- The story concerns the difficulties of a clerk in the war department, betrothed to the daughter of an ambassador, who loses his position by the change of administration. His fiancée is not pleased with the dismissal of her lover and conspires to bring about the overthrow of his successor. She accomplishes this by purchasing some valuable documents from the new clerk, paying for them in marked money. Later the clerk is accused and the money is found in his possession; he is dismissed from the service and the girl's lover is restored to his old position.—Moving Picture World synopsis
- As politics decree, Warren, the chief clerk in the war office (Charles Clary), Is supplanted by Lester (William Stowell). Before Warren leaves, the retiring Secretary of War (Lafe McKee) gives him a sealed document a valuable formula of a high explosive which the government has just acquired, for safe keeping. Warren places it in the safe just as his sweetheart Inez (Adrienne Kroell), who is the daughter of the Mexican ambassador (Harry Lonsdale), appears. Her curiosity leads Warren to tell her all concerning the document. Inez intuitively doubts the honesty of Lester whom she meets at a broker's office, and where she admits that she is a foreign spy. Lester is so impressed with her charms that, as planned, he meets her at the Inaugural Ballroom where she intentionally drops her silken handbag. Still following out their plans, this is picked up by Lester who, in a round about way, manages to get the precious document he has stolen into the bag which he returns to Inez. Part of this procedure was observed by Warren who, after the ball, escorts her home where he discovers the stolen documents. Before explanations can take place, Inez's father appears and Warren leaves. Just as Warren is about to retire he receives a note from Inez, reading: "If, before I should see you In the morning, you should be caught with that document, say you got it from me and I will do the rest." He tears the note to pieces.
The next morning in the war office, Lester being unable to find the document, accuses Warren who is arrested at the hotel. The detectives find the document under his pillow. Warren is then brought to the anteroom of the War Secretary, where he confronts Lester and accuses him of having stolen the document. This leads the Judicial Secretary to remark, "If he stole it, how came it in your possession." Not wishing to incriminate his sweetheart, Warren refuses to talk further. But Inez, who heard part of the conversation, throws this note from behind the portieres: "The guilty one is the new chief clerk, a woman trapped him with marked money." The detectives get busy and bring in Inez. They are about to place her under arrest when the secretary orders that Lester be searched. He confesses and is told to go. Inez's story of how she trapped him is so powerful that Warren is reinstated.
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