Socialite New Yorker James Berkeley and college chum Allan Franklin are rivals for the hand of beautiful Lois Miller. Berkeley marries her, and fifteen years later, he keeps his wife luxuriously attired as a "trademark" to further his business opportunities, although he has not realized his ambition to become wealthy. Allan, now an engineer, visits the Berkeleys and reveals that he has obtained a large tract of oil land from the Mexican government. Hoping to profit from Allan's enterprise, James accompanies him back to Mexico, and brings the reluctant Lois along to keep Allan interested. When Allan and Lois realize their love for each other, she denounces James for using her as a trophy wife. A Mexican bandit, who covets the American woman, leads his gang to capture Lois at a hacienda, and James is slain during the attack. Allan rescues her, and they escape Mexico by leaping on horseback from a precipice into the Rio Grande.—AFI