A woman convicted of murder escapes, and a lawyer helps her find the men who were responsible for the murder.
A jury convicts Ann (Maureen O'Sullivan) of murder. Smiley (Louis Calhern) says he will lose $250,000 and does not rehire her lawyer for an appeal. In an auto wreck Ann escapes and gets in the car of Tony Baxter (Joel McCrea). She goes to his apartment. Her photos are on the front page, and detective Sweeney (Edgar Kennedy) calls the police. Betty (Adrienne Ames) arrives and tells Tony they are engaged again. Sweeney brings the police, who search but find only Betty, who is jealous and also leaves. Tony is an attorney and offers to help Ann, who explains her case. Monty calls to help Ann. Smiley orders Monty taken away. Ann takes a gun from Tony's desk. Tony takes Ann to meet Monty, who isn't there. Men shoot as Tony drives off. They are chased, and their gas leaks out. Tony ditches the car, and they walk. In the rain Tony breaks into Ma Purdy's. They can't phone and find food. The men come in, and Tony cooks them hamburgers and learns a phone number they are calling before they leave. A constable (Erville Alderson) arrests Tony and Ann for breaking in; but they give him applejack until he passes out. They take his car, and Tony kisses Ann.
At a party Betty calls Tony's boathouse and talks to his valet Peedles (Robert Greig), who is questioned by two troopers. Tony learns that Ann has his gun, because she prefers death to jail. Tony learns the location of the phone number, but he is arrested. Peedles lets Betty in, and she finds Ann. Tony calls, and Betty warns him. The District Attorney (Lewis Stone) questions Tony. Ann calls the D. A. to surrender herself. The D. A. takes Tony to Ann at his boathouse, where they find Peedles shot but not dead. The D. A. tells Tony that Monty was killed. Tony says to call the number. Ann is taken to Smiley, who asks her for the bonds. Tony steals the police car and looks for Joe. Tony is taken to Ann, who tells him to go. Smiley has Tony and Ann taken away and receives the D. A. Tony fights, is knocked out, and put in a boat. Police in a boat shoot at the men and capture them. The D. A. arrests Smiley for murder and clears Ann. In the final scene Tony takes Ann home in the police boat.
In this melodrama Tony commits enough crimes to get himself disbarred; but since he found the murderers, he is allowed even to take the police boat.