Jacob Elliott, who is in moderate circumstances, finds after the death of his wife and daughter that he must apply to a loan shark to obtain the money in order to settle his many bills. He falls into the clutches of a grasping usurer, who seeks to ruin him. Driven to desperation he steals, and when found out, attempts to kill his daughter, Helen, and himself rather than face the disgrace. The loan shark’s daughter, Gertrude, is thrown from a buggy when attempting to drive a spirited horse, and is seriously injured. A delicate operation must be performed, and Dr. Fenlon, who is the fiancé of Helen Elliott, and the only physician who is able to perform this operation, is called in. Learning of the old clerk’s financial condition, the doctor demands as a fee from the loan shark, the power of attorney, the principal and the interest, on account of which he has been bleeding Jacob Elliott, and the usurer yields to save his daughter. The operation is successful and the doctor hastens to Elliott’s home with the glad tidings. He arrives just in time to prevent the awful act of destruction, and the picture ends happily, with the sweethearts in each other’s arms.