A candidate for governor, eager Gerald Harperpersuades his equally ambitious wife Carol to enlist the aid of her friend Diana Casper, whose influence with political boss Jarvis Flint could help him win the election. Carol agrees to speak to Diana on condition that Gerald temporarily assume her work in the city's tenements. There he meets the poor but beautiful Marna Royal, and the two form a friendship that soon grows into love. Diana learns of the affair, and although the romance is innocent, she threatens to ruin Gerald unless his best friend, Drew Garrett, marries her. When Drew refuses, Diana tells Carol of the affair, but later, in a struggle with Flint, Diana is killed. To avoid a scandal, Carol adopts young Marna, but soon afterwards, the disillusioned girl leaves the house with Drew. Narrowly prevented from killing himself, Gerald decides to begin a new life with Carol.—Pamela Short