Dr. MacAuley, an elderly, compassionate country doctor, is sent to prison for removing a bullet from a boy he had brought into the world and then allowing him, a fugitive from justice, to escape. Inside the high grey walls of the prison, the old doctor hopes to work in the prison hospital, but his hopes are dashed by Norton, the coldly efficient prison doctor, who refuses to allow MacAuley on his staff. As a result, MacAuley is assigned to work in the jute mill, but after he saves the life of Lindy, a prisoner who suffers a heart attack, the doctor is transferred to the hospital, where he gradually wins Norton's respect and confidence. MacAuley's compassion endears him to the inmates, but when Lindy offers the doctor $10,000 to administer an overdose of sedatives and thus end his misery, the doctor refuses. However, Lindy's bribe is accepted by Nightingale, one of the hospital orderlies, and consequently, when Lindy is found dead, MacAuley is accused of the crime. The inmates rally in support of the old doctor, who is finally exonerated by Redlands, a prisoner who overheard Lindy offer the bribe to Nightingale. While at the hospital, Redlands, who thinks he can find the stash of money Lindy has hidden on the outside, attempts to force Norton and MacAuley to help him escape, but he faints while watching the doctors perform an operation and is recaptured. All ends happily as MacAuley is granted a pardon by the warden, and his daughter Mary drives him home to begin life anew.
