Opera singer Carlotta Manson catches Barney McGann burglarizing her apartment one evening, and thinking he has possibilities as a singer, she decides to give him a chance. With her wiles and prestige she arranges singing lessons for him through her impresario, but Barney decidedly has little aptitude as a professional singer. He is about to give up the entire project when Carlotta confesses that she is in love with him. They marry and go to Italy, where she presents him with a villa in the mountains overlooking a lake; but he longs for his friends in New York and eventually deserts her. Heartbroken, Carlotta returns to opera; and when she sings poorly at her New York opening, Barney reproves her for a poor showing and with a little persuasion decides to stay with her.