The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss

Dr. Aldroyd bluntly tells Bliss he has too much money. To cure this, the doctor proposes he live for a year on a few pounds per week. Bliss bets £50,000 that he can do it and agrees to prove the point.

Bliss moves to an attic in Stepney Green to begin his experiment. He quickly falls behind on rent, and the landlady Mrs. Heath shows sympathetic understanding of his predicament. The new living situation begins the year-long challenge.

He lands a job selling Alpha stoves with Mr. Masters, but after three weeks he has not sold a single unit. Frances Clayton warns him that Masters' business is in danger of closing. The situation sets up Bliss's need for a clever promotion.

Bliss invests £500 of his own money to offer free meals cooked on the stoves to the public. A wholesale buyer places a trial order for 100 stoves, with the potential for 40,000 a year. Masters offers Bliss a partnership, but Bliss resigns instead, continuing the bet.

After finding another job, Bliss takes Frances to dinner. She reveals that she is leaving Masters as well, and notes that Masters had offered her a partnership, but it would have been matrimonial. Their romance deepens as both take steps toward independence.

One night Dr. Aldroyd arranges a car to his medical emergency and Bliss, acting as the chauffeur, drives him home to Harley Street. They realize that almost seven months have elapsed on Bliss's bet, changing the stakes of their wager. The bet's timeline becomes a running backdrop to their adventures.

Dorrington, a new customer, arrives at Bliss's flat at Regents Park Gate, aided by Clowes's earlier misstep. He plots to cash a £30,000 cheque using Bliss's signature, offering a third of the share in return. Bliss reveals his true identity to Dorrington and his henchman, and a scuffle ensues, ending with Clowes ineffectively aiding before peace is restored.

Frances lands a job with Mr. Montague, who makes it clear he wants more than a secretary. Bliss disables Montague's car to thwart his advances and then drives Frances to Montague's rendezvous, confirming his intentions are dishonorable. He then takes Frances away, saving her from exploitation.

After Bliss is sacked by the company, the manager discharges Bill Bronson for standing up for him, prompting Bliss to buy the company. He fires the disloyal manager and installs Bill Bronson in his place. The move strengthens Bliss's control over his future and his bet's outcome.

Bliss persuades Frances to accept his marriage proposal. The couple's bond grows as they commit to building a life together. This moment signals a shift from business competition to personal reconciliation.

Frances's mother arrives with terrible news: Frances's sister will die unless she is taken to a winter resort in Switzerland. Frances feels pressed to secure money and considers marrying Masters for the needed funds. She leaves Bliss without telling him.

Bliss tracks Frances down, learns why she broke up with him, and fixes the crisis that drove her away. He then marries Frances himself, sealing their bond and ending the year-long bet with a personal victory. The couple's reconciliation brings the story to a close.