A poor widow who supports her two children, one a baby and the other a girl of six, by scrubbing, weakens under the hard work, and finally dies. Marie, the “little mother,” anxious that her home may not be broken up, calls on one of her mother’s employers and requests that she be given a chance to take the dead woman’s place. The artist, a wealthy, good-hearted man, pleased with the child’s pluck, laughingly employs her, and makes her believe that she is really doing all the “chores.” The artist’s kindness, much to his surprise, brings him recompense one thousand fold. One of his models plots to fleece him. She call at his studio, falls in his arms, and when her confederate rushes in with a policeman, she makes charges that lead to the arrest of the innocent artist. Just as the policeman is leading her benefactor away, the little scrubwoman sees what is happening. She follows the party to the police station, but is afraid to enter. When the “complainant” and her husband come out, the child is impressed with the fact that they seem to be on the best of terms. Her suspicions are aroused, and she “shadows” them like a regular detective. What crook would ever imagine that a little girl pushing a baby carriage was a “sleuth?” This they certainly did not, for when they meet a friend in the park, they stopped to tell him how they had successfully arranged to “trim” a rich artist, never doubting that he would pay liberally to have the case dropped. The little girl, from her place in hiding heard the story. So the girl found a policeman, and told him about it. And the policeman went with her to her hiding place, and heard enough to warrant him in making what he afterwards described as a “two hander collar.” The adventuress and the confederate were hauled to the police station and locked up, while the artist was set free in a hurry. The result is that there is now a “scrubwoman” whose duties are a sinecure although the wages are high, and the future of the “little mother” and her baby are assured.