The feud between Peter Bolton and Wharton Kendrick has roots that trace back to an Ohio village long before their arrival in California. This bitter enmity continues to fester in San Francisco, where both men operate as prominent figures in business and local politics.
Bolton covertly finances the Council of Nine, an organization of socialists and anarchists led by Parks, to undermine his rival. Meanwhile, Kendrick hires a young attorney, Hampden, to investigate Bolton's secret activities and unearth his ultimate plans.
Hampden infiltrates the meetings at the House of Blazes, encountering radical agitators and witnessing the violent conflicts between rival tongs in Chinatown. He becomes involved in the rescue of a Chinese girl named Moon Ying from her captors.
Through these investigations, Hampden navigates a complex web of espionage, secret tunnels, and political speeches given by figures like Denis Kearney. The labor movement swells into an anti-Chinese campaign that threatens to engulf the entire city.
Bolton launches a fierce financial attack on the stock market to ruin Kendrick's business empire. The leading capitalists of San Francisco organize a syndicate to uphold market stability and counter the impending financial collapse.
The narrative builds toward a climax where financial warfare and public riots threaten to overturn the established order. The confrontation between the two enemies nears its resolution as the city stands on the precipice of revolution.
