Vera, leading lady of a vaudeville troupe from Russia, is heading to the theatre when Eugene Foster, a rich broker, saves her from a falling girder, and he keeps trying to win her over. Foster books the troupe for a performance at his house. Dazed after a fall, Vera comes round to find Foster declaring his love, just as her partner Norodin, who is in love with her, catches them in an embrace. Norodin, whose act is an underwater stunt, asks Vera to stay away from his performance and leads her to believe he has died; grief-stricken, Vera tells Foster she made a mistake, and he flies into a rage and tries to grab her. The magician then appears, uses knives to pin Foster against the wall and tells him to go before the final blade is thrown.