Small-town girl Stella marries socialite Stephen Dallas, a man with whom she has nothing in common. The whole thing is a failure; after the birth of their daughter Laurel, the Dallases separate and Stephen returns to New York. As Laurel grows into a young woman, Stella realizes that she cannot provide for her properly and sends her to live with Stephen and his new family. Laurel later marries a pleasant upper-class young man as Stella stands in the rain watching the ceremony through a window.