Baron Reiner, a charming though unscrupulous Viennese aristocrat, becomes infatuated with Virginia, an innocent schoolgirl who is engaged to his best friend, Manfred. In order to seduce the girl, Reiner finances an oceanographic expedition for Manfred that takes him away for months. Reiner intercepts all of Manfred's letters and eventually bends Virginia to his satanic will. Manfred returns and wounds Reiner in a duel. Reiner recovers and takes the young girl for his own.