Poor ditch-digger, Pietro Massena, lovingly raises his daughter Rosina. After Phil Griswold's inheritance goes to his brother William, Phil orchestrates a series of crimes to get money framing Pietro. First he has a friend rob a flower shop then when William refuses him money, Phil kidnaps William's daughter Dorothy and sends a ransom note, blaming Pietro. William accidentally runs over Rosina while searching for Pietro in the slums. The grieving Pietro is then framed for the kidnapping when he visits the flower shop for a rose for Rosina's coffin on Christmas morning. The situation is resolved when William announces Dorothy has been found, and Pietro, despite an offer of compensation, sorrowfully returns home.