Abused by her miserly uncle for feeding his starving chickens, Claire Black befriends Lewis Harding, a shifty peddler trying to sell some worthless mining stock. When a storm arises, Claire shelters Harding in the barn, but is discovered by her uncle and is put out in the rain. Claire escapes into town with Harding, while her uncle, suddenly regretful of his actions, rushes into the storm and is killed by lightning. Now rich, Claire marries Harding, then learns that he is a bigamist. After Harding is jailed, Claire moves with Bobby, her new-born son, to another town and eventually marries Philip Rogers, her investment counselor, who knows nothing of her past. Unexpectedly, Harding reappears in Claire's life, obtaining employment as Philip's chauffeur and blackmailing Claire. When Harding abuses Bobby, Philip dismisses him, but he again threatens Claire with her past. In Philip's office, Claire and Harding struggle and Harding is accidentally killed with his own gun, but Philip is arrested for the deed. At the trial, Claire reveals her part in the incident, and Philip, acquitted, hears her confession and forgives her. -AFI
The alternate title for this film was "The Shadow". -AFI