Ethel Graham is the village belle. She finally says she will marry the first man who will stay a whole night in the haunted house. Finally, Bob determines to stay the night in the house. After telling his intention, he writes a note to Ethel, telling her she may never see him again and with shaking knees starts off. Ethel and the boys all awed by his bravery steal out that evening on a walk. Bob approaches the house, gets to the gate, sees the flash of the sudden light, becomes panic stricken and runs away. Ethel and the boys pass him on the road running like a hound. A stranger comes to town and falls a willing victim to the charms of Ethel. They are about to be engaged when she recalls the conditions she imposed upon her other suitors. The stranger accepts the dare and Ethel, thinking to play a practical joke on him, provides herself with a sheet and gains entrance to the alleged haunted house. Hearing footsteps she covers herself with the sheet, and crouches in a corner where the opium smugglers, who had been using the place as a rendezvous, find her. She is bound and ordered taken to sea. On the beach her screams for help bring the stranger, Richard Phillips, on his way to the alleged haunted house, to her rescue. The smugglers are captured by Phillips, who turns out to be a government officer. The stranger was no trifler and Ethel is delighted with the opportunity to be a help-mate to him for life.