john risca (conway tearle) is a well-known journalist and a friend of the family. he has been unhappily married to louise for six years now and frequently visits stella. john wants stella to think he is perfect and lies about being unmarried. louise, meanwhile, wants a servant in her house and hires orphan unity blake (also mary pickford). unity is uneducated and has been deprived and mistreated for her entire life. this resulted in her being afraid of everyone.