About the year 1900 in a midnight raid on the palace of a Balkan king, emissaries of a great power slay the royal pair, and carry off the infant crown princess. The time shifts to the present. Foreign agents steal the plans of a new shell loaned Great Britain by America. Halkett and Gray, English officers, recover the plans; and the foreign agents endeavor to gain possession of them again. Warner, an American artist sojourning in the neighborhood of Ausone in France, secures as his model, Philippa, cashier of the Cabaret de Biribi. He sees great intrinsic character in the beautiful pensive girl. Browbeaten by her burly foster father Wildresse, she is made to spy upon Warner, who has become a confidant of Halkett. She exposes Wildresse to Warner and goes to him for refuge. Wildresse and his band capture her. Warner penetrates the master spy`s stronghold and rescues Philippa. Meanwhile war between France and Germany has broken out.