Anthony Halliday, brilliant young surgeon, is forced to resign as chief of staff at a New York hospital when he is compelled to delay an appendectomy on the daughter of John Mitchell, wealthy supporter of the hospital, because of an emergency operation he has to perform. The appendectomy is successful, but later complications cause the girl`s death. Carol Andrews, his fiancée, regards him as a failure and leaves him. Halliday, suffering from amnesia brought on by the shocks, drifts to Scranton, Pa.,where he gets work in the steel mill. He only remembers who he is when he finds himself bandaging some injured workers. The mill doctor, Miller, asks him to become his assistant. Halliday remains at the mill under the name of John Davis. Because of many accidents at the mill, the smelter boss, Joe Kosovic is demoted. He becomes friendly with Halliday and invites him home for dinner, where he becomes attracted to Gerta, Joe school-teacher daughter.