Brothers William and Clay Strong are in the banking business. The bank examiner discovers a shortage; William can't account for it. He learns that Clay is the thief. Clay has a wife and child. William plans to take the blame for the loss upon his own shoulders and runs away. William wanders far from "the haunts of man." He takes up his residence with an old fisherman and his daughter Maria. Maria and William are married, then later blessed with a son. On his deathbed, Clay Strong confesses. Clay's wife is brokenhearted. She and the doctor seek out William at the fishing village to plead with him to come back. William is ashamed of his plain wife. He finally consents to take his son back home for an education. Maria is brokenhearted. Realizing the storm which has broken upon her married life, she rows out to sea in an open boat. Later William sees an empty rowboat drifting.
—Moving Picture World synopsis