The story concerns the chance meeting between an elderly, witty, but miserly man and his estranged young niece. Both characters are strong and stubborn, and discover an affection and affinity for each other. The niece moves into the miser's house, and what follows is an enjoyable battle of wills between the two - a battle relished as much by the characters as by the reader. Indeed, on occasion, both characters scheme to achieve the same outcome (such as ensuring that the niece will miss a boat to Canada that would remove her from the uncle's life). Under his niece's influence, the uncle reluctantly abandons some of his financial prejudices. The book also chronicles their two romances, and, by the end of the book, both are married to suitable partners.
