Jack Joyce, a rural Edison who works on his inventions in old Abner Hope's garage, develops a plan for a power project to utilize local water resources, but he cannot interest Horndyke, the town banker, in the scheme. Mary Ellen Hope comes to stay with her grandmother, and she and Jack fall in love. Abner Hope, an astrologer, predicts the end of the world and gives all his money to Jack with the express instruction to spend it. Jack buys a car and a house and impresses Horndyke, who lends him the necessary capital to finance the power project. Jack and Mary later separate over a misunderstanding, and Jack's house is struck by lightning, injuring him slightly. Jack then imagines that the world is coming to an end but wakes up to find Mary at his side.