A playwright, Wakefield, Jr., turns detective when his father is killed after nearly capturing two brothers in possession of four rubies belonging to the British Museum. An investigation suggests that "the Breen girl" is responsible for Wakefield's death, and the younger Wakefield pursues her across the ocean to the United States.

Lithuanian immigrant, Jurgis Rudkus, gains a job in the Chicago stockyards. Once working at the stockyards he meets and marries Ona. But due to cut backs at the stockyards, loses his job, and they fall into financial hardship. Ona, in order to get money to feed their child, engages in sexual activity with her husband's foreman, Connor. Connor, rapes her. When Rudkus finds out about the affair, he throws Connor into a cattle pen where he is killed. While in prison Ona dies. When Rudkus gets out of prison he becomes an advocate for women via the Socialist Party. Considered a lost film.