Enredo

Charlotte Marlin was raised on a Connecticut farm in the shadow of Micah's apple tree, whose fruit, according to legend, changed from pale green to spotted red after a peddler was killed and buried at its base. Orphaned, Charlotte goes to live with her aunt and pretty cousin Margaret. She meets Neil Kennedy, a poor boy who is working his way through college, and they become friends. Margaret, who is engaged to wealthy Willis Hayland, teases Charlotte, who considers herself to be plain-looking. At high school graduation Charlotte's academic achievements are obscured by Margaret's leading role in the school play. Jealous of Margaret, Charlotte resolves to make everybody like her, to be famous, and to marry a millionaire. She learns that to make everybody like her, she must be friendly to everyone. To become famous, she becomes a golfer and wins the world's championship tournament. She nurses millionaire Perry Graham after hitting him in the head with a golf ball, supposedly an accident, but when Perry falls in love with her, Charlotte realizes that she loves Neil, who has become a promising physician.

Charlotte Marlin is left an orphan when young. Her only fortune being bonds in a dairy company and a little farm. Charlotte's aunt consents to help care for her and she is taken to their home at Penfield, where Charlotte meets her cousin, Margaret, who is considered the prettiest girl in Penfield. Charlotte, on the other hand, is homely. Willie Hayward, considered the wealthiest boy in Penfield, is interested in Margaret, and when Neil Kennedy, a poor boy, and Charlotte show their fondness for each other, it is only at the expense of ridicule from Margaret and her friends. Graduation day comes at the school, and Charlotte, as well as Kennedy, pass with honors. Margaret barely passes. Nevertheless, on the day following, Margaret is featured in the local paper and her picture is printed because of the part she took in a play presented by the graduates. Charlotte's name is scarcely mentioned, and Margaret teases her. It is then that Charlotte tries to influence her life's destiny by trying to realize three problems, viz: 1st, "How can I make everybody like me?" 2d, "How can I make myself famous?" 3d, "How can I marry a millionaire?" Charlotte succeeds with her first problem, for she learned that all she had to do was to like everybody else, and they would like her and in short time she became the idol of her pupils and everyone in Marlin Mills. Meanwhile Margaret marries Willis. Later Margaret reveals her true personality and Willis is sorry that he married her. Charlotte's second sum is more difficult to accomplish than the first, and it is only after a year has elapsed that she is started towards mastering her second problem. Her inspiration was a newspaper article concerning a champion woman golfer, and she decides that golf is the thing that will make her famous. After considerable practice, Charlotte masters the game. Kennedy, who has not forgotten Charlotte, calls on her and is offended when she refuses his proposal, for Charlotte's third sum is that she marry a millionaire. During vacation time Charlotte joins the New London Golf Club. The professional at the club is impressed by her performance and mentions her to the president as a desirable candidate for the coming world's championship tournament. The tournament is held and Charlotte mins the championship. Many millionaires are members of the club, but few prove desirable. Perry Graham, however, appeals to her. The problem is how to meet him. She does so through hitting him on the head with a golf ball, supposedly an accident. The stroke was harder than intended and Perry falls to the ground. Charlotte fears she has killed him, but Perry is revived and Charlotte nurses him. Perry falls in love with Charlotte, but Charlotte discovers many traits in him that she does not like. When Perry declares himself, she refuses him. They are on horseback; Perry has the bad taste to insist, but Charlotte tells him that love means more to her than money, although she did deliberately hit him with the golf ball because she thought she wanted to marry a millionaire, but she has decided to do otherwise. Perry tightens his grasp on Charlotte's horse's rein which he is holding. The horse shies and runs away. Kennedy, happening along opportunely, save Charlotte's life. The old love revives and Perry is a disappointed witness to the beginning of the happiness which comes to two old friends.