Billy Quill, a bashful bookkeeper, loves Marjorie Keyes, the pretty stenographer. Anatole, the French barber, is also in love with Marjorie, but he is not at all bashful and makes himself a pest by declaring his love for her at every opportunity. Marjorie reciprocates Billy's love, and gives him every opportunity to express his feelings and "pop" the question, but Billy lacks nerve to say the fatal words.