Poker Faces

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Jimmie Whitmore is torn between having his wife constantly remind him that they need a new rug and enduring the unkind remarks of his employer, Henry Curlew, Jimmie, however, has maintained the unemotional stone visage which has gained for him the name, "Poker Face Whitmore," and it turns out that the boss has only been trying him out to see if he could stand a real strain without betraying his feelings. He is called to Curlew's office and rewarded with the offer of an important assignment, that of landing a contract with George Dixon, a notoriously tough customer, for which he is to receive a large sum of money. He misses Dixon at the railroad station, but Dixon and Jimmie both telephone to Curlew and are invited to his house that evening. Dixon tells Jimmie to be sure to bring his wife. Jimmie rushes home in high glee, but is in despair when he finds only a note from his wife stating that she has gone to work to earn money enough to buy a new rug. Jimmie calls up a casting agency and engages the pretty wife of a jealous prize fighter to pose as his wife for the evening. At the home of Curlew they meet Dixon and Curlew's new secretary, who turns out to be Jimmie's real wife. Dixon is for going back to his hotel to dictate some letters but Curlew offers him the use of his secretary if he will stay all night, because he doesn't want to let the prospective buyer out of his reach. He is equally determined to hold on to his salesman, so he stampedes Jimmie and his "wife" to a bedroom against their protests. The hired wife wants to get back to her husband and Jimmie wants to get to his wife so he can explain everything. He tip-toes to her room but is violently thrown back by Dixon. The irrepressible Jimmie makes repeated attempts to reach his wife. Dixon finally forces him to take off his clothes and then, pushing him back in the room with the fighter's wife, locks the door and puts the key in his pocket. The fighter, anxious about his wife, sees her in the lighted room and climbs up to the window. Seeing his wife in the room with a man in his B. V. D's, he furiously attacks Jimmie, who escapes when Dixon opens the door to see what is the matter. After a long chase around the house Jimmie is cornered in Dixon's room. Jimmie switches off the light and hides. Dixon and the fighter come to blows by mistake and are both knocked out flat when the cops batter down the door. Jimmie springs forth from under the bed and struts his' stuff as conqueror. Old Curlew has received a telegram from his representative advising him to arrest Dixon, who is a crook. Jimmie is rewarded for his astuteness and bravery by being taken into the firm as junior partner.