Mr. Morin, a peaceful shopkeeper, meets a young girl named Henriette on a train back to La Rochelle. He makes a pass at her and she calls a policeman to the rescue. Morin asks his friend Labarbe, a newspaper editor, to settle the matter for him. Labarbe seeks the girl's uncle but recognizes her as the girl he wouldn't dare approach years ago when he was penniless. Labarbe, Henriette and Morin all conspire against uncle Tonnelet so that the two lovers can marry and Morin's assault charges can be dropped.