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In 1918, in Paris, with the war raging overhead, American Sylvia Suffolk and British officer Tony Clyde are married.  They spend only a few hours together before Tony leaves for the front.

Sometime later, Tony is gassed and left for dead near the trenches, and Sylvia, pregnant with his child, receives news of his death while working as a nurse for surgeon Rene Gaudin.  Tony, however, is still alive and is taken as a prisoner of war.  Sylvia, meanwhile, is taken back to Paris by Rene, who sees that she is well sustained.

Armistice is declared, and a few years later, Sylvia leaves her son with a nurse and vacations in Switzerland with Rene.  They have fallen in love, but as she has received no official news of Tony's death, Sylvia is reluctant to marry again.  To their surprise, Rene and Sylvia find Tony convalescing in Switzerland.  His loyal friend, Steve Hand, whom he met while they were prisoners, has been taking care of him.  In hopes of finding Sylvia again, Tony has survived through a regimented health routine, but his lungs are severely damaged from the gas.

Believing her duty is to Tony, Sylvia leaves Rene and brings Tony to Paris to meet his son.  Sylvia's forced cheerfulness is undermined by her reluctance to engage in any physical affection with Tony, and he compels her to confess that she is still in love with Rene.  Seeing no purpose to his life, Tony drinks himself to death.