An international crook, masquerading as Count Kottschkoiff, steals sacred jewels from a Hindu shrine and is hunted by mystics who investigate theft. Kottschkoiff gives the jewels to the widow Marrimore, whom he has been courting. While she attends a dance at which she is wearing the jewels as a garter, they fall off and are recovered by Alfred Evergreen, a down-and-out actor who is also courting the widow. Alfred reads Mrs. Marrimore's reward advertisement and decides to return the jewels. Wrapping the jewels in an affectionate note for Mrs. Marrimore, Alfred leaves them on his desk. Charlotte, the fiancée of Alfred's son Fred, drops her shopping parcels on the desk and then later retrieves all the bundles, including the jewels. Alfred discovers his loss, realizes the mistake and pursues Charlotte. Hastily reading the note, she thinks that Fred was unfaithful and mails the jewels to the return address just before Alfred finds her. By this time the priests have traced Mrs. Marrimore to her apartment. Not finding the jewels, the mystics take Mrs. Marrimore to the shrine and tie her to a stake near a lion's cage. They raise the cage gate slowly and the lion approaches, but Alfred rescues Mrs. Marrimore. Just in time, the jewels are returned, and the count is captured.