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On the brink of war, Lt. van Hauen is summoned to take command of the cruiser, but due to unforeseen events, he is wrongfully convicted as a traitor.

A criminal escapes from prison, however a betrayal leads to his second arrest.

Anatol, an artist, takes for his model a very pretty dancing girl, whose name is Juana, an orphan. During the weeks that she is sitting for Anatol, her life is a happy one. One day when Anatol is entertaining some friends, a gypsy caravan arrives outside the house of the artist. Then the most wonderful music is heard from a violin player. Juana, Anatol and his friends on going outside see a deformed figure standing on the steps of the caravan playing a fiddle. Anatol's artistic nature is at once aroused, and he invites the fiddler into his house. Scaramourse, for that is the fiddler's name, begins to play, and Juana, carried away by the throbbing strains, commences to dance, and she dances as she has never danced before. Nothing must do but that Anatol must paint the pair, and then for several days Juana and the fiddler Scaramourse are constantly together. Ugly and deformed as he is, Juana cannot resist the fascination of Scaramourse, and he persuades her to fly with him, taking the opportunity whilst the artist is out. Upon returning Anatol finds a note from Juana asking him to forgive her and never to look for her. Six months later in Paris, Anatol, who had been living with a friend, is informed that the most wonderful dancer is appearing at "The Gamblers' Club." Anatol and his friend adjourn there at once. In the meantime Juana suffers under the terrible jealousy of Scaramourse, the latter becoming acquainted with Baron Lofort, who persuades the fiddler to play at the tables, the stake being Juana. Scaramourse is financed by Lofort to the extent of 500 pounds, and the Baron informs him that when that is lost he will take Juana. Anatol and his friend, having watched Juana dance at the club, follow her back to her rooms, and Anatol begs Juana to come back to him. but an unknown compulsion forces Juana not to leave Scaramourse as Anatol wishes. At this juncture Scaramourse returns, and seeing the artist he flies into a terrible frenzy and leaps at the artist's throat. Anatol flings the deformed wretch from him with such a force that he is seriously injured. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the artist seizes Juana and together with his friend they return to his house. The fascinating spell seems to be over, but the terrible vengeance of the fiddler is to come. Dragging himself painfully along he at last reaches the window where Juana is sitting and then commences to play. The music once more throbs at the nature of Juana, and she commences to dance. Wilder and wilder the music rises until it reaches a climax. Juana is whirling round in a wild dance until suddenly as the music fades gradually away the dancing girl sinks to the ground dead. His vengeance completed, Scaramourse, with the pale rays of the moon on his face, gazes with intense hatred upon his victim. Anatol, returning to the room, sees the dead body of the poor dancing girl whom he befriended and loved, and falls prostrate across her body.