John Lane is a prosperous businessman, a widower, who lives in a large house with his seven-year-old daughter Betty. Lane has an enemy, one Ben Hartley, who, by the aid of some forged papers, threatens to expose Lane and put him in prison. The night of the story opens with Lane receiving a letter from Hartley, who demands $10,000, to be paid at midnight, that night. Lane has not that much ready money in the house, and no way to get it. He thinks it all out and decides to commit suicide. He stands before a mirror and is about to pull the trigger, when Bill, the burglar, steps into the room, stopping him. Bill has broken into the house, and in going through it, enters the room occupied by little Betty. His heart is touched by the beauty and innocence of the sleeping child, and he is about to leave the house when he witnesses the preparation of Lane's suicide. He pleads with Lane not to do it, leading him upstairs and showing him the sleeping child, and calling upon the father to consider his duty and responsibility to her. Lane shows Bill the letter, but the latter waves it aside, still playing on the father's love for his daughter. While they are talking, the doorbell rings. Hartley is coming for his blackmail. Bill tells Lane that he will look after Mr. Hartley. Lane admits Hartley to the house and they enter the library. Bill steps from behind a screen, holding both of them up; he forces them into a closet, first relieving Hartley of the wallet containing the evidence against Lane. He gives the papers to Lane, after which he puts them both into the closet. They finally get out; Lane destroys the fictitious papers and orders Hartley from the house. The child, awakened by the noise, rushes down to her father, who smothers her with kisses. Bill the burglar, is seen looking in a window.