When naïve young country girl Paula Letchworth comes to the big city she foolishly allows herself to be influenced by her superficial friends while ignoring the wise counsel of Allen Cotter who truly cares for her. Paula's frivolous life leads her into a marriage with Lawrence Topham, a worthless parasite who abuses her and squanders her money. Desperate, Paula offers to buy a divorce from Topham, and turns to Allen for the money. After Topham spends his fee, however, he refuses to go through with the deal, and Paula's invalid mother, unable to endure further cruelty to her daughter, shoots him. Paula and Allen both have reason to believe that the other is guilty of the murder, although the evidence points to suicide. Realizing that the lovers' suspicions are keeping them apart, Paula's mother confesses to the shooting shortly before her death, thus eliminating the barriers between Allen and Paula.