Gem Motion Picture Company

Ouida's novel made into a 1912 film -- released within days of another 2-reeler based on the same story.

Jack Reed falls madly in love with Wild Dove, an Indian maid, and while his affection is returned by the girl, his suit is frowned upon by her father, who wishes her to marry an Indian brave who has given him many presents. Wild Dove enters the road house to sell her bead work, and Bill Emery, a tough westerner, forcibly tries to kiss her. Her frantic efforts to save herself are greeted with laughter by the amused onlookers, till Jack rushes in and knocks Emery down. Emery draws a gun but is quickly covered by Jack, and departs sullenly. Jack decides to marry Wild Dove immediately, to prevent such insults, and hand in hand they go to her father's tepee, where Jack's pleadings are rejected. Jack decides upon a desperate plan, and creeping into the tepee in the night he awakens Wild Dove and takes her to the road house where he has asked a minister to meet him.

Adele is courted by Algernon, a delicate young man. They attend a boxing exhibition, and Adele becomes enraptured with the manly art. Algernon starts to take lessons and is given some painful maulings at the gymnasium by the instructors, who delight in battering the "Willie-boy." Adele also takes lessons and accidentally receives a left hook on the jaw, which destroys all her interest. She writes a note to Algernon, expressing her dislike for boxing, and as he gazes at his bruised and battered countenance in the mirror and realizes it has been for naught, he presents a laughable appearance.

Smith, a waiter in a fashionable restaurant, is a kleptomaniac. A guest, somewhat flustered by the petulance of his fair companion whom he has slightly offended, departs without a roll of bills from which he paid his check. Smith hurriedly tucks the money in his pocket, and when the guest comes back denies he has seen the roll. The head waiter searches him, finds the money, returns it to the owner, and discharges Smith. The waiter breaks the sad news to his wife, who is waiting for him with their little child in an atmosphere of poverty, owing to the fact that Smith's petty dishonesties deprive him of employment. Mrs. Smith, with the baby in her arms, hurries to the restaurant and pleads with the head waiter to give her husband another chance, but he refuses. A wealthy patron, Mr. Randall, and his handsomely gowned wife overhear the plea, and the rich woman's sympathies are aroused.

John Potter volunteers to serve the South and, disguised as a Union soldier, John starts on his mission of securing the Union forces' plans. As he steals through the Union lines he comes upon a squad of Union soldiers, and in their midst a Confederate spy. A sharp order and from the barrels of twelve guns the prisoner's punishment is meted out to him. Like a blow it dawns upon John that, if detected, that would be his fate. His courage fails him and he turns toward the Confederate lines. He runs to his home, and bursts in upon his sister, who alone is awake. A few brief words and she knows all. The boy, desperate in his shame, runs into another room; there is a muffled shot, a thin wreath of smoke tells its grim tale. She determines to accomplish her brother's mission, and flies out into the night.

A French artist in love with his model, but is abandoned by her because he is addicted to absinthe. He dreams about how his life is going downhill as he continues to drink.

Billy and his sweetheart have had a little quarrel, and just to make him jealous, she accepts the attentions of another suitor. When she thinks she has punished Billy enough, she decides to break her engagement with Billy's rival, and to again accept Billy's attentions. But before doing so she requests Billy's rival to return to her the letters that she had written to him during their short courtship, which he absolutely refuses to do. He informs her that he is going to Europe, and that when he returns he will amuse the boys at the club with the letters. In desperation she informs Billy of his rival's intention, and informs him that she cannot accept his offer of marriage while his rival retains those letters. On Billy learning that his rival, whom he has never met, is about to sail for Europe, he decides to burglarize the house and get his sweetheart's letters. But, unfortunately for Billy, his rival misses the boat and returns in time to catch Billy robbing the house.

Marion Leonard plays a young woman struggling to earn a livelihood by writing stories. The plot takes the path of looking at that phase of modern literary life.