A disowned gambler, framed for forgery, becomes a hero in Afghanistan and wins at Goodwood.

Frank Linley, a student, is liked by Captain Bland, unaware that the captain is a well-known crook. At the Cactus Boxing Club, Bland, by bribing Bermondsey Bill to lose a big fight, is enabled to fleece Frank of a large sum of money. Later, Bland introduces Frank to Delilah, an adventuress, who suggests a visit to a roulette club. Frank again loses money to Bland. Soon the club is raided and Frank, in company with the others, is taken to the police station, outside of which a photograph is taken by a press photographer. Next morning Hilda, Frank's sister, learns of the news, and tells Sir James, her father, who, thinking his son in bad hands, goes to town himself to see how matters stand. Frank is in his rooms with Delilah and as his father arrives he pushes the woman behind the curtain and goes to welcome Sir James. Sir James hears of his son's debts, reads him a lecture, then gives him a check with a few more words of advice and then departs, Frank seeing him to the door. Left alone in the room, Delilah reappears and looking about sees the checkbook left behind by Sir James. She secrets it about her person as Frank re-enters, accompanied by Captain Bland. Frank pays over his father's check to Bland, in payment of the I.O.U.'s. Frank leaves the room. Left alone with the Captain, Delilah shows him Sir James' check book. The latter has an idea. Departing, he takes the blank checks and leaves Delilah to wait for Frank. At a low quarter of the town Bland calls upon Nobby, a forger, and bribes him to fill in the blank checks, using Frank's check. He disguises himself as a messenger, goes to the bank and successfully cashes the forged checks. Next day Frank goes home to attend his sister's birthday party, and sees Sir James present her with a foal from his famous mare. The foal is named "Sunflower," and is given to Harry Norman, a trainer, who loves Hilda. The party is held on the lawn. There Sir James is informed that representatives of the bank wish to see him. They inform Sir James that checks, supposed to have been endorsed by Frank, have drained his account almost dry. Frank is sent for and though he protests his innocence, is ordered from the house. To save the honor of his name, Sir James admits the liability, but the shock results in heart failure. Back in his rooms at Chelsea, Frank, while searching for the checkbook, is visited by Bland and Delilah, who laugh at his misfortune. He orders them from his rooms. Then Frank receives a telegram stating that his father is dead. Half frantic by the course of events, the boy is about to shoot himself when his hand is stayed by the sound of martial music, and, looking from his window, he sees a company of guards marching past and determines to join them. Bland attends the sale of Sir James's effects and attempts to purchase the foal "Sunflower," but Norman soon proves that the foal is the property of Hilda. Two years pass. The forger, being hard up, makes use of the old checkbook still in his possession. He visits Bland, who is spending his time with Fifi, a dancer, which whom he is fascinated, and attempts to blackmail the captain on the strength of the checkbook. Bland refuses to be blackmailed and ejects Nobby from his house. Meeting Delilah in Kensington, Nobby tells her that Bland is false to her. The woman, enraged, buys the checkbook from Nobby to aid her in her revenge. Meantime, Bland is betting against Hilda's horse, "Sunflower,"' entered for the 20,000-pound race at Royal Ascot. He takes up his quarters near where the horse is being trained. He watches the trials and fears that unless he can prevent "Sunflower" from running he will be ruined. With an accomplice he schemes to hocus the horse. At this time Dick, after honorably earning a commission on the frontier, returns to England to visit his sister. He is seen at the station by Delilah, who follows him to Norman's training quarters, where Hilda is staying with her fiancé's mother. There she tries to frustrate Bland's attempt on "Sunflower," but is shot and mortally injured. The miscreant escapes and Delilah is taken to Norman's house, where she confesses all, and tells how Sir James was ruined, thus clearing Frank. Then she dies. The day of the great race dawns, and Hilda promises to marry Norman if her horse wins. Before the race, Bland makes a last attempt to prevent "Sunflower" from running. Inviting the jockey to a drink, he succeeds in drugging him. The latter, a few minutes before the race, is discovered by Hilda, Norman and Frank. Frank volunteers to ride. In the paddock, watching the horses parade to the post, Bland is surprised to see "Sunflower" looking in fine shape with Frank up. The race is on. "Sunflower" rushes to the front and stays there, so Frank wins a race for his sister, and a bride for Harry Norman. After the jockey has recovered, he tells of his being drugged; he sees Bland standing alone, ruined, and points him out. Frank rushes forward and gives the author of all his troubles a thrashing and finally hands him over to the police for the murder of Delilah.—Moving Picture World synopsis