Roy Conover has just returned to his village home from college. At church the villagers wonder why Roy does not accompany his mother into the edifice. He smilingly declines to enter, and as he walks off, meets Mary Turner, a school teacher, and ward of Jason Kent, a religious fanatic. Roy is subsequently introduced to her and they soon become friends. Kent is very jealous and reproaches Mary for keeping company with an infidel. He spends most of his time reading religious books and pamphlets. Angered because Mary takes so much interest in Roy, Kent, himself desirous of marrying her, orders her to keep away from him and when she refuses, determines to force her. He forges a note to her, asking her to be at the cliff at seven o'clock in the evening. Mary, thinking the note genuine and written by Roy, arrives at the cliff on time. She meets Kent who tries to embrace her, and dissuade her from associating with Roy. The latter appears and has a battle with Kent, who, after having been knocked down by a well-directed punch, strikes Roy with his cane. Roy falls over the cliff, and when picked up later is found to be alive. Kent explains to the people and authorities that he struck Roy to save the girl, and in self-defense. Thus sentiment is stirred up against Roy and Mary. Roy is told that he will be paralyzed from the waist down, and thinking himself unworthy of Mary in that condition, asks that their engagement be broken. Mary thinks that he has lost faith in her, and sorrowfully hands back the ring. She is dismissed from the school, the trustees thinking a person found under the circumstances Kent said she was unfit to teach children. She tries to get work in vain and even more strongly refuses Kent's overtures for marriage. On one afternoon, Roy, always watching for Mary through field glasses, sees her in an encounter with Kent. The later gets the better of her, and throws her upon the railroad tracks to save her from the infidel, as he put it, Roy can see no help near, and rising from his chair, makes an effort to run. He can and is soon at Mary's side. He pulls her from the tracks as the express whizzes by. Then there is an understanding.