Harry Esmond, the son of a noble southern family visits the Barringtons, who are also old southerners. He is smitten with Pearl, the beautiful daughter of the Barrington household. Harry and Mr. Barrington play chess while Pearl is an interested onlooker. She hears the welcome noise of carriage wheels coming up the wide pathway and leaves the room. She receives, in the garden, George Castleman, the scion of another wealthy southern family, and another one of her ardent admirers. Harry excuses himself to Mr. Barrington and goes out to the garden in search of Pearl. He sees her and George and becomes insanely jealous. When Pearl and George return to the house Harry lies in wait until Pearl has gone upstairs and enters into an altercation with George. Pearl hears the row and steals downstairs. She is just in time to see Harry strike George and to bear the challenge to a duel. Realizing that dueling is prohibited the rivals agree to place two cards in a hat, and that the one drawing the card marked X shall kill himself, leaving the other as the sole suitor of Pearl. They exit to the gun room to get their guns. Pearl, realizes the seriousness of the situation and substitutes a blank card in place of the marked one. The rivals come back, each draws a card and goes to his room to find out his fate. They each are happy in the thought that they have been saved. Pearl, determining to have some fun with them shoots off a revolver, and the love smitten youths imagine themselves the cause of the other’s death. They enter the parlor and collide with each other and after their surprise has given way to anger, they accuse each other of cowardice. However, Pearl steps out from her hiding place and explains her part in the bloodless duel and compels them to shake hands and they leave as friends.