Because Tom Perry, who is working for his father in a broker's office, takes the part of Edith Marsh, stenographer, when she resents the attentions of Bill Claire, he is discharged by the general manager, John Fownes. Tom says that he will marry the girl and his father threatens to disown him. Edith, in order not to jeopardize Tom's chances, moves away to another part of the city and takes a position in a dictaphone factory, scraping records. John Fownes stays at the office late one evening to finish up some work and is dictating into the dictaphone, when Bill Claire, whom Fownes has also discharged and who to drown his troubles has taken to drink, climbs into the window over the fire-escape surprising Fownes at his work. The conversation that takes place between them is recorded on the dictaphone, which Fownes has not had a chance to shut off before Claire kills him. Tom, whose father has asked him to meet him at his office that evening to see if they cannot come to some understanding, hears the shot and rushes into Fownes' office. Claire by this time has escaped and Tom is arrested for the murder. A box of old records is sent to be scraped at the factory where Edith is employed. She finds the record which was on the dictaphone at the time of the murder and rushes to the police headquarters with the evidence which clears Tom. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis

• Plot Summary

• Short
• Drama