Young thief “The Bat” to distract an old bookseller, while his partner, “The Fly,” robs the till, purchases a book at random. Later, after a chase and escape to the Devil's Roost, Old Meg's refuge for thieves, he takes the book from his pocket and is about to throw it aside when the title attracts him, "Electricity Made Simple." Intrigued, the volume opens a new life to him and in time enables him to rescue the bookseller’s daughter Bess when she falls into trouble.

A man tries to burgle his own safe on the same night that a professional criminal attempts it.

A lady gambler shields her brother by claiming responsibility for a forgery he committed.

A young woman with a shady past goes to the tropics, where she winds up marrying a vicious and brutal pearl trader, then falls in love with another man.

A young woman who disguises herself as a man to go gold prospecting after her father and brother forbid her from joining them.

Gibbs is a laborer at the docks who, through his hard work and good judgment, becomes a millionaire on Wall Street. He becomes acquainted with the Van Dusens, who have lost their fortune. Mrs. Van Dusen pushes her daughter Marie into a loveless marriage with Gibbs so that the family can retain its social standing. Gibbs realizes, however, that his money cannot buy his wife's affection.

Publisher John Gillespie faces a financial crisis after his business partner skips town with all the firm's assets. Facing ruin, he reluctantly approaches a wealthy aunt for assistance but is met with a stony-faced refusal.

Much-married and once successful writer Henry T. Aythecliff, now heavily in debt, summons his three ex-wives to his mansion, planning to extort a sizable amount of money from each. When he is discovered dead, clues indicate that each of his four wives had motive and opportunity to murder him, and a young detective must sift through some ingeniously devised evidence.

Twin sisters Rosetta and Lola Gelardi live happily with their aging father, Professor Gelardi, until their Sicilian village is destroyed by an earthquake. Unable to find Lola, the professor and Rosetta move to New York, where she obtains employment as a stenographer to author Aubrey Hapgood. Rosetta captivates Aubrey and his friends, but Mildred Sanders, who had hoped to win Aubrey for herself, tries to ruin Rosetta's reputation. On a drive with Aubrey, Rosetta relates her life story, whereupon Aubrey, claiming he loves her, takes her to an inn. Although he promises to marry her, she later reads of his engagement to Mildred. Rosetta shoots herself, after which Lola appears to avenge her death by causing the ruin of Aubrey's sister. Aubrey fires on Lola, but Rosetta awakens in his car and realizes that it was all a dream. While the chauffeur repairs the car, she and Aubrey walk into town to find a preacher.

A vengeful antique dealer targets a dancer.

A doctor who cannot figure out what is wrong with his patient refers him to a detective, whom he hopes will be able to discern the cause of his mysterious illness.

Lured to New York with false promises of having her play produced, Lila Lake is forced to accept a secretarial position with Mrs. Julia Hewitt, a dashing young widow secretly married to Jimmy Duval, son of Alice Duval, a prominent society leader. Alice seeks the aid of young lawyer Philip Thorne, who hires detectives to follow Julia; the latter, however, has left town with Jimmy, and Lila has agreed to impersonate her.