While glancing over the morning paper, Mr. T.R. Sampson, a prominent citizen of Rapid City, finds an item, which erroneously states he is not expected to live. Ketcham Quick and Sneakum, two rival undertakers, energetic and alive to every phase of their business, hear of the threatened demise of Mr. Sampson, and anticipate a possible job for themselves. John, a poor relative of Mr. Sampson, also learns of the report, and he and his wife decide to call and extend their sympathy, secretly looking forward to getting a goodly share of his worldly goods. The two undertakers endeavor to ingratiate themselves with Sampson. Both arrive about the same time, and professional jealousy nearly causes them to come to blows. They send in tokens of sympathy with their cards, and Mr. Sampson laughs boisterously. He decides to teach them a lesson and have a little fun. The butler announces John and his wife, and Sampson determines to learn the true state of their feelings toward him, so orders the butler to usher them into his bedroom. He makes himself up to look like a very sick man, and gets into bed. John and his wife are exceedingly nervous, make extremely bad breaks, and both get away as soon as they can. Dr. Dope is called in. The butler later informs the undertakers that Mr. Sampson is dead. John and his wife, who have also been notified, rush to the house. The rival undertakers drive up and each tries to tie crape on the door, struggle into the house and burst into the bedroom. While they are fighting desperately to get to the "corpse," Sampson suddenly sits up and roars out, "Can't I be left quietly dead?" Everyone is astounded, and there is a grand rush for the door, and the terror-stricken relatives and undertakers go speedily up the street. Sampson, watching them from the window, laughs heartily at his little joke.