At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, John Grey enlists in the army and leaves Mary, his sweetheart, for Cuba. Mary discovers later that she is pregnant, but John is killed before they can legalize their union. When Mary dies, her daughter Little Mary is taken in by an orphanage and adopted by Peters, a cruel farmer who turns her into a slave. Befriended by Seppe, a hunchback farmhand of similar parentage, Mary escapes to the city where she finds work at a hospital run by Dr. Strong. Soon after, she falls in love with Donald, Strong's son, and accepts his marriage proposal. When Donald learns from Peters, who comes to the city to reclaim Mary, that she is illegitimate, he backs out of the engagement. To stop Peters from stealing Mary, Seppe shoots him, wounding him only slightly.