Robert, not yet accustomed to his new duties at the Thrift, has forgotten to deal with the payroll. Instead, he has gone to a bare-knuckle boxing match at his old regiment, where he is trying to do some match-making for his daughter with young-ish Major Stuart Hyde, who is about to resign his commission and resume civilian life. When a Private Stebbings (who is being thrown out of the Army as a troublemaker) tries to interrupt the match, he is struck down by one of the boxers with a single punch. Dr. Bramwell cannot bring him round and Stebbings is taken to the Thrift, where it is discovered he has a brain injury requiring emergency surgery.
Robert's matchmaking efforts are a success and, after a time, Eleanor accepts Major Hyde's proposal of marriage. Romance may be in the air for Kate, as well, when she catches Daniel Bentley's eye.
Stebbings, however, whose temper has not been sweetened by brain surgery, brings everything crashing down when he attacks Eleanor at the Thrift. Though she escapes by whacking Stebbings on the head with a metal bowl, both her father and her fiancé are resolved that she should be persuaded to give up this potentially dangerous work, but their third intended conspirator, Dr. Marsham, understands Eleanor better than they do.
Nurse Carr, meanwhile, has discovered something that spoils the budding relationship between Kate and Daniel.