Probation

Janet Holman is suspicious of her fiancé, Allen Wells, after he kisses her best friend Gwen when the lights are turned out during a party. Allen leaves early, purportedly for business reasons, but in reality, he is going to visit his secret girl friend, seventeen-year-old Ruth Jarrett. When Ruth's neighbor, Mrs. Humphries, overhears her talking to Allen on the phone, she becomes morally outraged and calls the police. Ruth is taken away to juvenile hall, and when Ruth's older brother Nick comes home to celebrate Ruth's birthday, Mrs. Humphries explains that Ruth has been seeing an older, wealthy man who has been leading her astray, and that she sent her away for her own good. Nick is saddened that he has failed to keep Ruth on the right track, and when he returns to his apartment, he becomes enraged to see Allen there. When Allen claims ignorance of Ruth's age, Nick hits him, and they engage in a brawl. Severely beaten, Allen escapes through a window and phones his doctor upon arriving home. At the party, Janet is visited by her uncle George, a judge, and after she complains that she is bored and lonely, George reminds her of the tragic lives he witnesses daily in his courtroom. Janet leaves the party and joins George in night court, where Nick has been brought on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting an officer. Through George's questions, it is revealed that Nick and his sister are orphans hailing from Kentucky, and that he was fired from his milk delivery route a few days earlier for reading an engineering book during work hours. Although he does not know Allen's name, Nick vows to "finish the job" on him. During recess, George decides to parole Nick for six months, during which time he is to be employed as Janet's chauffeur. Janet agrees to the proposition, as does Nick, and he starts immediately. After Janet reprimands him for interfering when a drunken friend tries to kiss her, Nick becomes disgusted by the "upper crust," and Janet is insulted by his attitude. Nick does not recognize Allen when Janet visits him, as his face is wrapped in bandages. Later that day, Janet goes to visit her aunt, and Nick discovers that she had Ruth brought to her aunt and uncle's home to live. Ruth has reformed, and the brother and sister are delighted to see one another. Nick thanks Janet, and his opinion of her is greatly improved. For the next several months, they enjoy leisure time together, and one day after playing ping pong, they kiss. When Janet tells him that the kiss does not mean she loves him or that she intends to leave her fiancé and marry her chauffeur, Nick quits. George refrains from having Nick arrested and, sometime later, contrives to have Janet visit Nick at the music store that he has purchased with George's help. Pleased to see Janet, Nick congratulates her on her impending marriage. George realizes that Janet and Nick are in love and later encourages Nick to reveal this fact to Janet, who stubbornly refuses to admit it to herself. Nick goes to Janet's home on the tail end of her wedding rehearsal, and this time when he sees Allen, he recognizes him and strikes him. After Allen runs out of the house, Nick returns, and informs Janet that this is the "job" he had to finish. Nick professes his love for her, and they confirm their love with an embrace.