John Douglas, a mining engineer who has returned from South America in order to obtain financing for a gold mining venture, attends the theater with Sara Deeping and falls madly in love with Carla King, the star of the play. Sara becomes jealous but nevertheless secretly arranges the financing for John's mine. John proposes to Carla, and she agrees to marry him only if they first live together for a year like brother and sister. John consents, and he and Carla go to South America, where Carla is severely depressed by the rough, isolated surroundings. John finally attempts to embrace her in passion, and the gulf between them widens. Carla saves John's life during a labor dispute and then becomes ill with fever. Sara appears and persuades John and Carla that their platonic experiment has failed; Sara then arranges for them to return to New York, where John becomes infatuated with Sara. Carla agrees to marry a millionaire named Avon in return for Avon's promise to back John. John learns of her noble sacrifice, prevents the marriage to Avon, arranges independent financing for the mine, and returns to South America with Carla.