Pauline Hathaway is informed on her 18th birthday by the family lawyer that she will inherit half a million dollars, provided that her behavior meets with his approval; otherwise, the money will revert to her aunt. With new clothes Pauline sets out to visit her mother's friend, Mrs. Brewster. Framed en route by a pickpocket, she is sentenced to a reformatory for 30 days. In court, however, she has been seen by Bruce Reynolds, an amateur investigator and nephew of Mrs. Brewster who is convinced of her innocence. Meanwhile, Mrs. Brewster's anxiety prompts a search, and Aunt Emma and Lawyer Tobin are confident that Pauline has forfeited her fortune. But Pauline escapes, and after proving her innocence she keeps her fortune and wins a husband.