David Harris, a well-to-do young merchant, marries the daughter of a wealthy colonel. Ignorant of the fact that his bride’s mother had been a drunkard, Harris holds a colossal banquet in honor of the marriage. During the feast much wine is served. This is the first time that the bride tastes spirits of any kind. Her mother’s failing comes to the surface; a terrible craving takes root. Marks, a man of rather dubious antecedents, who secretly loves her, notices this, and plots her downfall. He takes pains to see that the wife has all the drink she desires. Harris discovers his wife’s tragic craving, and resolves to put up a struggle to save her. The colonel confesses the truth, regarding the bride’s mother, to Harris. Meanwhile war is declared. Harris undergoes a terrible mental combat, his love for his wife fighting against his duty to his country. He finally decides to stay out of the army that he might stay with his wife, who is being continually supplied with liquor from Marks. Marks feigns a broken arm. In this manner he saves himself from going to war. Harris’s friends depart for the front, believing him to be a coward. A year passes. A baby is born to Harris and his wife. The wife has tried in vain to overthrow the craving thirst, while Marks has been secretly supplying her with liquor. One night the wife dreams that she sees her baby grown to manhood, lying drunk in a gutter. In the next room Harris lies asleep. In his dreams he reviews what might have been. He sees himself with his comrades on the battlefield where all is glory. The wife awakens and. terrified, she calls him. He hurries to her, and finds her huddled in a heap on the floor, she swears she will never, never drink again. Harris does not believe that he can believe this promise, so he decides to test his wife. A few nights later he leaves a bottle in her room and peers in through the keyhole. The wife enters and sees the spirits. A battle rages within. It finally seems that she can hold out no longer; she approaches the bottle. Suddenly, in the bottle she seems to see her little baby. She grasps the bottle and breaks it into many pieces. The husband dashes in and catches her in his arms. The war is over. Harris’s friends return and refuse to notice him, believing him a coward. At a dinner, in celebration of the victory, all his former friends spurn him. His wife notices this and is sorry at heart. She resolves to tell them the truth, that her husband is not a coward, but has won a greater victory than any of them. This done, Harris is hailed as a hero. Marks’ perfidy is discovered and he is glad to slink away unmolested.