Mary Menson, a country girl, is attracted by Paul Langford, who is spending the winter in the South. He devotes much if his time in leading Mary on to love him. For his sake she learns to read and write and is willing to study hard to be like other girls. The educational side is looked after by her old friend Jack Hardy, the schoolmaster, who, though college bred, is rusticated, and who himself loves Mary. He thinks that he is educating her to make her fit to marry his rival, but Mary suddenly discovers that the right man is Jack. At the happy ending Paul Langford and his real sweetheart, Gertrude Granger, return north, leaving Mary and the school master to the mercy of wedding bells.