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.