La Rue, an author, is in love with Grace Ellis, who refuses to marry him. Ethel Rutledge, La Rue's secretary, has an unfortunate affair with Gerard Weir, but discovers in time that he is an adventurer. La Rue marries Ethel and they are happy until Weir again crosses the woman's path and shows her a mysterious document which causes her to keep him in her home, masquerading as her cousin. Later La Rue discovers the deception and asks an explanation of Ethel, but through fear of Weir, she will not explain. Through an odd chain of circumstances Grace Ellis discovers what the document is that Weir is holding over Ethel's head and tells La Rue of it. Years before Ethel had been tricked into a mock marriage with Weir but had discovered it in time. Weir had doctored a hotel register to make it look as though she had been his wife and this was the document he was holding over her. Weir is killed, and Ethel is once more folded in her husband's arms.
—Moving Picture World synopsis