Frank Alberti is the guardian of Lydia, a sweet and unsuspecting young girl. By the terms of his brother's will in the event of her death he will come into possession of her property. An unnatural relative, he plots to remove her and adopts despicable methods. He is a man of some prominence and he enlists the services of one Bernard, a gambler, who is possessed of remarkable hypnotic power over weaker minds. Alberti lays his plans craftily. He takes Lydia to the seaside and invites her to go out rowing in company with himself and a friend. Bernard is disguised as a boatman and rows them to sea. The dory has been tampered with and sinks. As the boat fills with water Alberti and his friend swim for it and leave Lydia struggling in the water. The scene is an astonishing one. The girl is seen to sink down, far below the surface, and then rise again. Bernard conceives a cunning plan and dives and rescues the girl that he may extort money from Alberti.