Grace Wallace was the only child of a widow of decidedly meager means. Mr. Rupert Howland, a widower of considerable wealth, the father of a girl child, and an old friend of the family, often surreptitiously helped them.
Four gentlemen are talking in a beer-garden; during a short absence of one of them, who pretends to be an art lover, the others decide to make a prank on him.
Councilor Sven Ersson and farmer Jan Hansson have been bitter enemies for several years. Sven's neighbour Ola in Gyllby has a daughter Britta, the perfect partner for Sven's son Erik.
The Count of Champcenetz is governor of the Palace of the Tuileries. His mistress Grace Elliott, a young widow, begs him not to go the Palace where he must defend King Louis XVI, who is threatened by the Revolution.
A railway switchman falls asleep whilst on duty. The swicthman wakes up too late, and, realizing his error, begins to hallucinate the probable outcome of his inaction.