Charles Cosgrave

Minerva comes home from school filled with the idea that she has a great mission in life. All society needs reformation. She has her maiden aunt come to live with her as chaperon, and Minerva immediately starts in by reconstructing her. The trust company that has charge of her fortune is represented by young Mr. Grant, who looks on with dismay at the operations of Minerva and tries to dissuade her, but without success. She stops him from smoking and he compiles when she isn't looking. She discovers this and quarrels with him. A laborer making some repairs at the house attracts her attention when she finds him drinking a pail of beer with his lunch. She remonstrates with him and questions him about his home life. As a result she visits his mother's home and tries to educate the family, much against their will, lavishing money on them.

Kid Kennedy has just finished serving a light sentence for burglary and is determined to change his ways and live an honest life. Shortly after his release, his former accomplice, Spider Morrissey, approaches him with a plan for another major heist involving a significant haul of jewels. Kennedy initially refuses to join the job, committed to staying on the right side of the law. Disappointed, Morrissey decides to proceed with the burglary alone. Later, Kennedy reads about the solo break-in in the newspaper and the events that follow.