Kate Lennox, the beautiful wife of a modestly affluent suburbanite, considers life a matter of one dirty dish after another and, like a canary in a narrow cage, longs for the life of the sparrow. She preaches the doctrine of woman's freedom and rights, greatly to the displeasure of her husband, Harry, and to the delight of Ruth Lennox, Harry's young and impressionable sister. Ruth eventually decides to test Kate's theories and elopes with a married man; she soon leaves the man, however, and disappears, greatly disillusioned by his criminal life and rough manner. Harry blames Kate for Ruth's misfortunes and leaves her, instituting divorce proceedings. Ruth returns before the final decree, however, and reunites Kate and Harry, regaining for herself the affection of a goodhearted youth named Lonnie, who has always loved her.