Two families, cotton merchants in England and America, with branches in France and Prussia swear to stand by each other in a belief that a great business firmly established in four countries will be able to withstand even such another calamity as the Napoleonic Wars from which Europe is slowly recovering. Then many years later, along comes World War One and the years that follow, to test the businesses.

Canadian Richard Hannay, residing in London, meets secret agent Annabella Smith immediately following a shots fired incident. She asks to go home with him. Back at Hannay’s flat the mysterious woman confides that she fears for her life and is on a critical mission relating to protecting state air ministry secrets. Later that night assassins murder her. Believed by the police to be her killer, Hannay is forced to go on the run and flees to Scotland in a desperate attempt to see Annabella’s mission through before it’s too late. Along the way he chances upon beautiful Pamela, who unwillingly becomes his accomplice in the mission.