Dr. Mary Stevens is in love with Don Andrews, a fellow physician, but he is attracted to, and eventually marries, Lois Rising, the beautiful but selfish daughter of politician Walter Rising. Don receives a political appointment, but his marriage quickly deteriorates, and as Lois becomes bored, Don begins to drink. He is indicted for graft and leaves town while his father-in-law attempts to extricate him from the charges. At a resort, Don unexpectedly meets Mary, who is now a very successful pediatrician. They rekindle their old love, have an affair, and Don agrees to divorce Lois. When they return to New York, Rising has cleared Don and in return demands that he remain married to Lois. Mary, who is pregnant, leaves for Paris, has her baby, and returns by ship. When her baby and two others contract polio, she manages to save the other two, but her own baby dies. By the time she reaches New York, Don has resigned and has gotten his divorce, but Mary, in her grief, decides to commit suicide. She is stopped by her devoted nurse Glenda, who convinces her to help a baby who has swallowed a pin. Mary extracts the pin, saving the child, and her own purpose in life is restored. Finally, Don and Mary are both free to marry and start a new life together.