Frank Johnson, a wealthy landlord, without a heart, has no mercy for the poor. His cold attitude towards the public in general has a great influence in his life, and when he proposes marriage to Eleanor Groves, his manner is indeed anything but that of love. Eleanor, although she cares for Johnson, reprimands him and tells him that she could never marry a man as cruel as he is. Her last line of rebuff, "The ghost of your better self will appear to you and make you realize what a beast you are," gets Johnson to thinking.