In the wake of a fatal railroad crash, desperate pregnant woman Helen Ferguson (Barbara Stanwyck) adopts the identity of a dead woman, introduces herself to her rich, new "in-laws" (John Lund, Henry O'Neill and Jane Cowl) and seizes the chance to start her miserable life anew. But Helen's real-life, no-good boyfriend (Lyle Bettger) is determined to find his former flame and cash in on her newfound good fortune.