Gambling Sex

At a Florida resort hotel, John Tracy is losing at every game of chance he plays, even when his friend Ralph Jordan advises him on his special system. Tracy loses good-naturedly, because he never bets more than he can afford to lose. He is unaware of the fact that Jordan actually works for the casino and receives a percentage of their patrons' losses. Jordan sneers at Bill Foster, a former playboy millionaire who lost his fortune in the 1929 stock market crash and is now working for Tracy in his stables. Unlike Jordan, Tracy thinks highly of Bill and recognizes his integrity. One morning, Tracy goes into the stall of his horse, "Lightning," a notoriously wild horse, and the unstable animal rears and kicks Tracy. Tracy is mortally wounded and sends for his daughter, Shiela, who is attending private school. Shiela races to see her father who, before his death, tells her to hold onto love no matter how difficult, as he did not do with her mother. Three months after John's death, Shiela is cavorting about town with Jordan, living the high life off her inheritance, and gambling most of it away. Bill has fallen in love with her, but admonishes her for her behavior rather than telling her of his love. When she invites him to a party and instead takes him to a roadhouse where they share a private booth, and playfully asks him to scold her again, he tells her that he tired of girls like her when he was wealthy and was relieved to be rid of them when he lost his fortune. Shiela is affronted and leaves Bill at the roadhouse. Amused, he catches a ride back to the stables on a milkwagon. Despite their better judgment, Shiela's lawyers send her $10,000, which is the balance of her father's estate. When Shiela hears that Lightning still is untrainable, the headstrong girl attempts to ride the horse herself and is thrown. Although Shiela is unharmed, Bill tells her that she is not allowed near the horses again. After this, Shiela snubs Bill, and considers Jordan's proposal of marriage. Bill, trainer Thompson and jockey Sandy are finally able to handle Lightning, and enter him in the Florida Handicap race at the Ambassador track in Miami. At Shiela's request, Jordan bets her remaining $6,000 on the horse to win. Lightning and Sandy are trapped in a "pocket" during the race and come in fourth. Shiela sends for Bill and demands an explanation, but Bill tells her that he is pleased that her financial loss means she may be brought down to earth so he can ask her to marry him. Shiela rebuffs him and immediately elopes with Jordan, who is now having second thoughts about marrying Shiela because she lost her fortune. After he insists they stop at the roadhouse, Jordan withdraws his proposal and tries to force himself on her. Bill has been following the couple and intervenes and knocks Jordan out. Shiela insists that she still intends to elope, but this time, with him.