Jonathan Gray, who operates a shoe store in a suburban town, lives happily with his wife and three-year-old daughter. His wife, however, has a strong desire for city life, and her longing becomes so intense that when a former suitor calls upon her and pleads his love for her, she easily agrees to elope with him. After writing a note to her husband, the wife takes her child and leaves her with a former lover. Jonathan, returning home with happy thoughts of an evening with his beloved baby, finds the note and is crushed. He finally sells his store and goes to the city to forget his grief. In the meantime, Mrs. Gray and her lover and child arrive in the city and secure lodgings in a cheap house. Later Mrs. Gray discovers that her lover is a drunkard and drug fiend, and when he attempts to strike the child she packs their few belongings and leaves. Wandering about she finally rests on a park bench and absently watches a taxicab drive up to a handsome house and a couple alight. Unable to care for her child, she leaves her on the porch of the house, the only identifying mark being a locket around her neck; the young couple find and adopt the child. Mrs. Gray secures work in a lunch stand. Jonathan wanders around; becoming hungry he seeks the lunch counter. There is a scene when husband and wife meet and he angrily demands the child's whereabouts. She shows him where the child is living and tells of the tender care she is receiving. Jonathan hesitates to reveal his identity, but in order to be near his child secures a place in a shop nearby as a cobbler. Thus he watches over the girl's childhood. His wife and her lover leave and are never heard of again. Helen's childhood passes. She is now a young woman loved by all and principally by Tom Wesley, a handsome, worthy young man. One day they declare their love and while confessing are discovered by Mr. and Mrs. Dillon, Helen's foster parents, who tell the couple what little they know of Helen's early life. Tom refuses to let this stand in the way and accordingly preparations begin for the wedding. Old Jonathan still is in the shoe store. One day Mrs. Dillon sends for some shoes and there being no one else handy old Jonathan is sent with the packages. The ordeal of facing his own child is too much for the old man and he sinks in a chair, overcome. He is tenderly ministered to by Helen and Tom. Jonathan is outside the house the night of the wedding and gives Tom a small bouquet, requesting him to give it to the girl. Tom thanks him and Helen wears the old man's offering in her corsage on her honeymoon. Several years pass. Helen, Tom and their baby girl are out in their auto. Tom and his wife leave the car for a moment and the baby, sitting alone in the car, decides to have her doll's shoe fixed. She wanders out unseen and makes her way to a cobbler's shop nearby. Old Jonathan is busily engaged when a childish voice interrupts him and he looks to find the image of his baby girl talking to him. He fixes the shoe and the two are engaged in happy talk when Tom and Helen rush in after a wild search. Jonathan has offered the baby the old rag doll belonging to his girl, which he keeps with him all the time and she disdainfully casts aside the French doll for the other. When the mother sees the child with the rag doll vague memories stir within her and the old man tells her he is her father. Helen is overjoyed to find her own father at last and old Jonathan is induced to spend his declining years with them.