Fay, a wealthy young lady, is in love with Ernest True, a lawyer. Ernest acts as Fay's trustee and he holds several valuable bonds for her. These are kept in the office safe. Mr. Duke, a villainous fellow, wants to win Fay's hand, and he plots to get the bonds out of Ernest's hands, accuse him of misappropriating them and thus win Fay over. He hires a crook to help him and they make an attempt to rob Ernest's safe, but are almost caught in the act by Fay and Ernest and are forced to beat it. Ernest is suspicious and hires Max, the famous detective, to guard his office. Max hits upon a plan to catch Mr. Duke and the crook if they should dare to make another attempt to rob the safe. He removes all papers and valuables and locks himself in with the intention of giving Mr. Duke a surprise if he should succeed in getting the safe open. Duke and the crook get into the office, but do not attempt to open the safe; they take it with them by way of the window. A policeman in the street below thinks they are safe movers and helps keep the crowd back. They take the safe to a secluded spot and proceed to bore a hole through the door, they then push a stick of dynamite through the hole. The dynamite is connected to a fuse. Max, in the safe, just saves his life by cutting the fuse before it burns down to the explosive. When a second fuse is put through, Max lights it from the inside. It burns back out, and, while Duke and the crook are looking for another match, it comes in contact with some carelessly placed powder. Duke and the crook are blown out of the window. They land in front of the pursuing police, who have been led by Fay and Ernest in a chase after the missing safe. The arrest is made. Max is rescued from the safe and is proclaimed a great man.
—Moving Picture World synopsis