Charles Jackson, an American sea-captain and singing soldier-of-fortune, is arrested by the French Foreign Legion for running guns to the rebel forces in Morocco fighting against the rule of the French in north Africa. He is saved by Lili La Fleur, a singer/dance in a Morocco café and, through her, eventually becomes a hero to the Foreign Legion.
A love triangle drama, based on a novel by Robert W. Chambers, who is better-known for weird fiction (which is not noticeable in this story.)
During a party held in honor of his daughter Marion, Thomas Sterling announces that he will turn over his shipbuilding plant to the United States government for the duration of World War I. Sterling wants Marion to marry his partner, Hugo Smith, but she prefers Gordon Brett, who proposes to her after the party. Marion's father catches the two in an embrace and orders Gordon out of the house. Later that night, Sterling is found murdered. Gordon is the principal suspect, but Marion refuses to believe he is guilty and hides him in the house. Later she discovers Smith sending a message to the Germans on a wireless hidden in the attic.
The 15 chapter story involves the heroine being protected by a shadow with burning eyes. There's also a cloak of invisibility, some hypnotism and a giant octopus added to the mix.
Seth Cartwright abandons his mistress Bernice Archer and their child, Lorna returning to his wife and son. Bernice, in a daze, leaves Lorna, who is adopted by Cartwrght's wife, who knows full well who the child's father is. Unfortunately, she and her husband are killed in a shipwreck, but it turns out Lorna and her real mother are reunited because of the wreck, and settle in a small seaside town. Matters get complicated when Seth Jr. arrives in the town for a vacation and falls in love with Lorna--not knowing that she is his half-sister.