The man higher up than the patrolman is the captain, and the patrolman must obey his superior officer. Captain Binn and Bill Mackey, the patrolman, are rivals for the widow. Bill plans to win the widow by getting a tramp to break in the widow's house and then rescue her and arrest the intruder. The scheme is good, but the captain, who happens to come along at the psychological moment, gets there first, arrests the tramp and hands the prisoner over to Bill and orders him to take him to the station house. Bill obeys, leaving the captain to bestow his attentions upon the widow. Upon another occasion they both receive an invitation from the widow to call. The one doesn't know that the other has been invited, and when they meet at her house there is the devil to pay, and she tells they both to go about their business. Later the widow consents to marry the captain. The wedding day is set. Bill will not give the widow up without one more effort. He calls his old friend the tramp into service again, tells the captain that he has seen a thief enter an apartment house and make his way to the roof. The captain, as an officer of the law, rushes to the roof. He has no sooner gone out of the door onto the roof than the tramp locks the door. Bill, who has been watching the proceedings, goes to the widow's house and tells her that the captain has deserted her. She seems inconsolable until Bill offers to take the captain's place. She accepts him, and the wedding procession starts for the church. As it passes the apartment house the captain, in despair, watches his rival passing in a carriage with the widow. The captain is well-nigh beside himself, when the roof door opens and a sure enough burglar appears before him. Seizing the yeggman, taking his pistol from him, he conducts his prisoner to the street below, where he hails a taxicab and instructs the driver to hasten to the church where the wedding bells are ringing. He reaches there as soon as Bill and the widow. Again he shows Bill that he is the man higher up by ordering him to conduct the prisoner to the station house. Bill dare not refuse and dejectedly starts on his errand. Gallantly the captain offers the widow his arm, which she cheerfully accepts. Together they gaily march to the altar, where they are pronounced man and wife.