The story is a parody of romantic melodrama, centering on Ethyl Ermengarde Stubbs and her relationships with villainous mortgage-holder 'Squire Hardman, would-be rescuer Jack Manly and fiancé Algernon Reginald Jones.
The narrative is a satirical portrayal of the conventions of romantic melodrama, highlighting the central characters' complex relationships with each other: Ethyl Ermengarde Stubbs, Squire Hardman, Jack Manly, and Algernon Reginald Jones.