A young lieutenant falls in love with a circus rider. He leave the military and take a job at the circus. He quickly becomes the crowds favorite. His interest in another woman drives the rejected circus rider to revenge.

Count de Faber is working on a new type of explosive, but finds out that Professor Plussman has beat him to it. After an unsuccessful attempt to acquire the formula from Plussman, he breaks into the professor's house, steals the formula, and kidnaps his daughter, Mary. He takes her to Carlsten Fortress.