A Confederate officer is called off to war. He leaves his wife and daughter in the care of George, his faithful Negro servant. After the officer is killed in an exciting battle sequence, George continues in his caring duties, faithful to his trust. Events continue to turn for the worse when invading Yankee soldiers arrive to loot and torch the widow's home. George saves the officer's daughter and battle sword by braving the flames.

An Indian village is forced to leave its land by white settlers, and must make a long and weary journey to find a new home. The settlers make one young Indian woman stay behind. This woman is thus separated from her sweetheart, whose elderly father needs his help on the journey ahead.

Kathy, a young child, has befriended the elderly miser who lives on an upper floor of the building where she lives. Today, while playing outside, she also makes friends with Jules, a homeless petty thief. Later, when she is in the miser's apartment, two violent criminals break in. They tie a rope around Kathy and dangle her out of a window, threatening to let her fall to the ground if the miser does not give them the combination to his safe. Outside, Jules sees her in danger, but to help her he must risk dealing with the police.

A greedy tycoon decides, on a whim, to corner the world market in wheat. This doubles the price of bread, forcing the grain's producers into charity lines and further into poverty. The film continues to contrast the ironic differences between the lives of those who work to grow the wheat and the life of the man who dabbles in its sale for profit.