In The Sheik, Lady Diana Mayo is bored by society, and plans a trek across the Algerian desert. She is carried further into the desert by an Arab chieftain, who takes one look at her and wants her, right then and there. The son of the sheik believes he had been lured into a thieves' trap by a beautiful girl. When he escapes, he kidnaps the girl and holds her captive before they fall in love and ride off into the sunset together.