Father Thomas lives in a poor humble house lost in the woods with his daughter Ginette. They raise three orphans and give shelter to the poor. Nearby is a superb castle owned by Maurice Bourdin. As he is horseback riding, he falls in love with Ginette. He first tries to make her his lover but she won’t hear of anything but marriage. Bourdin offers her to stay a couple of weeks at the castle with a chaperon. If she agrees, he would then marry her. Ginette naively accepts and moves in with her kids and dogs. She overhears a conversation revealing that her fiancé intends to get rid of the kids and of the dogs after the wedding. She then returns to her house.