"Teddy" Connor, a woman recently orphaned, leaves her uncle's Midwestern farm for Chicago, where she meets "lumber king" John Meade. John takes her in for a hot meal and sends her roses the next day. John is engaged to penniless society beauty Caroline Haig, who is in love with Rodney Bentley and is marrying John for his money. A jovial millionaire without a conscience, John orders his long-time employee, Tim Mathews, to report to Chicago from the lumber mills and announces he is leaving the lumber business for wheat. Although Tim insists they reforest their lumber lands, John ignores his plea. For laughs, John invites Teddy and Tim to his engagement party at Caroline's wealthy friend's estate. Teddy, realizing John is engaged to a woman who does not love him, drowns her tears in liquor and embarrasses Caroline.

Sylvia Walton returns from Harlem to take over a Jamaican plantation from her vindictive half-sister, amid the growing sound of drums.