John Kirk and his wife Mary work hard to make both ends meet on their little farm out West. Tom Fitch (Bad Penny Tom), a ranch hand, is obsessed by the desire to make a fortune as a prospector. Mary Kirk furnishes him with a grub stake out of her small savings, against the wishes of her husband. tom gives her a signed document that her husband will get half of what he may make in the venture. He makes a rich strike, and soon afterwards he and the Kirk are millionaires. John Kirk buys his way into the United States Senate. He is ashamed of his plain little wife's appearance, and leaves her at home, while he makes his residence in Washington. There he falls into the hands of Estelle Wilson and her companion Dick Baird, who induce him to vote for a nefarious bill. This vote costs Kirk the respect and support of his constituents. John Kirk does not stop after his first act of wrongdoing. He becomes infatuated with Estelle and secures a divorce from his wife, at the cost of half of his fortune, in order to wed the adventuress. She and Baird work Kirk's ruin, and then she deserts him. He is about to commit suicide when Mary and Tom Fitch arrive in the nick of time and save him. - Moving Picture World. August 15, 1914
Some of the players from the stage play of "Damaged Goods" acted in this two reeler. They were in Santa Barbara during this period creating American's film version of the play.