Barry Weston is raised by his widowed mother and is, at best, a "mama's boy," and, at worst, a bit of a coward. He is drafted into the A.E.F. when World War I breaks out, and accidentally captures a nest of German snipers, and is decorated for bravery. He returns home as a hero but Vance, the town bully, challenges him to a fight but Barry refuses and the townsmen mock him and consider him a coward. His girlfriend Janet is none too impressed, either. He heads for the tall timber with suicide as his intent.