 Wilford James, who met Sarah Norton on a plane from Jamaica, promises to love and marry her, connives her into investing $10,000, says that it was a total loss, and disappears. Next, becomes James Jarvis in the first class compartment of another plane, where he meets elderly Mary Caulfield and her companion, Agatha, on their way home from Salzburg. At the airport terminal, Mary tells him that they live at the Golden Angel Hotel, and he claims coincidentally that he will be staying there. He sends two dozen roses to Mary and Agatha, charms Mary while romancing Agatha, and tells them that he has "the deal of five lifetimes," an opportunity to buy stock at $30 and sell it for $50. Before investing, Mary sets up a lunch appointment for the following day so that Jarvis can meet her learned attorney, Barton. That night, Jarvis sneaks into the aged Barton s home wearing black leather gloves. Next morning, Jarvis brings more flowers, but Agatha tells him that Jarvis died of a stroke or suffocation. Mary promptly converts her entire estate into shares in the Arlo Trust Company, on Jarvis  advice. He tells her that her wealth has increased by 21%. A day later, Jarvis laments that Arlo has gone bankrupt, reducing the equity from $75 per share to 0. Agatha goes to her bank to withdraw $1200, to help Jarvis get back on his feet. While she is gone, Mary calls her great-niece, Eileen, and tells her that she can no longer finance her trip to Germany. Mary then plays a morose piano solo on her Victrola, writes a suicide note, ignores the ringing telephone, and does herself in with a pistol. When Agatha returns, the hotel clerk tells her that they will miss Jarvis, who is checking out. Agatha returns to the hotel suite, pages Jarvis in vain, then discovers Mary s corpse. Jarvis comes back to his room, makes a first class flight reservation as Jarvis Smith, then calls Agatha. She tells him that the morning mail brought news of a windfall inheritance from Mary s dead brother, and that she has $1200 for him. He rushes over, and Agatha shows him Mary s revolver. She tells Jarvis that it was a great surprise to find a handgun, in the light of Mary s recent despondency, and asks him to take it away. After he pockets the firearm, Agatha invites him to visit with Mary, then locks him in Mary s room. Agatha immediately calls the front desk, and summons the police. As Jarvis is shooting his way out of the room, the police arrive, and gun him down.