Rosa (Theda Bara), a peasant girl living with her father in an Italian village, is engaged to Luigi, a simple and pious young man. However, when Pietro, leader of the New York Comorra, returns to his old home, Rosa goes to New York with him and they are followed by Luigi. In New York, Pietro, in a boastful moment, declares that he will steal the jewels of the Madonna as a proof of his love for Rosa and Luigi is told of this by Rosa. He goes into the church and brings back the jewels and Rosa is dazed at the enormity of Luigi's sacrifice and yields to him. Later when the loss of the jewels is discovered, Rosa, wearing them, makes her way to the headquarters of the Camorra, where Pietro, upon seeing her, leaves her, and Rosa, made with terror, rushes into the street and is caught by the infuriated mob. Luigi stabs himself at the foot of the Madonna's altar.