In the Great Depression era, the Board of Directors of Thomas Dickson's bank want Dickson (Walter Huston) to merge with New York Trust and resign. He refuses. One night, Dickson's bank is robbed of $100,000. The suspect is Matt Brown (Pat O'Brien (actor)), an ex-convict whom Dickson hired and appointed Chief Teller. Brown, who's very loyal to Dickson, refuses to say where he was that night. He has two witnesses for his alibi, Mrs. Dickson (Kay Johnson) and fellow worker Cyril Cluett (Gavin Gordon), but Brown is protecting Dickson from finding out that Mrs. Dickson was with Cluett having a romantic evening. Cluett, who has a $50,000 gambling debt, is responsible for the robbery, but lets Brown take the rap.