The Stepping Stone

Two men, one of them a villainous hypnotist, contend for the same woman, unaware that she suffers from dual personality disorder.

The cabaret act of husband-and-wife dancing team Peggy and Joe Blondin is broken up when Joe becomes consumptive and is ordered West to recuperate. Peggy remains in New York to maintain the couple's income but gradually becomes desperate when letters sent her by her husband request more and more money. Joe's letters actually are being intercepted and rewritten by millionaire Harlan Quinn, who has designs on Peggy and wishes to portray Joe's situation as hopeless. After receiving a particularly alarming letter, Peggy consents to sell her honor to Harlan.

On a beach in southern Italy, Gianna Russelli practices her dancing with her devoted brother Russino, looking forward to the day when she will begin formal dance studies. One day the beautiful Countess Michetti comes to the village and engages in a flirtation with Russino, but when her former lover, Prince Viscomte, arrives with his closest friend, Count Paul Trovelli, the countess resumes her affair with the prince.

Finding himself deeply in debt, William Newlands reluctantly marries Beatrice, the wealthy daughter of an old friend. When their honeymoon train is derailed, Beatrice loses sight of her husband but manages to save the life of mine owner Steven Crawford. Newlands is reported burned in the wreck and Beatrice returns with Crawford to his cabin, where she nurses him back to health. Meanwhile, Newlands has escaped death and, filled with remorse, decides to make a new man of himself. Disguising his appearance by the addition of a beard, he finds work at the Crawford mine, but determines to stay out of Beatrice's life. Eventually, Newlands becomes foreman, brings law and order to the discontented miners and discovers a rich vein of ore, thus averting Crawford's financial ruin. His job completed, Newlands is about to leave when Beatrice recognizes him and begs him to give their marriage another chance.

Poor ditch-digger, Pietro Massena, lovingly raises his daughter Rosina. After Phil Griswold's inheritance goes to his brother William, Phil orchestrates a series of crimes to get money framing Pietro. First he has a friend rob a flower shop then when William refuses him money, Phil kidnaps William's daughter Dorothy and sends a ransom note, blaming Pietro. William accidentally runs over Rosina while searching for Pietro in the slums. The grieving Pietro is then framed for the kidnapping when he visits the flower shop for a rose for Rosina's coffin on Christmas morning. The situation is resolved when William announces Dorothy has been found, and Pietro, despite an offer of compensation, sorrowfully returns home.

In his crusade against the city’s gambling houses District Attorney Graham runs afoul of lawyer Judson Flagg who owns a notorious joint. Trying to deflect Graham, Flagg introduces his aide Joe Hunter to the D.A.’s daughter Aline. The slick Hunter convinces Aline to marry in secret. When Hunter shots Graham during a raid he extorts a necklace from Aline by confessing their marriage is a sham arranged to politically harm her father and threatening exposure. Hunter flees but Flagg attempts to put the girl in a compromising position, but she is saved in the nick of time.

Under an assumed name, law student Lawrence Kirby courts the daughter of Dr. Cartmell. When she becomes pregnant, however, Lawrence leaves town to escape the responsibility of rearing his illegitimate child. Years later Kirby, now a judge and a stern proponent of capital punishment, unknowingly sentences his innocent son to death in the electric chair on the basis of circumstantial evidence. As the youth is about to be executed, his identity is revealed and the horrified Kirby relents. The judge's plea for mercy is ignored, however, and his son electrocuted. Immediately afterwards, Dr. Cartmell, a longstanding opponent of the death penalty, revives the lad and restores him to his mother.

Dan wins Anita away from her sweetheart Adrian with his boasts. On the beach Adrian overhears Larry, the lifeguard spinning tales of his derring-do to a group of admiring young ladies and asks for advice. Larry pins some medals on his bathing suit and sends him on his way back to Anita. Dan and Adrian then come to blows over their respective claims of bravery and Anita decides to evaluate them by pretending to be drowning. Adrian tries to save Anita, but both are caught in the undertow and it’s up to Larry to rescue them both.

An Englishman, Lord Wheatley, purchases an island over which reigns the supremely beautiful Phroso, thus disposessing her of her land. Revolted, the islanders, supported by an adventurer who desires Phroso, rise against the new master. The English are saved by the British governor, also under the spell of gorgeous Phroso. The latter, for her part, is not wholly insensitive to Lord Wheatley's distinction. The imbroglio still worsens with the meddling of a dark horse : the neighboring sultan.

Most of the scenes are laid in a parrot-and-monkey country in South America, a land where "it is always after dinner." The Llano Kid, a Texas bad man, flees there from justice. The consul persuades him to play the long-lost son of a Castilian family, and tattoos a coat of arms on the back of the Kid's hand to make the deception complete. The Kid is taken into the household, trusted and loved by the gladdened mother. For the first time he has a home. The romance develops. And when the time comes to rob and flee he has too much manhood to break the loving mother's heart. The surprise comes when it is revealed that the man the Kid killed in Texas was the real son.

A small-town businessman bumbles into blackmail and a real-estate swindle.

Wealthy young Charles Carpenter is pressured by his family to marry Suzanne, even though he is really in love with young "flapper" Valerie. He gives in to his family's pressure, however, and marries Suzanne, after which Valerie leaves town. Years later, after Charles and Suzanne have had a child, Valerie comes back to town and Charles realizes he is still in love with her, and she with him. Complications ensue.

Gloria, the daughter in a wealthy family, has finally spent most of her father's money. She marries Tony, whose as much of a reckless spendthrift as she is, and they continue indulging themselves. Tony's wealthy grandfather Adam Patch dies, but to their surprise he leaves Tony nothing. The couple try their hands at actually working for a living, but they don't like it and return to their spendthrift ways. Something has to give, and it soon does.

Author David Marshall is sandbagged by holdup men and loses his memory. He finds his way to a bookshop run by his friend Ladd, who takes him in with the hope of helping him to regain his memory. David there meets Hope Masterson and falls in love with her. Bill Dorgan, a gangster in love with Hope, kidnaps her, and David comes to her rescue. David is hit again on the head, and this time he regains his memory. He still recognizes Hope, however, and they look forward to a long and happy life together.

Margaret has given up her stage career to marry inventor Jerry Benson. Jerry fails to impress oil executive William Graves with his idea, but Margaret has better luck when she catches Graves' attention and she both makes the sale and becomes the object of Graves' obsession. Profits from the invention make the Bensons wealthy; however Graves schemes to steal Margaret from Jerry by swindling them out of their money and getting Broadway floozy Gloria to break up their marriage.

William Bryant, a hopeless invalid due to a profligate life and made vicious by the fact, lives to make life a misery for his wife Margaret. One evening Bryant's physician, Dr. Cameron arrives at his patient's house, just in time, to intercept a blow that Bryant has directed at Margaret and knocks him unconscious in the ensuing struggle. Margaret flees with Cameron, observed by the chauffeur who enters the house with the intention of stealing. Meanwhile Bryant has regained consciousness and in his twisted mind determines to kill himself and frame his wife. He’s almost successful until at almost the last moment his butler steps forward and acknowledges that Bryant was shot as they struggle with his pistol which the chauffeur confirms.