The Mainspring(1916)

Mr. Williams, a stern father and man of wealth, disinherits his son Hugh, for marrying Rose, a seamstress. Twenty years later, although Sose is practically supporting her sick husband, their little store is taken from them and they are obliged to move, with Martha, their daughter, to the tenement district.

Hartley, fascinated by the vampish Leonie, steals and serves a term in prison. Not satisfied with this downfall, Leonie again works her womanly charms upon Dr. Gerald, who is engaged to Johanna, the adopted daughter of Dr. McLean. Learning of the woman's designs on the young doctor, Hartley denounces her in Gerald's presence. In response, Gerald foolishly renounces Johanna and his friendship with Dr. McLean. However, when Leonie discovers that Johanna is her own daughter whom she had deserted as a child, she becomes conscience-stricken, gives up the young man and begs forgiveness.

Lieut. Governor Oliver Barnitz accedes to the governorship when his predecessor, failing to call out the militia during a riot at the Wilmot plant, is shot and killed by terrorist Oliver Poole. Faced with the dilemma of whether or not to commute the assassin's death sentence, Barnitz falls into a troubled sleep and dreams of being forced to cast judgment on his father in a similar position.

A wealthy Russian family faces change and challenges as events unfold during the First World War.

Dr. Williams is so deeply immersed in his work he unconsciously neglects his wife. Newell Russell, a young society idler, becomes acquainted with them and Bobby, the doctor's son, takes a great fancy to him. Harmon, a former suitor of Mrs. Williams, sees an opportunity to make trouble and sends an anonymous note to the Doctor warning him to "watch his wife." This, followed by the discovery of an apparently compromising snapshot Bobby had taken, sends the Doctor in a rage. He demands an explanation from Newell at the point of an automatic, but Mrs. Williams saves the situation by proving the note was written by Harmon.

From a Montana mining camp, a young man progresses to the society heights of New York, making his mark publicly as a dancer, but secretly as a gentleman burglar.

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.

Helder is a happy family man, but one day his wife receives a letter from her brother Albert, who managed to escape from prison.

Karl Sterner falls for Jenny, a beautiful young woman from an impoverished background, and soon discovers that he cannot control her willful personality - which proves to cause many conflicts in their marriage.

The leader of "The Sons of the Brazen Joss," one of the Tongs, or Chinese social organizations, is murdered by Moy Wong, cunning leader of The Four Grains of Rice," a Tong of higher class and bitter enemies of the "Sons." Sworn to vengeance, the "Sons" await an opportunity to get even.

A romance of the rail, this two-part "thriller" uses wireless telegraphy as the means of averting a disaster to an express train.

Saved from a terrible shipwreck by Stephan Royston, son of a farmer. Nana, orphaned by the catastrophe, is adopted by the family and the two sons, Stephan and Godfrey, fall in love with her. Stephan's artistic tendency for painting, etc., is classed as foolishness by his stern father, while Godfrey, realizing that the girl favors his brother, determines to get rid of him.