When Valancy is diagnosed with a terminal heart condition, she tries to hide it from her family. She soon realizes that she has never been happy in her life and rebels against the colorless life her family imposed on her. Valancy enjoys being paid and spending her salary in ways that her family would frown upon. Valancy's family disowns her for marrying such a disreputable man, but she sees no reason to be ashamed of him. Later, Valancy gets her shoe stuck in a train track during their courtship and is nearly killed by an oncoming train, but Barney manages to save her life. Valancy soon comes to believe she has deceived Barney into marriage and files for divorce. Barney rushes to her mother's house as fast as he can and begs her to return to him.