Fernande de Ferney, a young French girl, has spent her time between the convent and the country home of her uncle, where she has learned to passionately love Roger, the son of the Marquise de Monclars. He marries her for her fortune, but does not value what he has so lightly won until she profits by the lesson taught in the little marionette play written by their friend, Nizerolles, and finds that men are much like marionettes.

A young man proposes a lottery with himself as the prize in marriage. However he finds himself very much in love with a woman other than the winner.

While playing cards, Col. Francis Fielding is unjustly accused of cheating by the Earl of St. Albans. The charges are considered so serious in that strata of society that Fielding is disowned by his parents and held in contempt by "proper" society. Fleeing to Paris, Fielding marries and fathers a baby daughter he names Leonore. His wife soon dies and he is forced to raise the girl on his own, alone and broke. He soon dies, and Leonore is adopted by his sister Lady Mountstephen, but it's not much of an improvement: the "lady" hates Leonore, treats her badly and finally disowns her. Things look grim for Leonore until Lord Fitzmaurice loans her a sum of money. Unfortunately, that deed arouses the anger of the wildly jealous Lady Norton, who is secretly married to him. Complications ensue.

Leroy Trenchard loves Therese Verneuil, and when Leroy enters the army goes to France to fight, Therese follows as a Red Cross nurse. But suspicion arises that Therese is actually Princess Sonia, a German spy.