A young man joins the French Foreign Legion and is sent to Algieria, where he becomes a target for hatred by his commander. However, the commander has a change of heart when he realizes who the young man is.

Richard Farquhar, the ne'er-do-well nephew of a titled Englishman, after a protracted "good time" finds himself penniless in an Algerian hotel. He expects money from England, but instead receives a cablegram stating his allowance has been stopped and that his uncle will have nothing further to do with him. He goes to a native café, where he sees Nancy Preston, an American girl. An Arab insults her. Richard protects her and in the fight that follows loses his father's Victoria Cross. Richard refuses to tell Nancy who he is until he has made a name for himself. He joins the Foreign Legion under an assumed name. He meets Nancy again and also Captain Destinn. Destinn falls in love with Nancy, but she prefers Richard. In the meantime Richard's uncle has died and left him the entire estate. The family solicitor in hunting for Richard meets Destinn, whom he thinks he recognizes as Richard's father. Destinn denies the truth. While in pursuit of Bedouin bandits the soldiers mutiny against Destinn and tie him up, meaning to leave him to die in the desert. The soldiers are outnumbered by the Bedouins and Richard releases Destinn, giving him a chance to fight for his life. When the soldiers are all rescued Richard takes the blame for the mutiny and is sentenced to death. Nancy, disguised as an Arab boy, effects Richard's escape and the two flee into the desert. Destinn starts in pursuit and steals up on them just as Richard finds out who Nancy is. Richard, thinking the game is up, hands Nancy the Victoria Cross. Destinn recognizes it and tells Richard he will stop pursuit and allow them to escape into English territory.—Moving Picture World synopsis