The village of Bloom Center is excited when Othello Booth, a strolling player, arrives, and interests the Ladies' Art Embroidery Club in the production of a thrilling drama, "Rita, the Beautiful Snake Charmer." This home talent performance is ready to be presented in Melodeon Hall after strenuous rehearsals. Othello Booth is jealous of Percy Pinkham, who is in love with Margaret Tate, editress of the Bloom Center Bugle. Johnny West is also in love with Margaret, and Othello resolves to utilize Johnny as a means of Othello's vengeance on Pinkham. He induces Johnny West and also Postmaster Pash, unknown to each other, to pose as wild men in order to scarce Percy Pinkham from Bloom Center. The two villagers in outlandish costume, endeavor to frighten the young man, but fail, much to the chagrin of Othello Booth. Constable Plum longs to be a detective and studies textbooks on the art of sleuthing. He searches long for an escaped crook, called Micky, the Mick. After the home talent performance, which breaks up suddenly, Othello Booth and others meet in the general store to investigate the loss of the proceeds. Then it is that Johnny West, instigated by Constable Plum, lowers a blindfolded cat from the attic, and the cat's claws fastening in Othello Booth's hair, proves that that hair is only a wig, and Othello Booth stands revealed as Micky, the Mick. He is jailed by Constable Plum and the stolen money is found on his person.