Young John Marsden goes to a little town to take charge of his first school. In this town lives a family named Barton, a wild untamed hunch, the worst of whom is a sixteen year old daughter, Peggy, a wild imp. She goes to school only to make teacher's life miserable. Marsden tries to be nice to the girl but to no avail. Seeing her on Sunday, ashamed of her torn bonnet, he offers to buy her the prettiest bonnet in town if she will be good for a week. Half-heartedly she consents. She is also growing fonder of the teacher, but her fondness is the real thing. She begins to try hard. Then a young lady comes from the city and Marsden is seen with her a great deal. Peggy is aroused to jealousy and hatred. She is again the sulky, bad girl and makes poor Marsden's life miserable. Peggy strikes a boy with a wad of paper. For discipline's sake he is forced to punish her. It is just one on the little quivering hand, then Peggy rushes out of doors to sob herself tired in the woods. Then she tells her father, and old Zeke Barton awaits the teacher as he passes and fells him with a blow. It is thus that Peggy finds him later. Fearful for his life she dips handfuls of water and washes his face with it, imploring him in wild words to live for her sake; to forgive her, for she loves him. He comes to, slowly, and hears her. Assured that he is all right, she rushes away. But she does not come to school anymore. But she learns that the lady is Marsden's sister and that she is going away and then she returns to school and is received by Marsden with open arms and sobs her love on his shoulder.
