Penniless artist Augy Holliday falls in love with a society girl named Gladys. Gladys' status-conscious aunt rejects Augy as a suitor, but he nonetheless decides to propose. Gladys hears Augy rehearse his proposal with another woman, believes the rehearsal to be real, and so decides to marry someone else. Despondent, Augy unsuccessfully tries to kill himself and then pays Automatic Joe fifty dollars to do it for him. Soon, however, Augy's financial situation improves, and Gladys learns the truth about his intentions. So Augie gets the girl, but must avoid the man hired to kill him. Finally, Joe finds Augy, but having also found religion, he wants not to kill Augy, but only to return the fifty dollars.