Allen Spargo, a mining engineer who is betrothed to Theresa Kane, goes West to make his fortune and is seriously injured in an accident. Kate Leonard, who falls in love with him while nursing him to recovery, jealously intercepts his fiancée's letters and then writes Theresa that Allen is dead. Paralyzed by grief for a time, Theresa finally agrees to marry her former suitor, Lemuel Antree, but soon after the ceremony, Allen returns. Assuming she no longer loves him, Allen leaves for the West, but Theresa follows him. Lemuel pursues the couple intending to kill them, but learns that Allen had once saved his life. Since Lemuel believes that his life, in effect, belongs to Allen, he drowns himself to allow the couple to marry.