Bootlegger Rita Wingate destroys a scow loaded with whiskey as revenue officers descend upon it. Although Rita evades capture, her father, who captains the tugboat pulling the scow, is arrested. Steve Redding, the gang's leader, refuses to help Rita's father so she quits. To keep Rita from informing the authorities, Steve keeps her prisoner in a house of ill repute from which she quickly escapes. Rita takes refuge in the apartment of revenue chief Rex Brandon; they fall in love and are soon married. After Rex arrests Steve, he learns of Rita's stay in the brothel, and quits his job rather than involve Rita in a scandal. She then rejoins the gang as a ruse to obtain evidence against them. Meanwhile, Rex discovers that Rita never worked as a prostitute and vows to redeem himself. She secretly informs Rex that the gang is storing a load of whiskey in freight cars at the rail yard. During the raid, Rita is locked in a flaming boxcar, but Rex rescues her following a wild chase. The lovers are reunited, and Rex resumes his work in law enforcement.
—AFI