ruins Hutch Valiant, who soon after dies of the shock. Valiant's son Steele returns from the Northwest, where he won his fortune, just before his father's death and decides to devote his life to the cause of revenge.
Miner Dan Stuyvesant finally strikes it rich, but on his way to report his claim, he is shot. When Jack Dedlow, the head of a gang of outlaws, hears this news, he rides to Stuyvesant's cabin intending to secure the claim for himself. There the outlaws find Stuyvesant's daughter Hilda, the sweetheart of Tom Flynn, and are about to draw cards for her when Dago Sam pulls out his guns and spirits her out the door. Because Tom is his only friend, Sam determines to protect Hilda from the gang, but when Tom suspiciously questions his intentions toward Hilda, Sam decides to live up to the town's poor opinion of him.
"Wild Cat" Betsey Dawley, whose father, "Handsome Harry," was disowned by the proud Dawley family of Greenburgh, Kentucky, meets and thoroughly charms her snobbish cousin Virginia's fiancé, John Davidson, at a picnic. At the start of the Civil War, John becomes a Union officer, while Betsey and her father staunchly defend the South. When Confederate Colonel Morgan, the leader of the intrepid band known as "Morgan's Men," commissions a young horseman to deliver an important message to the Dawley mansion, the rider is shot and Betsey takes his place, breaking through the lines and successfully accomplishing the mission.
The mysterious "K" takes a humble job and falls in love with his landlady's daughter, Sidney Page. Sidney discourages her boyish admirer, Joe Drummond, and seeks training as a nurse. Infatuated with the head surgeon, Dr. Max Wilson, she accepts his proposal, which infuriates nurse Carlotta, who also loves Max. Carlotta lures Max to a roadhouse, where Joe, mistaking her for Sidney, shoots Max. K appears and, assuming his true identity as the famous Dr. Edwards, saves Max's life by performing his "Edwards operation."
1919
Returning to House of a Thousand Candles a mystery unfolds involving two lookalike girls...or is there only one very crafty one?
1923
As a derelict paints the face of a girl on a barroom floor, the plot is developed in a series of flashbacks: Robert Stevens, an artist engaged to marry Marion, a society girl, becomes charmed with a fisherman's daughter who poses for him. The society girl's brother brings dishonor upon the fisherman's daughter, and when she commits suicide the artist shields the brother. Stevens is blamed by his fiancée, who terminates their engagement. The artist becomes a derelict and is wrongfully imprisoned. Eventually Stevens is exonerated and reunited with Marion.
1916
Engine No. 19 is the pride of Tom's heart, but as he is unable to lot drink alone he is discharged. Feeling that he no longer can obtain employment, he leaves home, and soon starts on the downward path. He is about to enter a bar-room when the face of his mother haunts him. He puts aside the temptation and decides to return home. A bandit tries to overpower the engineer on the Limited, but is captured by Tom who creeps over the top of the car. He refuses a reward, but states that if he had his position back he would prove himself a man. He returns to his mother and sweetheart who have read of his heroism and are pleased to see him.
Eccentric scientist, Professor Jeremy, creates a truth serum. After experimenting on his cook, revealing her secret whiskey and cigar smuggling, the serum accidentally splashes on Thorpe Willis, a reporter, who confesses his deepest feelings. The professor, annoyed by the widespread attention and requests for the serum, destroys the formula and secures it in a safe. However, a crook, "Smoothy" Smithers, steals the liquid, drops it, and publicly confesses to a burglary. Ultimately, the reporter, Thorpe, crafts a hoax about the serum, and the professor accepts him as his son-in-law.
