Grant, police reporter on the New York Chronicle, chances to meet Mary Neal upon her arrival in New York. He tells her the way to the hotel where she desired to stop. She gets into a taxi, driven by an accomplice of the Spider, and is taken to the Spider's apartment, where she is held a prisoner. Arriving at the office, Grant is shown a clipping that Mary Neal, sole heir to a vast fortune, has been found and will arrive in New York today. Grant goes to the hotel to interview her, and is shown up to Miss Neal's room and is astounded to find another woman posing as Mary Neal. Mary ties a white scarf in her window and writes on Grant's card: "Am a prisoner in room with a white scarf in the window," and drops the card out of the window. A newsboy takes it to Grant, who starts to find the window. The Spider has learned Mary's plan, and determines to remove her from the house. Grant sees the scarf in the window in time to trail the Spider's accomplice and the girl to a house in the suburbs. He rescues Mary by climbing a tree and leaping to the roof of the house. He overpowers the man left to guard her, and hurries back with Mary to the attorney's office just as "Slippery Margaret," posing as Mary Neal, is about to get possession of the bonds. "Margaret" is placed under arrest, and Mary thanks Grant for bringing her first experience in New York to a happy termination.