Dave Bailey's wife dying, gives her child to the keeping of Sue Barksdale. A year later Sue is in love with Dave, the widower. He is about to declare his love for her when Virginia Dale, a young authoress, comes on the scene and he is at once smitten by her beauty. She, in turn, falls in love with him, and before long declares his love for her in Sue's presence. The child, in wandering through the woods, is just about to pet a huge snake, when she is rescued by Virginia, who is bitten by the snake. Her screams are heard by Sue, who, in running to aid her, falls and cuts her lip. She sucks the snake bite, thus inoculating herself through the bleeding lip with the poison. Dave comes with a jug of whiskey. Virginia is saved and Sue dies a martyr to the love of Dave.