When Nellie's laundry machine goes bust, she tries taking another job as assistant teacher at Miss Harper's school, but learns that there are no funds to pay her. Nellie then takes a job as an assistant telephone operator at the telegraph office at the train station under the supervision of the annoying and obnoxious busybody Mrs. MacTavish, who quickly resents her presence and plots to get rid of her by holding a donation auction at the school to raise the funds needed. When Mr. Frawley donates a brass tobacco spittoon to the auction which was given to him as a gift by the mine owners, he realizes how valuable it is and plots to get it back by bidding on it against Charley.