Arthur Vaughn, a rising young artist, steps into a cobbler's shop to "save his sole," and sees there a girl, the daughter of the cobbler. The cobbler is an habitual drunkard, and the artist tells the girl to leave the squalor of her surroundings and offers her work in his studio. The girl accepts. One day, the artist paints her as she stands, in her rags. It is pronounced a master work. Another day the girl dons the satins and silks of the models, and bids him paint her in those raiments. His trained eye notes the distinct contrast, and he paints her in fine feathers. The portraits, with their contrast and realism, are masterpieces, and quickly establish the artist's reputation. At an exhibition of the Art League it attracts the attention of the President, who becomes curious to know the model. He meets her, and exhorts her to leave the life she is leading. The girl ponders his advice, sees the truth of it and the fearful trend of her life and asks the artist to marry her. He tells her he cannot. The girl, resolved to return to a life of honor, returns to her miserable home. In her absence, the artist realizes that he really loves the girl, and goes to seek her. He enters in time to frustrate the maddened cobbler from wreaking his drunken vengeance upon the girl for leaving him, and leads her out into that life which through all the years she bad dreamt of.