Getting old and feeble, Sir William Foxwoody declares to his daughter and her son his intention of leaving his estate to his grandson. The mother is overjoyed, but later hears the old nobleman confiding to his ward, Julia Ann Rixby, that he means to make her his heiress. Sir William has seen the young people's lover-like attitude and writes a third and last will, hiding it behind a portrait of himself. After his death the mother secretly enters the death-chamber, steals the will leaving all to the ward, and substitutes a forged will, leaving everything to the young man. The fraud is discovered and the lawyer accuses the mother of committing the forgery. By accident, he secures possession of the original second will written by the old man. The lawyer tells her she must inform Julia Rixby by five o'clock that the fortune is hers. The son, dozing behind a screen, overhears the conversation between the lawyer and his mother and sorrowfully confronts them. Julia, who has also learned the truth, rushes in and, seizing the will leaving all to her, tears it up. The lawyer then destroys the false one, leaving none at all. On their way out George's mother sees her father's portrait and vents her rage upon it. In its destruction, the last will is disclosed, which gives the entire property to George on condition that he marry Julia. The two young people have long been in love and all ends as the old nobleman willed it.