Plot Summary:The death of her father brought Sylvia Fairfax face to face with conditions which she was unequipped to handle, and, after an unsuccessful attempt to fill the position of governess in the Windermere home, caused her to go to New York. The experiences there in a typical boarding house were varied, but thanks to Hetty Sharp, who took her under her experienced wing, Sylvia escaped the machinations of Banners, and finally secured a position in the same department store where Hetty worked. In an effort to stop systematic thievery, the store owner had employed a detective and his suspicions fell on Sylvia. It so happened that just as Hetty had taken a handsome collar from the case she was called to the main office. Thrusting the package into Sylvia's hand, telling her to keep it until she returned, she hurried away. A few moments afterwards Sylvia was confronted by the detective, and, despite her declaration of innocence, was taken to the office of the owner and charged with robbery. The two girls were examined separately by the police inspector, and being unable to secure any evidence from Hetty, he proceeded to apply the third degree to Sylvia. In spite of all their efforts, she refused to tell who gave her the package. Hetty, listening in the next room, finally could stand it no longer, and burst into the room with a full confession which cleared Sylvia. Struck with Sylvia's fortitude, the Inspector offered to employ her upon the force, and as fate would have it, her first case turned out to be the abduction of little Kittie Gray. Sylvia had met Robert Gray before her misfortunes, and on discovering that it was in his home that she was to work, she prevailed upon him not to divulge her identity. Clever work enabled Sylvia to locate the abductors through the complicity of Lizzie, the maid, and after a terrific pistol fight ending in the capture of the thugs, little Kitty was restored to her mother's arms, while Robert made known Sylvia's real identity to his mother. Deciding to resign from the force Sylvia and Robert went to the police station, and as Hetty had been released on a suspended sentence, Sylvia took the girl to her new home in an effort to make some return for Hetty's former kindness.
