When a proud noble refuses to kiss the hand of the despotic King James in 1690, he is cruelly executed and his son surgically disfigured.

John Dickson, millionaire candidate for mayor, is in love with Dora Malcom, a society girl. He finds, however, that she is engaged to marry Frank Stevens. He hides his grief and promises to be best man at the wedding.

Lem Ransom, the village drunkard, steals the Widow Huggins' bonds while under the influence of liquor, at the instigation of Hannibal Chapman, an unscrupulous lawyer. After taking the stolen bonds from his catspaw, Chapman treacherously arranges to have suspicion fall upon Lem.