Innkeeper John Barty is falsely accused of stealing a watch from adventurer Louis Chichester, who is engaged to Lady Cleone Meredith, the granddaughter of the Marquess of Chamberhust. Louis had stolen some jewels from the Marquess's bedroom, then accused the innkeeper in an effort to cover up his own crimes. Barnabas, the innkeeper's son, goes to London posing as a wealthy gentleman named John Beverly, in the hope of finding proof of his father's innocence. He takes with him the charred remains of a note by the real thief. He gains entrance into the Prince Regent's court, where he wins money both at the gambling tables and in a bare-knuckled boxing match. While planning his father's escape from prison, Barnabas falls in love with Lady Cleone. Pauline Darville, Louis's accomplice, sneaks into Barnabas's rooms to recover the charred note which would incriminate her and her lover in the jewel thefts. She is mysteriously stabbed, and Barnabas is immediately accused of the crime. He evades the police by entering a stage tableau performed before the Prince Regent, then escapes by coach to his father's inn. Once at the inn, he tricks Louis into recognizing Pauline's handkerchief, which contains the stolen jewels. With his father's innocence proven, Barnabas is finally able to realize his love for the Lady Cleone.