Lew Ayers plays the blue collar guy (Jerry Flynn) with dreams and plans to marry his sweetheart, played by the beautiful Helen Mack (Mary Ellen Stephens). Unfortunately, Helen's character wants to have the finer things in life and leaves the life she has for one of money and powerful men (albeit a gangster). Lew's character feels betrayed and sets out to prove to himself (and mostly to his ex-girlfriend) that he can succeed and to show her that he doesn't need her. He starts a newspaper distribution company, and soon has made it the largest distributership in town. He is jealous of Helen's new boyfriend and ends up trying to show Helen what a mistake she made. Alas, as with all stories like this, both characters realize soon enough (the hard way) that what is truly important is each other and that happiness can not be bought for any price. Of course, this realizaton comes after both have lost everything that they worked hard for.