After two years of dating, Blackstone "Blacky" Gorman, the owner of a gas station in the resort town of Silver Beach, Massachusetts, finally proposes to Marje Harris, his devoted girl friend. Soon after, however, the wealthy, pretty Glory Franklyn moves to Silver Beach with her family, and the moment she sees handsome Blacky, she falls in love. Blacky falls for Glory's deliberate, youthful charms, and allows himself to be swayed by her teary tales of parental tyranny. Wise to Blacky's activities and feelings, Marje nobly terminates their engagement, freeing him to propose to Glory. Although her status-conscious mother strongly disapproves of Blacky, Glory elopes with him and moves into his small house, an act of defiance that fuels the gossip columns and makes Blacky an overnight celebrity. Because she still loves Blacky, Marje happily instructs the childish Glory on how to be a proper housewife, redecorating the house with her and even showing her how to make Blacky's favorite dish, chicken pie. When Glory discovers she is pregnant, however, she panics, suddenly realizing the seriousness of the marriage "game," and flees to New York to be with her mother. After several months of separation, Blacky learns from Marje that his wife is leaving for California and rushes to New York to stop her. No longer pregnant, a coldly matured Glory informs Blacky that she wants out of the marriage. Heartbroken, Blacky drifts for a time, but eventually returns to Silver Beach and his faithful Marje.