"Cameo" Kirby, so called because of his fondness for cameos, is the son of a New Orleans plantation owner who dies insolvent. When the plantation and slaves are sold at auction, Cameo's favorite body-servant is bought at auction by one of his father's friends, John Randall. John and Kirby head north on a Mississippi river boat where Randall meets Colonel Moreau. There he loses heavily on a wager and consents to a game of poker hoping to get back his losses. Kirby, through his friendship with another gambler, is adept at the manipulation of cards and suspects that Moreau is not an honest player. He joins the game and soon Randall, having lost all of his money, wagers the old homestead. Kirby wins the hand and Moreau accuses him of cheating while Randall, unappreciative of the fact that Kirby won the hand to keep Randall's estate falling into Moreau's hands, shoots himself. When his body is taken ashore, Kirby meets Randall's daughter, Adele, and instantly falls in love with her. But Kirby is on very shaky ground as he is known as the man who caused Adele's father to commit suicide, and she treats him to some southern disdain. Her brother, Tom, vows to take revenge on Kirby. He and Moreau have an un-witnessed duel and Colonel is shot dead by Kirby, who is somewhat of a dead shot among his many other talents. But Tom takes the gun from Moreau's hand so it will appear he was unarmed. Kirby, slave-owner becomes a fugitive from justice. This also deals a blow to his courtship of Adele. But, a true-blue southern gentleman such as Kirby should be able to win the day, sooner or later.