Grace is a hypochondriac, and no fit companion for Ralph, her young husband, nor Marie, her daughter. She invites Maude, an old friend, to visit them. The latter determines to rouse Grace to her responsibilities as wife and mother. Maude flirts with Ralph. Grace, unbalanced by constant thinking of herself and her ills, throws herself off the cliff into the sea. No trace of her can be found, and Ralph mourns his wife as dead. Meanwhile, the unconscious woman has been rescued by Old Ben, a semi-demented fisherman, who continuously patrols the beach, looking for his wife, who was drowned in her youth. He believes that now he has found her and carries Grace to his cabin. On her recovery she finds herself powerless to escape. She is obliged to cook and help with the fishing, as Nina did long ago. She mourns daily for her little girl. Old Ben steals and brings to her the first child he finds on the beach. It proves to be Grace's own daughter. Ralph, tracing Marie, is led to Old Ben's cottage, where he finds his wife. They begin life together anew.