An idealistic doctor sacrifices his career to protect an elderly surgeon.

When Newell Paige, a young surgeon at an urban hospital, takes the blame for a patient's death caused by his mentor, Dr. Endicott, Paige is asked to tender his resignation. Before leaving for western Montana to work on a cure for Rocky Mountain spotted fever with his friend, bacteriologist John Stafford, Paige meets and falls in love with Phyllis Dexter, the dead patient's daughter, who is attracted to him until she learns that he is the man considered responsible for her mother's death. In Montana, Paige tries to find meaning in life by working to discover a serum to combat the fever, using himself as a guinea pig for his experiments. Phyllis journeys to Montana on a mission of forgiveness just as Paige falls ill. Endicott, finally overcome by remorse, and Frances Ogilvie, a nurse who loves Paige, support Phyllis and Stafford in their vigil by Paige's bedside. Paige recovers and under the counsel of Rev. Dean Harcourt, has a religious experience. Stafford and Ogilvie stay in Montana to administer the new vaccine, while Paige is restored to the staff of his hospital, where he joins Phyllis in Harcourt's congregation.