The banker's confidential man is a heavy, unsuccessful gambler, and it means something to him when the newspapers announce that a certain firm has failed, for it will also affect his bank. While he and his employer stand aghast at the news an old sea captain enters with a deposit of $50,000, which is accepted and which practically rescues the concern from failure. The sea captain later reads of the failure and, knowing what that means to the concern with which he has deposited his life's savings, goes back there and tries to get it. But he is too late and the shock kills him. He drops dead in the office and the clerk takes the receipt for the money from the body. Some years elapse in our story. The money has been the means of the concern's staying in business and the banker has waxed rich again. He has also fallen out with his gambling clerk and the latter, discharged, has gone west, gambled more and then, a human wreck, now returns to the banker for aid. He is refused, but the clerk shows him that he still holds the receipt for $50,000 and this changes the attitude of the other. Now follow a series of attempts on the part of the banker to get the receipt. He goes in the squalid abode of the human derelict, who is now almost insane from poverty, and tries to outwit him, but he is unsuccessful. Driven to desperation, he resorts to gunplay, but the other is quicker, and he departs baffled. Still intent on gaining his end, he resolves to burn the hovel, receipt, possessor and all. He tries the deed, but does not succeed. The house is in flames, the fire department is called out, and one young hero, dashing into the burning hovel, carries the clerk out. We next see him at the house of the fireman, who, pitying him, has taken him there for attention. He is now quite well and arising from his bed, looks about him at the home of his benefactor. Suddenly his eye falls on a portrait on the wall. It is that of the old sea captain! He looks at the fireman questioningly, and the fireman tells him that it is his father. The ex-clerk is overjoyed and, with added incentive, plays well his game of vengeance with the banker.