No money and stranded, John Bruce agrees to return to New York to investigate the operation of a nightclub for its owner, Gilbert Larmond. There he meets Claire Veniza, who operates a mobile pawnshop with her father in cooperation with the club, follows her home, becomes involved in a street fight, and stumbles into Claire's room seriously injured. Claire is forced to agree to marry drug-addicted Dr. Crang in return for medical aid to John. Claire and John fall in love, however; John saves Larmond from Crang's plots; and Old Hawkins, Claire's real father, keeps Claire from the doctor's clutches by driving his cab (which he believes to carry only Crang but actually includes Claire) off a ferryboat. Old Hawkins and Crang drown, but John rescues Claire.