Mark Sabre hires young Effie Bright to keep his snobbish, cold-hearted wife Mabel company while he goes off to war. When he returns home from the front wounded, he finds that Mabel has fired Effie, who shows up at Mark's door with her baby, having no place to go. Mark takes her in, but Mabel leaves him when the town shuns him for what they believe is going on with Mark and Effie. Matters are further complicated when Effie, driven to desperation, commits an unspeakable act that results in Mark having a nervous breakdown--and then things get worse.

Bruce Edwards returns to his hometown to take possession of his late father's estate, but Sam Willetts presents him with documentation proving that Mr. Edwards traded the estate for worthless swampland. Bruce takes a job in the village tavern and romances June Gordon, whose mother suspects Willetts of foul play. When Willets falsely accuses Bruce of theft, the young man escapes. Bruce later regains his father's estate by convincing Willets that the swampland is valuable for manufacturing purposes. Afterward, June and Bruce leave on their honeymoon.