Margaret Townsend, the wife of American Vice-Counsul Charles Townsend, feels neglected because her husband spends most of his time working. To amuse herself, she accepts a dinner invitation from Julianne Boone-Fleming and her husband Seton. Jack Norton, a big-game hunter, has also been invited. Seton pretends to be drunk, and when Julianne leaves with him, Norton begins to warn Margaret that she should not have come. When he realizes he is being watched by the butler, Norton plays his part, kissing Margaret as the butler takes a picture to use for blackmail. Knowing that Norton is suspected of smuggling, Margaret returns and warns the Boone-Flemings that the Treasury agent, Farrell, suspects them of smuggling and that she is worried about the discovery of the photos. Julianne then calls Norton, one of her partners in the smuggling operation, to tell him to take the evidence with him to New York. Meanwhile, Margaret, who has been hiding in the house, snatches an envelope that she thinks contains the photos and escapes. Norton sees another envelope and pockets it. When Margaret discovers that she has the wrong envelope, she searches Norton's hotel room for the other, but Norton discovers her there and gives her the photos. He explains that he and Julianne have a child and she has threatened to expose him to their daughter unless he goes along with her plans. Margaret tells Norton of Farrell's suspicions just as the agents, including Charles, arrive to search his luggage. Margaret hides, and to protect her identity, Norton confesses to the smuggling. Margaret gets safely away and plants evidence in the Boone-Flemings' luggage before tipping off the authorities. They are arrested and face a lengthy prison sentence. At the same time that Norton is being deported, Charles tells the story to his very interested wife.

• Plot Summary

• american
• smuggling
• blackmail
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• Drama