Millie Forrester's mother is at her wits' end. Their luck and fortune are gone. She sees no other way to get food and money than to take on the oldest profession in the world. However, she is caught and thrown in jail. Agnes Winkowski, a rag picker by trade, takes care of Millie, behind her loud voice and rough behavior is a heart of gold. Not only Millie is her protégé, Ben, a young hunchback, also lives under her roof. When Millie's mother is released, she is picked up by a pimp who wants to put her to work in his brothel, but the woman kills herself. The pimp now wants Millie, because he always has a clientele for such a young girl. Agnes sends Millie to a boarding school and during the holidays Ben keeps watch over Millie.