While stationed in Algiers Commandant Denis Hogan (Victor McLaglen) receives a letter containing bad news and requests that he be allowed to return to his home country of Ireland, where he is a wanted man. In Ireland, Baron James O'Brien (Hobart Bosworth) is told by his doctor that he has no more than a month to live. He decides to marry off his only daughter Connaught (June Collyer) to a socialite, John D'Arcy (Earle Foxe) despite her love of childhood friend Dermot McDermot (Larry Kent).
Hogan returns to Ireland and disguises himself as a holy man and meets Dermot McDermot and witnesses the lights of Glenmalure's chapel being lit, signifying a wedding is taking place. Later that night, after Connaught and D'Arcy have been wed, the Baron dies. On the night of his funeral Hogan sneaks about the grounds of Hangman's House and is spotted by D'Arcy.
A community race is held on St. Stephen's Day and Connaught's horse The Bard is due to race. The horse's jockey goes missing just before the race because of interference from D'Arcy who has bet against the horse. Dermot is required to jockey the horse and he wins the race leading a drunken D'Arcy to shoot The Bard. Brian Desmond Hurst features as a prominent "extra" at this point (as seen below). This is the first appearance of Brian in a movie. After shooting the horse D'Arcy is ostracised by the community. At night Dermot and D'Arcy meet in a pub where D'Arcy reveals that he had an affair with Hogan's sister. Dermot gives D'Arcy money to leave Ireland and threatens him that if he ever sees him again he will kill him.
Later Dermot and Connaught visit Hogan's hideout and Hogan reveals that his sister died following D'Arcy's desertion. Connaught returns to Hangman's House to discover that D'Arcy has returned. After a struggle she flees to Dermot's house. Hogan and Dermot go to Hangman's House and confront D'Arcy. During a fight between the men a fire breaks out and burns down the house. Hogan and Dermot escape but D'Arcy falls to his death as a balcony collapses. Connaught and Dermot see Hogan off at the port as he returns to Algiers. Connaught gives Hogan a kiss and Dermot shakes his hands and thanks him. Connaught and Dermot walk away together as Hogan watches them.
This early silent film received positive reviews, Wilfred Beaton of Film Spectator called it "the finest program picture ever turned out by a studio". In particular he praised the photography which he said "almost outdoes for sheer beauty the shots in Street Angel and Sunrise".
Starring: Victor McLaglen, June Collyer, Earle Foxe, Larry Kent, and featuring John Wayne and Brian Desmond Hurst
