Horace Marsden is an ambitious young chemist who, while poor in this world’s gods, is blessed by the love of lovely Ethel Martin, whom he expects to make his wife. He, alas, has a sworn friend, Edward Marshall. Horace discovers a wonderful germ killer for the purification of water and hastens to inform Ethel, and his friend, to both of whom he gives a demonstration of his discovery. Marshall, who is a promoter, sees a great opportunity in the germ killer, and proposes celebrating his friend’s success, at the same time offering to assist him in a financial way. They go to Marshall’s apartment and Marshall induces Horace to drink until he becomes intoxicated. He then ships Horace aboard a tramp steamer, bound for a foreign port, first making a copy of the formula for the germ killer, which he immediately has patented. He then makes Ethel and her mother believe that Horace has eloped with another woman. Later on, aided by her mother, he persuades Ethel to marry him and they go west, where he begins the manufacture of a germ killer. Horace works his way back on another steamer and lands in a destitute condition. Unable to find Ethel or his friend, Marshall, and having no money with which to place his discovery on the market, he gives up the struggle, and, hopeless and ambitionless, he becomes an aimless wanderer. Six years later, Horace accidentally arrives in the town where Marshall lives, and noticing a poster advertising the germ killer, under Marshall’s name, he goes to Marshall’s home and demands a settlement. Here, to his astonishment, he meets Ethel and her child and learns for the first time the full extent of Marshall’s treachery. Ethel is astonished at meeting Horace and naturally upbraids him for having deceived her so cruelly. Horace defends himself, explaining most fully Marshall’s infamy. Ethel, shocked and disillusioned, sends for Marshall and the men have a terrible scene and only the intervention of Ethel prevents Horace from shooting his enemy. Then Ethel bids Marshall farewell forever and in spite of his pleadings for forgiveness, she takes her child and leaves him, crushed with shame and remorse. Horace, feeling that his revenge is complete, also departs, leaving his revolver on the floor. Then Marshall, picking up the weapon, sits gazing at it, realizing that he has lost all that is worth living for; the love of his wife and child and the respect of the community.