Corrupt Internal Revenue collector George Palmer is bribed by small distiller Jones to falsify records of shipments. Palmer's daughter Lucille goes to Washington to visit her school chum. At the country club she meets Arthur Wheeler, an Inspector of the Internal Revenue office. Lucille has had a love affair with Bob Hicks, son of a distiller; but she develops an affection for Wheeler. Hicks and his father are introduced by Jones to a lobbyist named Kendig, who is active at Washington. During Lucille's absence Bob Hicks takes up with former sweetheart Molly Grant. Lucille returns betrothed to Wheeler, and starts to tell her father the great secret, but he is preoccupied by fears of discovery, and she retires with wounded feelings. Bob Hicks renews his suit, but she tells him she is engaged to Wheeler. She also says that she would never have married him, anyhow, because she disapproves of his father's business. In a huff Hicks retorts that someday he will tell her about her father's business, and leaves her vaguely alarmed. Kendig writes from Washington that Wheeler is on the job and cannot be bribed. Nevertheless Bob Hicks tries to bribe him. He pretends to consent and telephones his superiors at Washington. In the records of the Hicks' business he finds evidence of Palmer's crookedness, and despite the fact that the crook is his sweetheart's father, goes to Palmer's office. Palmer threatens him with a pistol. Wheeler snatches the weapon, which explodes during the struggle. Palmer falls dead. Hicks accuses Wheeler of murder, but before he can be arrested, a girl rushes in and declares that Palmer was shot by accident from the house across the street. In the room indicated is found Molly Grant who, desperate because Hicks had spurned her, and fired the fatal shot at her recreant lover. The bullet, missing Hicks, had entered the window of Palmer's office and killed him. Wheeler is exonerated and marries Lucille after breaking up the system.