Jimmy Betts angrily remonstrates with his wife for a letter she has written to Count Henri Duval, while she bristles at the attention that Jimmy has lavished on Mrs. Ella Rice, an aging but nonetheless charming widow. Exasperated, Ruth decides to accept the count's invitation to dine on his yacht, but on her way, she overturns her rowboat and loses consciousness. In her delirium, Ruth dreams of the happy days of her marriage, before Jimmy went away to handle Mrs. Rice's business affairs. Because she missed him so much, Ruth finally left her Aunt Sophronia to be with Jimmy, whom the love struck Mrs. Rice hoped to win for herself. In order to drive the young people apart, Mrs. Rice then introduced Ruth to Count Duval, who soon professed his love for her. Aware of Mrs. Rice's schemes, Ruth frightened the widow from her bedroom late one night so that Jimmy could see her for the "painted interloper" that she really was. Ruth then wrote her letter to the count. Jimmy rescues Ruth and carries her aboard the yacht, where she finally awakens from her dream and happily kisses her husband.
—Pamela Short