Arsdale, a candidate for mayor misconstrues the situation when he sees his wife Alice enter the apartment house of gambler Norton. Unknown to him Alice’s sister Mabel had married the dissolute Norton and made her life misery. Norton, recruited by Arsdale’s rival to incriminate his opponent surreptitiously tries to compromise Alice and Arsdale, consumed with jealousy shoots him, ruining all their lives.

Retired businessman F.G. Lawrence favors Philip Preston for a son-in-law; Mrs. Lawrence prefers Reggie, the Dainty Dude. There's trouble, right there. Mrs. L. becomes suspicious of a stout stranger prowling about the place and tells Mary, the husky cook, to point him out to Serena Slim, the slender sleuth. The mysterious fat man happens to be Mary's beau, so she sics Serena onto John Bouncer, Philip's fat uncle. Serena is some "shadow" and the police must be called in to stop the comedy of errors which follows. After explanations all around, Lucy nestles her pretty head on Philip's shoulder while her parents soothe Bouncer's ruffled feelings.