In a vain attempt to save her father from financial disaster, Helen Grant marries Bradley Spayden, but before she can reach her father to give him the money he needs, he kills himself. Treated as chattel by her husband, Helen attempts to gain financial independence by selling her thoroughbred horse to Eric Foxhall. While concluding the deal, Foxhall assaults Helen, and in the ensuing struggle, Helen fires a revolver. Believing that she has killed her assailant, she then faints. Meanwhile, Spayden follows his wife to Foxhall's house, shoots him, and escapes through a window. Soon after, Richard Marlowe, Helen's true love, discovers Foxhall's body and, assuming that Helen killed him, pleads guilty to the crime. Helen, ignorant of these machinations, is taken to her mother's house. Upon learning that Marlowe has been pronounced guilty, she rushes to court and confesses to the crime. As Helen testifies, Grimes, Foxhall's butler, swears that he saw Spayden kill Foxhall. Before he can be arrested, Spayden shoots himself, freeing Helen to join Marlowe.
At an auction sale of thoroughbred horses, Helen Grant bids against Eric Foxhall for Dandy Dick. The horse goes to Helen for five thousand dollars. Foxhall, learning of activity in steel, requests the stock Grant had pledged to him. Grant stalls him off. Foxhall goes to Beale and Marlowe to purchase Southland stock. Here he is shown the stock certificates which Grant had left as security. Beale promises to secure the stock for Foxhall if he can. Foxhall is enraged to find it is the same stock for which Grant had given him a receipt as security for the loan. He confronts Grant, threatening to arrest him. When Helen learns of her father's predicament, she determines to do all in her power to save him. She goes to Bradley Spayden for a loan of a hundred thousand, offering a pearl necklace and their home, but Spayden says she is the thing he desires most. Putting aside her love for Marlowe, she agrees to marry Spayden. He writes a check for a hundred thousand, payable to Mrs. Helen Grant Spayden. They are married and Helen rushes to her father's office. With the check she buys from Foxhall her father's receipt for the stock certificates. Foxhall remarks she sold herself cheaply; he would have paid a million! Marlowe denounces Helen. A shot rings out; her father ignorant of the fact that Helen has saved him, has killed himself. Richard pleads with Helen to annul the marriage before it is too late, but she decides to stand by her bargain. At his club, Spayden regards his marriage as an occasion for getting drunk. As time passes, Helen learns the full meaning of disillusion. Spayden exhibits her to his maudlin friends as the best little thoroughbred he ever owned. Mortified beyond endurance, Helen sells her jewels, and has Beale invest the money for her. Beale advises Helen she must have five thousand dollars to safeguard her investment. She decides to sell Dandy Dick. She phones Foxhall. He asks her to come to his house. She writes Beale to have Marlowe meet her at Foxhall's at eight-thirty, that she may give him the money to cover her investment. Foxhall offers to lend Helen the money. She realizes his insinuation, and when he attempts to embrace her, she spurns him. Not finding Helen at home, Spayden learns she has gone to Foxhall's. The struggle between Helen and Foxhall ends in her shooting him with his revolver. There is a furious ringing of the doorbell. Foxhall rushes Helen into the bedroom. He pulls out his cigarette case, showing a bullet embedded in it. Spayden rushes in, demanding to know where Helen is. They hear a noise in the next room. Spayden strikes Foxhall down, and drags Helen out. Believing she has killed Foxhall, she swoons. Spayden picks up the revolver and shoots Foxhall. He falls back dead. Horrified, Spayden leaves through a window. Richard Marlowe finds Helen and Foxhall, both apparently dead. Helen comes to, and Richard believes she has killed Foxhall. He takes her to his mother's home. Marlowe is arrested for the murder of Foxhall, and pleads guilty. In the days of her convalescence, all knowledge of Marlowe's trial is kept from Helen. Marlowe is pronounced guilty. Helen hears a newsboy calling an extra, and discerns Marlowe's name. With the aid of her nurse, she rushes to court, declares Marlowe innocent, saying she killed Foxhall. Among the spectators are Spayden and Grimes, Foxhall's butler. As Helen confesses, Spayden starts to sneak out, but Grimes yells to have him stopped. Spayden is brought back, and Grimes swears he saw Spayden kill Foxhall. Grimes tells his story. For fifteen years he has been in the service of Foxhall, whom he hated and despised. After Spayden left, Grimes stole the money Foxhall had prepared for Helen. Spayden denies the story, but he is dragged off by attendants. In another room, he shoots himself. Helen and Richard are reunited.
