When a new novel by Iris Fabian entitled The Pilgrim Lady arrives at the offices of Candid Confessions magazine, the publisher, Mr. Dennis Carter, writes the author a letter asking her to come to New York City. Meanwhile, at a girls' school in Cummingstown, Ohio, Millicent Rankin announces to her sister Henrietta and her father, Prof. Albert Rankin, that she and Wayne Talbot are now engaged. The publisher's letter then arrives, and Albert puts it back in the mailbox, thinking it has been misdelivered. The girls' aunt Phoebe, dean of women, retrieves the letter, however, as her nom deplume is Iris Fabian. When Carter phones the house and asks if Iris is young and attractive, Phoebe decides to make Henrietta up and have her pose as Iris, and asks Dr. Bekins to cover for them by saying that Henrietta is suffering a nervous breakdown and requires rest at Lonesome Lodge in Maine. Soon Carter phones Mr. Clifford Latimer, Chairman of the Literary Gem of the Month Club and connoisseur of feminine beauty, and tells him that Iris Fabian is attractive. Carter arrives at the Hotel Maurice to pick up Iris and take her to have some publicity photos done. On their way out, Henrietta and Carter stop to dance in the hotel's Twilight Room and there Carter makes innuendoes about steamy chapter nine of the book. Later, a lecturer and representative from the literary club, Thackeray Gibbs, delivers the award to Henrietta. The next day, Carter asks her to go swimming at the beach, and Latimer decides to come along. While he is swimming, Carter steals Latimer's clothes and he catches cold. Later, Carter proposes but stipulates that Henrietta must give up her career, so she declines, afraid to tell him she has no career. Back at the hotel, Millicent and Wayne, who are on their honeymoon, see Henrietta in the elevator, but fail to recognize her. Later, when Henrietta accepts flowers from a delivery boy, Millicent does recognize her and telegrams Albert to come to New York. As Latimer and Henrietta dance in the Twilight Room, Carter cuts in and proposes again, and this time, Henrietta agrees to give up her career. Meanwhile, Latimer, who also plans to propose, tells society reporter Nell Brown that she has already accepted him. At Carter's office, his secretary, Eve Standish, shows him the article. When Henrietta phones Carter to tell him the truth about Iris Fabian, he hangs up on her, angry about the article. Henrietta then phones the front desk and the clerk tells her that Millicent, Wayne and Albert are waiting downstairs. Phoebe, who plans to marry Gibbs, decides they must leave, so she and Henrietta disguise themselves and escape. When Henrietta arrives back in Cummingston, Latimer is there waiting for her. He has deduced that she is not Iris Fabian and threatens to expose her. While Albert and Carter eavesdrop, Henrietta tells Latimer that she loves Carter, prompting Carter to come in, propose again, and suggest that Latimer broadcast his radio show from Cummingston that evening to take the credit for creating Iris Fabian.