He is a brave and gallant young lieutenant of the Italian army at a time when his country is on the eve of war with Turkey. He becomes infatuated with a country girl of intense love nature and splendid womanhood, one lacking knowledge of the world and experience in life. When her feeble insight into character and motive is pitted against his superior intelligence and that long practice in the craft of heartbreaking that enables a handsome gentleman in uniform to practice a form of enchantment with such women, the result is easily foreseen.
With a friend desperate for money, a merchant takes out a loan from a ruthless money-lender. Confident that his ships will soon be bringing him great wealth, the merchant willingly agrees to conditions of the loan that put him at great personal risk.
