In this tale of the South in the mid-1800s, Annabel Lee and Warner Richmond get married, but they keep the wedding a secret so that Warner can inherit the fortune of his misogynist grandfather. But after the grandfather's death, Warner dumps Annabel for an opera singer. Warner destroys the evidence of his first marriage so he can wed the singer, who then takes his money and leaves him.
Too poor to pay for medicine, Ned Templeton, a struggling young artist living in Paris, lapses into a prolonged illness. To save her husband's life, Joan Templeton sells herself to a rich art dealer, then tells Ned that the money came from her father. After the couple emigrates to America, Ned encounters Cartwright, a millionaire who commissions a portrait of his daughter Helen. The heiress becomes infatuated with Ned who, enjoying the money and attention, neglects Joan more each day, sending her away and finally forcing her to work as a model to support herself. While posing for an art class, Joan meets Helen, and Helen recognizes her rival from one of Ned's paintings.
It is Mrs. Merwin's desire that her son, Harold, marry Rena, an heiress. To this end, she gives a week-end party in the heiress's honor. Harold, of a studious nature, finds himself unable to stand the chatter of the guests and strikes out towards the woods. Attracted by the music, Lorna approaches the mansion.
