- Spanish dancer Bonita della Guerda has a dream in which she is killed by a jester after declaring her love for a prince. Because she fears the dream will come true, she dares not reveal her love for Peter Gordon, whose uncle, Bliss Gordon, also shows her considerable attention. Bonita's relationship with Bliss is misunderstood by both Peter and her longtime protector, Emilio. In his jealousy the latter shoots Bliss's wife, Eve, who is performing Bonita's dance in hopes of recapturing her husband's love. Bonita no longer fears her dream and is united with Peter.—Pamela Short
- Bonita della Guerda has a dream which she relates to her grandfather, Don Jose. The dream begins in a garden at a fancy castle. The fairies plan to make the Prince and Princess fall in love. The Prince meets the Princess and retrieves a white rose which has fallen from her hair. He kisses the rose and returns it to her. The King's Jester is jealous and spies upon the couple. When the Princess is alone, he draws his bow and shoots an arrow through her breast. As she swoons, she sings a strange song. The Prince, upon hearing the song, turns around his horse and heads back to the garden. There, the dream ends. Don Jose tells Bonita that the dreams of the della Guerdas always come true.
In San Francisco, Bonita works as a dancer in the Café Rosa d'Espagnol, to support her grandfather. She is worshipped by a half-witted clown named Emilio. Bliss Gordon comes to the café, along with his wife, and is struck by Bonita's charm. He learns the white rose in her hair is a symbol of her virtue and cannot be bought. Bliss makes a wager that he will get the rose. His wife, Eve, is miserable because of Bliss' many affairs. She sends for her nephew, Peter Gordon, in the hope that he will be able to help her win back her husband. Peter arrives at the café while Bonita is performing her moth dance. The rose falls from her hair, and Peter picks it up, kisses it, and returns it to her. Both Peter and Bonita experience a feeling of déjà vu. Eve decides to obtain a costume similar to Bonita's and learns the dance, hoping to regain Gordon's love.
Bonita goes to Bliss' country place, determined to pay any price to lift her grandfather out of poverty. But at the last moment, she rejects Bliss. Peter enters and Bliss attacks him, claiming he is fighting off a burglar. But Bonita discovers the "burglar" is really Peter. Peter tells her he came to save her from his uncle. Bonita is indignant at his interference, and sends him off. The next day, Peter learns that Bonita actually loves him, so he goes to her to ask for forgiveness. A church bell rings and Bonita recalls the sound as the death knell from her dream. Terrified, she sends Peter away.
Meanwhile, at a house party thrown by Bliss, Eve, wearing a mask and dressed like Bonita, performs The Dance of the Moth. Emilio observes that there is no rose in her hair. Believing the dancer is Bonita, and that she has sold herself to Bliss, he shoots and kills her. Bonita comes upon the scene, recognizes this event from her dream, and then realizes the dream was not intended for her. Emilio, now completely mad, draws his pistol and forces Bonita to dance, threatening to kill her if she stops. In desperation, Bonita chants the song she remembered from her dream. Outside, Peter hears the song, and rushes in to rescue Bonita. Emilio kills himself, and Bonita and Peter receive Don Jose's blessing.
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