In River's End Minnesota, on the day of his daughter Jane's birthday party, bank teller Bob Webster is accused of embezzling $3,000 in bank funds. Paul Christian, the kindly doctor of River's End, arranges for Bob to be released on bail so that he can attend his daughter's party, which is being held at the doctor's house. At the party, Jane wishes for the presence of her recently deceased mother. When Bob worries what effect his arrest will have on his melancholy daughter, Dr. Christian vows to prove the teller's innocence. During Bob's trial, the prosecuting attorney accuses Bob of stealing the money to promote his talented daughter's singing career. Convicted on circumstantial evidence, Bob files an appeal. On the day of the appeal decision, Jane sings at the River's End Music Competition to determine who will represent the town in the state music festival. Jane wins the honor, but the glory of her victory is dimmed by the denial of Bob's appeal. Sentenced to serve time in a St. Paul prison, Bob brings his daughter to live with Dr. Christian and tells her that he is going away on business. Although Jane is cared for by Judy Price, the doctor's assistant, and Mrs. Hastings, his housekeeper, the little girl becomes despondent and refuses to eat, play or sing. One day, Jane runs home sobbing from school because her classmates have told her that her father is in prison. Despite the doctor's efforts to comfort her, Jane becomes ill from grief, and Dr. Christian determines to find the real embezzler. Mrs. Hastings, a believer in astrology, suggests that the Zodiac sign of William Merrill, Jr., the son of the bank president, makes him a suspect. When Roy Davis, the town postmaster, reveals that Bill has been receiving perfumed letters from Chicago, Mrs. Hastings' suspicions seem justified. After Roy romances the Merrills' homely maid, Lulu, into disclosing the name and address of Bill's paramour, Madeline Joyce, Dr. Christian sends the postmaster to Chicago to contact Madeline while he goes to St. Paul to plead Bob's case before the governor. In Chicago, Roy calls the gold-digging Madeline, who agrees to meet him after he tells her that he is a rich oil man and an old friend of Bill's. Meanwhile, in St. Paul, the governor has decided not to come into his office for the day, and his secretary, Redmond, impatiently dismisses Dr. Christian. When the doctor insists that the secretary contact the governor, Redmond calls the police and has Dr. Christian arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. That night, the governor returns to his office, and when he learns of Dr. Christian's arrest, he orders his immediate release. The governor at first resists the doctor's plea to release Bob temporarily so that he can visit his ailing daughter, but when Judy calls with news that Jane's condition has deteriorated, the governor relents and releases Bob into the custody of a deputy. Dr. Christian then rushes Bob to Jane's bedside, and the little girl recovers in time to sing in the music competition. On the day of the competition, Roy returns with the incriminating evidence and calls Bob at the bank. As the governor, Bob and Dr. Christian listen to Jane perform, Roy arrives and shows them a confession signed by Bill. The governor then writes an order for Bob's release.
