Daniel Lane, who prefers the desert to living in England, becomes involved in the struggles of an old sheik against the plotting by his son and Robert Barthampton. Muriel meets Lane at an embassy ball and feels compelled to visit him in the desert, partly because she has been told that Lizette is his mistress. On her second visit the oasis camp is attacked, Barthampton forces his attentions on Muriel and is killed by Lane, and Lizette is killed just after she explains that she had seen Lane only to give him helpful information. The British Army comes to the rescue, and Muriel and Lane are reconciled.