Professional Soldier

Donovan and Foster are approached by revolutionaries Valdis and Ledgard in Paris and offered a fee to kidnap King Peter II. The job is framed as a decisive act to topple a government the conspirators oppose. Donovan, a veteran of many such schemes, weighs the risks against the payoff and his own reputation.

Foster interrupts the meeting in a drunken haze, and Donovan decides to recruit him as an aide. The two men form an uneasy partnership as they prepare to execute the kidnapping plan.

At a masquerade at the king's palace in the Balkans, Donovan and Foster reconnoiter the venue, but King Peter II does not appear. Foster quickly falls for Sonia, a woman among the guests, foreshadowing the personal entanglements to come.

That night they slip back into the palace and discover Peter II is a boy. Donovan is disgusted at the prospect of abducting him, while Peter treats the idea as an adventure, misreading them as Chicago gangsters. Sonia interrupts and raises the alarm, leaving Donovan with little choice but to proceed.

Peter shows them a secret escape route, and they escape with Sonia bound and gagged along to help care for the lad. The plan hinges on remaining unseen as they slip away from the palace within the labyrinth of passages.

The abductors take Peter to Lady Augusta, who turns out to be Peter's former nurse. The arrangement underscores the precarious balance between protecting the king and staying ahead of his captors.

Donovan's employers succeed in overthrowing Gino and installing a reform government under Stefan Bernaldo. The regime change alters the political backdrop of Peter's captivity and the conspirators' leverage.

Donovan becomes fond of Peter and takes on a mentor role, teaching the boy games like baseball and craps. He entertains Peter with tall tales of wartime exploits, deepening their unusual bond.

Foster convinces Sonia that he truly loves her, creating a personal conflict with her sense of duty. Despite his declarations, Sonia remains focused on the mission and Peter's safety.

Sonia sends a warning to Gino from a gypsy camp, revealing where the king is being held. The act escalates the stakes as Gino's forces prepare for a tighter chase.

Peter and Donovan manage to evade Gino's men but are recaptured within sight of the palace. The pursuit underscores the futility of their early gambits and raises the tension for a final confrontation.

Gino imprisons Donovan and orders Prince Edric to spread rumors that the new regime has killed Peter. Edric recognizes the implication with horror, realizing Gino's true intent to murder the king.

Sonia frees Donovan and Foster, and with Foster's help, Donovan wields a M1917 Browning machine gun to overwhelm Gino's 250 men, saving Peter from a firing squad. When Gino resists, Donovan shoots him.

Peter decorates Donovan in gratitude for his rescue, and the two share a tearful farewell as their paths diverge. The unlikely bond between guardian and ward leaves a lasting mark on both men.