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In Kronberg, capital of Ruritania, the Queen prepares to marry her cousin, Prince Wolfram, but during exercises with his squadron the prince sees Patricia Kelly, among some girls from an orphanage.  Determined to meet her again, he has the convent set afire, kidnaps her, and takes her to his chateau.

Queen Regina enters in a fury and chases Patricia from the chateau with a lash.  Her victim throws herself in the river and drowns, and the prince commits suicide by her coffin.

The foregoing description reflects the European release version.  In von Stroheim's version, Kelly's suicide fails, and she returns to the convent.  A telegram arrives from her guardian aunt, who operates a brothel in German East Africa, and the aunt forces Patricia to marry Jan Vooyheid, a degenerate, drunken cripple, the wedding taking place with the aunt lying on her deathbed.  In the unfinished scenario, Wolfram is transferred to Africa and meets Patricia following the death of her husband.  The Queen having been assassinated, Wolfram ascends the throne, and Patricia becomes Queen Kelly.