A ne'er-do-well husband, after years of abusing his wife, disappears with their son, and winds up selling him to a wealthy family. Years later, the wife--now a world-famous opera singer--finally has enough time and money to begin a search for him.

Sarah Storm, a lonely and impoverished singer, marries Jim Gray, with whom she teams up in vaudeville, but he is unable to support her or get a loan from wealthy John Ashmore. Angered by her reproval, he disappears with their baby; she is befriended by Cyril, another singer, with whom she builds a new act. Later, at a hospital where she goes to entertain wounded marines, Sarah discovers Jim; and, dying, he breathes Ashmore's name. Through her lawyer, Howard Vanning, who has fallen in love with her, Sarah finds the Ashmores, and since they deny that Bobby, their 11-year-old boy, is her son, Howard persuades her to continue her vocal studies in Europe. She returns an operatic success but insists on seeing the boy; and the Ashmores substitute a deafmute. She understands the deception; Bobby runs away to join Vanning; but when the Ashmores come to claim him, Sarah realizes he is her child. She and the boy are then victims of a motorboat accident; but Howard rescues them, and they all find happiness together.