Nell Carey's aunt Brill arranges for her to get a job in San Francisco that will allow her to go to art school. Her fiance Fred doesn't like the idea of her leaving. Then, Aunt Brill has a stroke and is bedridden and unable to care for herself. Fred tries to convince Nell to marry him and stay in Alaska to care for Brill.
When Nell decides to refuse the job offer and stay with Brill, she finds out that Brill had no siblings and therefore is not her aunt. A mysterious and sinister man shows up, wanting to rent a room in Brill's house. Nell strenuously dislikes him at first, but begins to warm up to him a little. The man, Robert, also discovers that Nell is not Brill's niece and asks Brill about it. He develops a theory as to whom Nell's parents are and visits a lawyer after gathering some evidence. Eventually he finds the proof that Nell is the rightful heir of a large fortune in a small chest- the "shining heart,"- and he and Nell confess their love for each other after Fred becomes engaged to another woman.
