Stephen Sorrell, a decorated war hero, raises his son Kit alone after Kit's mother abandons husband and child when the boy was little. Sorrell loses a promising job and is forced to work as an assistant. Both his dignity and his health are tarnished as he suffers the grueling work and harsh treatment he receives as a hotel porter. But Sorrell thrives in the knowledge that his son will benefit from his work. Sorrell has tricked the boy into believing his mother is dead, but when the mother shows up and wants to re-enter the young man's life, Sorrell must make some tough decisions.