- Underpaid children's librarian Phyllis Narcissa, happily accepts a dinner invitation from Horace de Guenther, one of her patrons, and happily entertains his invalid wife. Later, Mrs. de Guenther encourages Phyllis to meet with Mrs. Harrington, a dying rich woman whose son Allan, once a vigorous young man, was paralyzed in an auto accident. When Mrs. Harrington proposes to the librarian that she marry and take care of Allan in exchange for his wealth, Phyllis reluctantly consents. While struggling to cheer up the eternally downcast Allan, Phyllis welcomes the visits of his friend, a doctor who informs her that her husband's paralysis may be psychosomatic. After Allan witnesses the joy that playing tennis with the doctor brings Phyllis, he insists that the marriage be annulled. That night, however, a burglar breaks into the house and begins to attack Phyllis. In a panic, Allan leaps from his bed and tackles the intruder. Liberated from his wheelchair, Allan finally admits his love for Phyllis.—Pamela Short
- Phyllis is in the Children's Department at the library, where some of the youngsters call her the "library teacher," and others "The pretty one that smiles." She is happy, but despairs over her slow progress. One day she receives an urgent message from Mrs. de Guenther, suggesting a new line of work. That night she learns the sad story of Allan Harrington. One day he and Louise, his fiancée, started off in his racer. Through reckless driving the auto dropped into a gully. Louise was killed. Now Allan is a helpless cripple. His broken-hearted mother, who realizes that her death is near, wishes her son to have someone to care for him who will have more interest than a hired stranger. Phyllis must marry Allan. She is shocked at first, but thinking over her sordid circumstances and little money, she consents. In the middle of the night Phyllis is summoned to be married. Mrs. Harrington is dying, and insists that she must witness the ceremony. It is all like a funeral rather than a marriage. Mrs. Harrington passes away that night. Phyllis sobs herself to sleep, but is later awakened by the valet of Allan, urging her to go to the boy, who is restless and despondent. She tells Allan a child's story, which soothes him to sleep. Her struggle is strenuous, trying to keep cheerful in the dark, gloomy house, with nothing but suffering about her. It is one of Allan's black days, and Phyllis tries to cheer him. When he sees Phyllis playing with and fondling a dirty child, who has hurt himself, he tells her that she has been cheated of her birthright. Phyllis sees much of Allan's friend, a young doctor, who tells her that paralysis may become merely a bad habit. Allan can hardly bear to see them playing tennis together. At last he makes up his mind to the supreme sacrifice, and tells Phyllis that their marriage must be annulled. That night a sneak thief comes into the house. Phyllis is sitting up late, mourning her unhappiness, and Allan also is dreaming in the dark. The man enters the room where Allan is sitting, and Phyllis, hearing her husband's cry, enters. She attacks the man to keep him from Allan. The thief nearly overpowers her, and she cries to her husband to save her. With a great effort he reaches her side just as his valet rushes in and tackles the man. With the reaction, they realize what has happened, and their love for each other.
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