Edith Hardy, a wealthy socialite and wife of Richard Hardy, is caught embezzling $10,000 from the Red Cross charity she chairs. She turns to a Japanese ivory trader for help with her problem. When Richard discovers the money has been lost, he uses a branding device to mark Edith's shoulder as his property. Feeling violated, Edith shoots him in the shoulder and leaves.
In court, Edith reveals all to an angry mob and is sentenced to death. However, she manages to escape and seeks refuge with Tori, a wealthy oriental who has taken pity on her situation. They share a romantic relationship and Tori helps Edith find a job as a secretary.
As Edith's career grows, she becomes increasingly ambitious and begins to use her newfound wealth to buy expensive gowns for herself. However, Tori becomes jealous and resents her success. One day, Edith loses all the money she has accumulated and borrows from Tori again. Tori refuses to take the money back and branded her shoulder with a Japanese sign of ownership.
Edith tries to shoot Tori but fails and ends up shooting her husband instead. Tori takes the blame for the murder and is sent to prison. Edith is arrested and sentenced to death for the murder of her husband.
In jail, Edith meets a fellow convict named Sammy. They become friends and talk about their lives before the war. Edith tells Sammy about her past and how she became so desperate that she resorted to embezzling from the Red Cross charity she chaired. Sammy tells her that he was once in her shoes and that he knows what it's like to be trapped in a life of crime.
Edith asks Sammy if he would have helped her if he knew what she was doing. Sammy replies that he would have done whatever it took to save himself and his family from poverty. Edith realizes that she has nothing left to lose and decides to confess to the crime and face trial for attempted murder.
The trial is held in front of a packed courtroom and Edith is found guilty. She is sentenced to death and is led out of the courthouse. As she walks away, she looks back at the crowd and sees a group of people who know her standing together. They wave goodbye to her and she smiles, knowing that she will never forget the people who stood by her during her darkest hours.
