Episode 1: "The Last of the Fighting Channings" Patria Channing, an orphan, heiress to an immense fortune and the largest munition works in America, is about to celebrate her coming of age. The story opens at Newport, where she is visiting her friend and chaperone, Mrs. Wrenn, whose, son, Rodney, has proposed marriage, which Patria considers seriously until she meets Captain Parr, formerly of the U.S. Army, but now doing secret service work for the government, and they fall in love with each other. Captain Parr is in Newport to take note of the activities of Baron Huroki, chief of the Japanese Secret Service, and Senor Juan de Lima, of Mexico, who are together plotting against the peace of the United States. They are trying to put through a contract with Channing's for an immense supply of munitions which are to be shipped secretly to Mexico, but are blocked by the Channing policy of not furnishing the sinews of war to those who conspire against the country's peace. Parr intercepts Huroki's message to his agent in New York, directing them to probe the private life of Peter Ripley, the principal trustee of the Channing estate, and causes a warning to be sent to Ripley. The scenes change to the library of the old-fashioned Channing mansion in New York where Peter Ripley lives. It is the eve of Patria's birthday and he writes to inform her of a sacred trust that now devolves upon her, the bequest of her forefathers. The warning from Parr is received, but before Ripley can act, Japanese spies gain access to the Channing mansion. He puts the letter to Patria in his pocket and crosses the room to the fireplace, over which there is carved "Pro Patria Nobis." He pushes in the letters of the word "Patria," and the back of the fireplaces slides to one side, revealing a secret stairway. Ripley goes down the stairway to the door of the vault, which he is about to open when he is surprised by one of the Japanese spies, who has followed him. He shoots the spy, but not until he is seriously wounded himself, crawls up the stairs from the vault and closes the secret opening. He phones to Patria at Newport and while telling her what has happened, a second Japanese spy interrupts him and the pistol shots exchanged between them alarms Patria at the other end of the wire. Patria has been enjoying herself at the birthday party given for her by Mrs. Wrenn. She confides in Captain Parr, who volunteers to get her to the midnight train in his motor launch, the ferryboat having made its last trip. Their plan is overhead by Huroki, who urges De Lima to prevent it by carrying Patria off and keeping her all night, thereby forcing her into marriage with him, and thus gain control of the Channing munition plant in the interests of both Mexico and Japan. De Lima consents, and together with the aid of Kato, Huroki's subordinate, they get to Parr's motor launch ahead of him and connect the ignition wires with the gasoline tank. De Lima takes possession of another motor launch and awaits developments while Huroki hurries to catch the train. When Parr with Patria attempts to start his launch, there is an explosion and both are in danger when De Lima comes to the rescue. He takes Patria into his boat but pushes off before Parr can get aboard. Patria draws a revolver and threatens the Mexican. He is so astounded that he falls overboard, and Patria leaving him steers the launch back to the rescue of Captain Parr. In De Lima's launch they race for the train which they catch in the nick of time. But Huroki and his faithful Kato concoct new villainy. They attempt to wreck the train and almost succeed, but Captain Parr saves Patria from death and they reach New York unharmed.