Maisie Orpe is a dispenser of victuals in a second rate "beanery," and is the light of the lives of several of the town "swells. But Luke de Fluke, an all-round gay lad, and Shorty Magee, the local tough nut, seem to lead the field in Maisie's blue orbs. This finally causes strained diplomatic relations between the pair, and a duel to the death is arranged. Each contestant writes to the object of his attentions that if she wants to see his rival she must be on hand at dawn the next day. Then both choose the same second. The dawn of the next day sees the two rivals at the appointed place with the one second to attend to both. The duel starts as per schedule, but while they are fighting their hardest they look up and see Maisie going off with the second. This, of course, causes a cessation of hostilities and both look longingly in the direction of the loving couple. Then Luke's sword catches in the ground and he has to resort to his feet to gain the decision. This gives Shorty the chance he has been looking for and he hurls a bomb at his adversary and blows him up. Luke comes down after a while, however, and they, too, call off the contest through mutual sympathy over the loss of Maisie, who has gone with the second. But later on Shorty lands the "bird," and the way he does it and the anguish of Luke are a fitting climax to this comedy.