The young Inspector Faro stumbles on a plot involving the stealing of a priceless jewel. His investigation leads him to Kent, and on the trail of his nemesis Macheath. Whilst there, Faro bumps into an old school friend Erland Flett who is working alongside the artist William Morris, in a Bohemian community, not at all Faro's cup of tea. Erland is about to marry a beautiful but mysterious young lady, Lena Hamilton. Faro recognizes her as the famous Madeleine Smith, accused of murdering her lover, but never convicted. Now Faro realizes that he must apprehend Macheath and save his friend from certain death at the hands of the ruthless Miss Smith and time is running out.