Having left her husband, Henry Vaan, in a Houston jail, beautiful but unscrupulous Violet Barton, who is herself on the run from San Antonio authorities, settles with her sister Janet in the border town of La Mirada. While the hardworking Janet opens a women's shop, Violet charms blackjack dealer Wilbur into stealing money from his boss, gambler Greg De Laney, so that he can buy her a bracelet. When Greg arrives at her house, demanding the bracelet, Violet flirts with him. Janet, meanwhile, has caught the eye of Greg's longtime friend, newspaperman Johnny Hale. Janet falls in love with Johnny, but as soon as Violet finds out his family is the richest in Texas, she abandons Greg and turns her charm on Johnny. Violet, who believes she is divorced from Vaan, persuades the impressionable Johnny to elope with her, but is soon bored by married life and tries to rekindle her affair with Greg. The gambler, however, is loyal to Johnny and threatens to kill Violet if she does anything to hurt him. One day, Vaan, having been released from jail, shows up in La Mirada and, as he is still legally married to Violet, attempts to blackmail her. Violet lures Vaan into Greg's office and kills him. After Johnny is discovered over the body, he is arrested for murder by Sheriff William Howard. Johnny suspects that Greg murdered Vaan in order to protect him and refuses to talk, even to defend himself. Although he believes that Johnny is guilty, Greg helps him to break out of jail. When Greg arranges for Johnny to flee over the border with Violet, however, Johnny protests his innocence, and Violet finally confesses to the crime. Greg then forces Violet to escape with him, leaving Johnny to resume his romance with the still devoted Janet. The sheriff and his posse pursue Greg and Violet, killing them both.
