James MacDonald, familiarly known as "Slim Jim," who prefers to make a livelihood by stealth rather than by honest endeavor, leaves his wife and young son one evening, and with the assistance of a "pal" succeeds in fleecing a stranger at "Three Card Monte'' for a considerable sum. The stranger reports his loss to the police and a lively chase follows, in which MacDonald by means of sliding down a rope from the top of a twelve-story building makes his escape. Later in a duel with a detective he kills the latter and becomes a fugitive with a price upon his head. His young wife and baby being dependent wholly upon the wages of the husband, are compelled to shift for themselves, and having to fight against the disgrace thrust upon them by the husband, are finally ejected from the scant quarters. Ten years elapse. The baby now grown to a good-sized boy, the mother finds herself in a western city. James MacDonald, known during these years by various aliases, finally locates in a western city as Dr. Reed. He successfully compounds "Dr. Reed's Celebrated Universal Specific," and by advertising succeeds in building up a large business. It so transpires that his deserted wife and son locate in the same town. The boy is a consumptive and the mother is compelled to work in a "sweat shop" to earn expenses. MacDonald, alias Dr. Reed, has never been able to shake from his mind the thoughts of having deserted his young wife and child. In the "sweat shop" Mrs. MacDonald learns of the "famous" remedy exploited by Dr. Reed from one of the working girls. She immediately invests in a supply, and after a futile attempt to cure her son, who all the time grows worse, she writes to Dr. Reed, imploring him to aid in some way. As Dr. Reed is alighting from his automobile to enter a fashionable café one evening he meets his former wife and they recognize each other. He at once asks concerning his baby and is informed that he is almost dead of consumption. He takes Mrs. MacDonald in his car and hastens to the bedside, only to find that his own child has been a victim of his own "Quack Remedy."