Mr. Norton discovers his wife in the arms of his neighbor, Captain Roberts, a married man. His first maddened impulse is to kill his faithless wife, but on his way for the gun his little child runs to his arms to say good-night. The incident unnerves him and his wild determination is destroyed. He decides upon another course. He goes to Mrs. Roberts and tells her that he intends to ruin the Captain's home as her husband had ruined his, and that unless she consents to elope with him at ten o'clock that night he will shoot her husband on sight. Mrs. Roberts, in grief and despair, premises to elope in order to save her husband's life. That evening, when the Captain returns, she accuses him of his sin, and he makes an earnest and effective plea for forgiveness. Meantime the grim hour for her decision is past, and with the strength of woman's devotion, she determines to sacrifice her life for her husband, rather than stain his name. Donning his military cap and cape, she walks out on the veranda, just as Mr. Norton has accepted her absence to signify her refusal to elope. True to his threat, when he sees the figure on the veranda, he mistakes it for the Captain, and shoots. The Captain realizes the bitter fruits of his sin, but the wound is not fatal, and the courageous wife's nobility and bravery inspire an admiration in her husband's heart that completely resurrects the old love. Mercy is mightiest in the mightiest.