At the instigation of Sybel, an adventuress, Black, a society parasite, steals a valuable diamond brooch. He turns the jewel over to the adventuress, who then throws him over. Black flees from the city to escape arrest. Shortly afterward, the young man meets and falls in love with Mildred. Because of the opposition of Mildred's father, the lovers elope and hasten to a justice of the peace to be married. Fate intervenes. Sybel, who has just arrived in the city, is arrested and brought before the same justice. Facing a term in prison, Sybel determines to make Black share it with her. She denounces the young man who is placed under arrest. Mildred is heartbroken. Several years later, Mildred falls in love with Gerald, a young broker, and consents to be his wife. Black is released from prison. Unable to find work, he decides to return to crime. Sloane, an unscrupulous lawyer, gets possession of letters sent to Mildred by Black before the latter's arrest. He tries to blackmail the girl. Mildred and Gerald attend a masquerade ball. Black, lurking in the vicinity, sees his former sweetheart enter the house in which the affair is being held. Sloane arrives and later Black overhears the scoundrel threaten Mildred with exposure unless she buys him off. Black waits until Sloane emerges from the house. He holds the man up and secures the letters. Donning his mask, the ex-convict enters the building and mixes with the masqueraders. Finding Mildred, he quietly places the compromising letters in her, hand. Before the girl can discover his identity, the criminal departs. Black wanders aimlessly until he is miles from the city. The thought of what might have been fills him with the resolution to turn over a new leaf. Throwing back his shoulders, Black vows to be worthy of the love and trust which Mildred had once placed in him.
