Randolph Shorb (Herbert Rawlinson) and his father have always been on the level when it comes to business. Their competitors, however, lack such high-minded scruples and ruin the pair. The father commits suicide and Randolph becomes bitter and ruthless, out only for the money and nothing else (perhaps this wasn't as common in 1918 as it was today). He gets involved with a crook, Philadelphia Johnson (Charles West), and they bring Randolph's brokerage business back to life. Country boy Joe Freeman (Jack Nelson) comes to the big city and gets a job at a bank. Like all movie country boys, he's glaringly naive. The crooks swindle him out of a big chunk of the bank's money and he's ready to kill himself. But in quite an incredible (and incredulous) climax, Randolph, who has vouched for Freeman, gets ahold of him by finding the city's main electrical power, shutting it down, then contacting him by Morse code! So Randolph makes good the bank's shortage and after that he decides he prefers the straight and narrow.
by Janiss Garza
synopsis
