Shortly after his marriage, Richard begins to drink heavily. Lucy, his wife, pleads with him to curb his terrible desire, but her words fall upon deaf ears. As the result of his habit, Richard’s firm requests his resignation. The blow falls just when his creditors are pressing him. Lucy meets their debts out of her own purse until she comes to the end of her resources. She warns Richard that should he ever drink again, she will leave him. That night, Richard is arrested during a raid on a gambling house. The news fills Lucy with cold rage. Removing her wedding ring, she returns it to her husband and tells him she is done with him forever. Years later, Richard, a drunkard and an outcast, resides in a mining town. When at the ladder’s bottom, he receives a letter informing him that he has been made the guardian of Rob, the son of his old friend, Harry Keener. With the coming of the lad, Richard realizes how low he has fallen. Due to his desire to be worthy of Rob’s love, Richard wages a successful battle against his terrible habit. The man accompanies Rob to the little school on the prairie one day. To his amazement, he discovers that Lucy is the teacher. Lucy ignores her husband’s pleas, but finally declares she will return to him when he proves himself worthy. A terrible fire sweeps over the prairie shortly afterward. Lucy, who lives in the school house, is trapped. Richard learns of her peril. Dashing through the roaring inferno, he reaches the house. He compels Lucy to mount his horse. Knowing that the animal cannot carry them both, he makes it bolt off. Richard staggers after the horse, but finally falls, overcome by the heat and smoke. Lucy regains control of the animal and returns for her husband. She finds him just in time and carries him to safety. Her heart filled with joy, she promises Richard never to leave him again.