Jack Barthwick returns home after midnight in an intoxicated state.

He is the son of John Barthwick, a

wealthy member of parliament belonging to the Liberal Party. Jack is helped by Jones in unlocking the
house, who is about thirty years old and dressed in shabby clothes. The poor and unemployed Jack
staggers into his dining room with a woman's velvet bag. The bag contains a crimson silk purse. He drops
the purse and takes out a cigarette from the silver box.

He wants to tip Jones something but has only one shilling in his pocket. Therefore, he offers Jones a drink
in exchange for cash. He introduces himself to Jones and reveals that he had a fight with a street walker
and snatched his bag. He longs to sleep on the couch. Jones sips in several pegs of whiskey and is more
drunk. He suddenly picks up the silver box and the red silk purse. He leaves the room overjoyed that he
has beaten Jack.

Mrs. Jones works as a lady at Barthwick's house. In the morning, Wheeler, the maid, tells Mrs. Jones of
Mr. Jones' misdeeds. Mrs Jones admits that her husband abuses her. He returns home at 2 pm. last night
and used violence at that. However, she links her anger to heavy drinking and unemployment. She is
worried about how to feed her three children. Marlowe, the manservant, as well as Wheeler advise Mrs
Jones to go to court.

Mrs Jones sweeps the dining prom. Jack wakes up and complains of a severe headache. Marlowe finds
that the silver box is missing. She suspects that Mrs. Jones is stealing it. Mr. John Barthwick is a
prosperous old man. He is calm and serious. He reads the news of the Labor Party's success in the
Parliament by-elections. His wife is very upset. He fears that the Labor Party is bent upon depriving the
upper classes of their rights and property. She says that education has increased discontent among the
lower classes and the bureaucrats have become angry.

John receives a dishonored check for 40. Jack took it out. Jack's troubles may increase if the check
bounces. John reprimands his son when the latter has breakfast. Just then a girl's phone rang in the
house. She complains that Jack quarreled with her and snatched her bag. This revelation shocked
Harthwick and he called for Jack. She demands that her purse containing eight pounds of mine be
returned to her. Jack returns with an empty bag.

She threatens to file a theft complaint against Jack. Barthwick pays her eight pounds and settles Dame.
After she leaves, John reprimands Jack and calls him a nuisance to society. Jack ruthlessly replies that
he (his foal) has helped him simply because he is afraid of a scam. John feels uncomfortable. Marlowe
reports the loss of the silver box. Mr. Barthwick is shocked by the theft and decides to investigate the
matter.

He cross-examines Mrs Tone to get information about her past and present circumstances. She reveals
that her first child was born before Jones married her. This led to a scandal and Jones was fired by his
employer. He mistreats her but she is not evil. She also lives for 6 shillings a week. His rent is due.

He himself gets only half the crown for the whole day's work. She says that she does not know about the
silver box. At Jones' house, Mrs. Seddon, the landlady, comes to collect rent. Jones gives her a pound
and she leaves. Then, he takes out the crimson purse. He says that by chance he was found lying
unattended on the road and was over seven pounds. He has no sense of guilt. He plans to go to Canada
to change his fortunes. Mrs Jones shakes her coat and the silver box falls down, the same box she was
questioned about.

Jones says he took it while intoxicated. He promises to throw it in the river. He hates to be called a thief
but Mrs Jones is not satisfied with this explanation. He accused her of ruining his reputation. Jones calls
himself no worse than Jack. As the row continues, a detective in plainclothes Robert Snow arrives. He
puts his hand on the box and announces Mrs Jones has been arrested. Jones confesses that he stole the
box, not his wife.

As Snow pulls Mrs Jones to the door and whistles to call the other policemen, Jones blows her up. John
builds Snow Corns and Silver Box for Barthwick to see. He informs that Jones has been taken into
custody for assaulting him in the discharge of his duty, he also reports that Comey lets him enter the
house and offers him a drink. Jones is likely to make the same statement before a police magistrate.
Snow ends with the information that he has also recovered a red silk purse along with money from Jones'
pocket.

Mr. Barthwick now wants the whole matter to be put to rest. He sympathizes with the poor and warns
Snow against Jones.

Asks to drop the proceedings. Snow makes it clear that Jones would need to be prosecuted for assaulting
a public servant. He advises John to hire a lawyer to defend him.

and his son. He takes the silver box as it has to be produced in the court. John Barthwick is very worried.
He fears bad publicity in the press. His reputation is at stake. Mrs. Barthwick was shocked to hear the
details from Jack herself. "Better than having lost a dozen cigarette cans, and said nothing about it," John
says in desperation. Roper, the lawyer, arrives.

After John informs her that the shepherd is innocent, her husband had taken the purse and box when
Jack had let him into the house himself. He reveals his fear that the newspapers will defame him if Jones
makes a fuss about the purse. Mother asks Jack to tell the truth and says that she never let Jones into the
house. Roper advises that Jack should not say anything about the events of the previous night. Jack is
taught to say that he doesn't remember anything.

After this Jones and his wife are produced in court. Mrs Barthwick again reminds her lawyer to keep the
Red Purse out of the case. The hearing begins. The first witness, Marlowe, tells of the theft of the silver
box. Detective Robert Snow tells how he got the box from Jones' house. He also reports that Jones used
violence against him. Jones states in self-defense that he committed the violence because Snow insisted
on taking his wife into custody. Jones says she had never been brought to police court before. He admits
that he took the silver box while intoxicated.

Jack is called into the witness box. He swears that he will tell the truth but he pretends to remember
nothing, that he does not know Jones and has never met him before. When Iones tries to remind him of
the incident, Roper intervenes to say that Jones' questions are not relevant. Jones asks the magistrate to
question Jack why he took the woman's purse.

Roper intervenes again and requests the magistrate to let Jack leave the witness box. Thus, the theft of
the purse by Jack, a key issue in this case, is side tracked. The magistrate acquits Mrs Jones and sets
her free. He finds Jones guilty of misconduct attacking a public servant on duty, he declares that people
like Jones are a nuisance to the community.

Jack remembers that his father used the same words for him. Jones is sentenced to a month's
imprisonment with hard labor: "Call it justice? What about that? He got drunk! They put up their complaint
that Jack is equally guilty and punished." Deserves to but his cries go unheard. Court adjourns for lunch.
Roper asks reporter not to write anything hurtful about the Barthwick family. Jack proudly walks off the
court. Mr. Barthwick Mrs Jones' employment appeal was eventually ignored.