The title is also the moniker of a renowned safe-cracker, Slippy McGee, who has always managed to evade capture until his latest job, when he is wounded. He escapes aboard a freight train, bound for parts unknown, and finds himself in the town of Appleborro. There, he is discovered and cared for by Father De Rance and Mary Virginia. His leg is amputated, and during his recovery in Appleborro, the town's influence causes him to reform.