Newspaper publisher Temple Trask, who answers the "Letters to the Lovelorn" column under the nom-de-plume "Mrs. Carfax," becomes the hit of his college reunion when he revives his female impersonation act. Returning home, Temple meets Billy Wise, another college friend, who wagers one hundred dollars that Temple will not go into a restaurant dressed as a woman. He takes the dare, then sees Helen Scott in the restaurant and, although he is a cynic who does not like women because he knows too much about them, he falls in love. When he notices that Adrian Graw, a crook whom Temple knew when he was a cub reporter, is after Helen's fortune, Temple, impersonating Mrs. Carfax, accompanies Helen and her grandmother, Mrs. Keyes, aboard a steamer to protect them. On the voyage, Helen becomes good friends with Mrs. Carfax and falls in love with Temple. After Mrs. Carfax punches Graw during a struggle for Mrs. Keyes bonds, the police arrest Graw and his accomplice, Rena Varsey. Helen, astonished when Temple removes his wig, falls joyfully into his arms.
Temple Trask, a college man, is on his way home when he meets Helen Scott. He only sees the girl's face over a magazine but falls in love with her. The girl cannot help noticing his attention. She is absorbed in worrying about her grandmother, a miserly old woman, who is sick and in the clutches of two crooks, Adrian, her so-called secretary, and Rena, the housekeeper. They are planning to rob the old lady, and Helen arrives just in time. Rena is in love with Adrian and jealous because he seems fond of Helen. She urges that they rob the house and leave at once. As they are opening the safe, the old lady, comes downstairs. There is a struggle. The old woman is thrown against the edge of the safe and the shock of the blow nearly kills her. Adrian and Rena fly with the money. Helen is awakened by the noise and comes downstairs. The police are notified, and owing to the fact that Helen had quarreled with her grandmother, she is under suspicion of having committed the theft. She seems unable to clear herself and matters commence to look black for her. Temple Trask has never seen Helen since their chance meeting on the train, but has continued a search for her. He is amazed to see her picture in the paper as the girl accused of the crime. He is furious and swears the girl is innocent and that he will prove it. He goes to her grandmother's and learns of her old-time quarrel with her grandmother. Failing to secure any help in this direction, he meets with failure after failure to establish her innocence and is about to give up the case when he happens to see a photograph of himself dressed as a girl for some of the college theatricals. This gives him the idea of following the crooks, dressed as a woman. He learns they are taking passage to South America. He is amazed to find that Helen is also on their track. Temple greatly amuses himself at Adrian's expanse and as "Mrs. Carfax" plays cards with the crooks, gaining their confidence. At the South American destination, Adrian and Rena and "Mrs. Carfax," now pals, plan all sorts of ways for fleecing their fellow-guests at the hotel until Temple decides he has enough evidence. He plans an interview wherein he will wheedle Adrian into a full confession of the robbery of Helen's grandmother. He arranges with the American consul to be concealed behind a screen. Adrian's confession is recorded by the consul's stenographer. In another moment the handcuffs are on Adrian's wrists and Temple, wig snatched off, is running down the stairs three steps at a time to find Helen.
