Henry Bent is the overworked head clerk in the office of William Price, a contractor. He is a valuable man to the concern but not being of an aggressive personality, has been kept on a small salary for many years. At the start of the story the doctor tells him that his little daughter, who is almost an invalid, must be sent south if she is to live at all or to have any hope of regained health. On his low salary this is impossible and he goes to his employer asking for a raise. This is promptly refused although the latter cheerfully hands his daughter a hundred dollars for an expensive dog collar. At this psychological period in Bent's career, a rival of Mr. Price otters him five hundred dollars for information concerning a certain bid which Price has made on a state contract. Being in terrible need he accepts the offer, goes to the office, copies the figures, carelessly losing a scrap of paper in so doing with his own writing upon it, and after giving the competitor the figures takes the five hundred dollars to send his child away. Of course when Price finds that he is underbid and discovers the scrap of paper he puts two and two together and goes to Bent's house. Bent tells him that he has been paying thirty dollars a week for a seventy-five-dollar man and denounces the injustice under which he has been patient so long. Before he can reply the little girl is brought into the room and Price then learns that he is supposed by her to have loaned the five hundred dollars to her father. A simple letter of thanks is then handed to him and makes him realize what the other man's daughter means to him. It requires but a few seconds' hesitation and then the better man within him comes out and he wishes her a pleasant journey and looking into Bent's eyes gives him to understand that things will be better for him in the future.
—Moving Picture World synopsis