Octavius, an ambitious amateur detective, has just purchased a new automobile when he reads about a rash of auto thefts in the area. He is determined to investigate, and as he is traveling around town, he meets a young woman named Ruth, who asks him for a ride. But soon afterward, Ruth distracts Octavius, steals his car, and rushes to a church where her fiancé is waiting to marry her in secret. Outraged by her deception, Octavius himself steals a parked car and chases her. As he speeds along, a police officer sees him and joins the chase. Meanwhile, Ruth's parents are also racing after her, determined to prevent her elopement.