- Hairpin Harry Dutton is paroled from prison after ten years. He discovers that his wife Polly has divorced him and married Big Mike McCafferty, the detective who sent Harry to prison. Polly fears Harry may exact revenge on her for her perfidy and arranges for her new husband to frame Harry.—Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
- Hairpin Harry Dutton sits in solitary confinement, reminiscing about his past life. He envisions his wife Polly, known as the "Poppy Girl," sitting beside him at a banquet given at an underworld hotel. He tells his crooked friends that he is going to be straight with Polly. Then his thoughts drift to the courtroom, where Polly, their one-year-old baby, and Harry's friend Boston Blackie await a verdict. Also present in the court is Detective Sergeant Mike McCafferty, who arrested Harry. The judge sentences Harry to fourteen years for burglary. Harry asks Boston Blackie to look after his wife and child. Now Harry is being pardoned after ten years. Boston Blackie meets him at the prison gate, but Polly is nowhere to be found.
On a train ride to San Francisco, Blackie informs Harry that Polly married McCafferty one year after Harry went to prison. Harry checks into a San Francisco hotel inhabited by crooks, and begins to plan his vengeance. He spends most of his time in his room, working on a copper plate. Meanwhile, Harry's son Donald is ignored by his stepfather, McCafferty. Harry locates the boy at school, and the child, not knowing who Harry is, draws close to him. He invites Harry to an Indian cave in the park, where the two can play together. Harry begins visiting with Donald every day, and the boy looks forward to seeing the "big chief."
Polly knows that Harry has been released, and fears his vengeance. So she persuades McCafferty to frame him. Donald overhears the conversation. The next time he meets Harry, he innocently tells him the bad man from jail is worrying his mama, and that the bad man is going to be sent back to prison that night. Harry learns more details of the plan from the crooks at his hotel, and is able to avoid the trap.
He heads for Polly's house. Polly, who is satisfied that McCafferty is taking care of things, dolls herself up in wait for him. Then she sees Harry standing in her doorway. He takes out the copper plate, and shows it to his wife. It has an engraved picture of a convict being pushed into an open grave by a woman. When Polly struggles, he uses chloroform on her. Then Harry heats up the plate until it glows red. He is about to press the plate against his unconscious ex-wife's cheek when he suddenly hears someone sobbing. Harry drops the plate and rushes towards the sound. He discovers his son crying. Harry confesses who he really is, and the boy begs to be taken away. The hatred leaves Harry's heart; he will not harm his ex-wife. Donald kisses his unconscious mother goodbye. Harry and Donald leave for the mountains, where they make their home in a cabin.
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