In Rørland in the South of Norway the ship monger's daughter is in love with her childhood friend salve to her father's dislike. Salve goes out at sea and misses her, but get no answers to his letters from abroad.

The poor but skilled woodcutter Simen is conned by the rich Pikajord. Simen's answer is to reenact his own death through disappearance, and come back as a ghost. But then his attractive wife looks like a widow.

The beautiful Anny works in a cigar-shop. Wholesaler Willmann fancy Anny and hire her as his housemaid. Soon the two have an intimate relationship. But Anny finds someone new. At a carnival. Her next step is to get Willman's son to get to his father's safe. Together they steal the family's fortune and have a great time doing away with all of it. Anny sink deeper and deeper in misery.