Piet te Nuyl Sr.

Judy Aalders grows up in an orphanage. Albert Woudenberg happens to be present when Judy confronts the trustees of the orphanage and is expelled. He decides to send her to university and Judy, who has only ever seen his shadowy long legs, refers to him as 'Daddy-Long-Legs' from that day. Not knowing he is in fact her benefactor, Judy's relationship with Albert gradually turns into love.

On his wedding day, mere hours before the statute of limitations for his crimes expires, revengeful mobsters abduct former criminal Jean Verdier. The gang leader's daughter - who's still in love with Jean - tries to stall the police until the clock strikes twelve and he can no longer be prosecuted.

Diary fragments tell of the arrival of Belgian refugees across the Dutch border in winter 1915. Reserve lieutenant Berkhage returns from the Belgian border with a refugee child. Named "Big" by the company the kid soon becomes the regimental darling.

Lona, a young woman who has no memories of her past, has been adopted by the rich industrialist Van Haaften. She is loved by Henri van Rhenen, a neighbour whose mother still mourns the loss of her daughter, who disappeared twenty years ago under mysterious circumstances. Lona has another suitor, Frans van Borselen, who hopes to marry her so that he can pay his gambling debts with her foster-father's money. Van Haaften discovers that Frans has been cheating at cards and offers him a revolver so that he can end his life honourably.