Anna Lucasta

The Lucasta family in Pennsylvania learns that Rudolf is coming to town to find a wife, and their friend Mr. Strobel will send $4,000 to accompany him. They decide to treat Anna as a bride-for-hire, hoping to profit from the arrangement. Joe, Anna's alcoholic father, initially resists, but Frank—Anna's brother-in-law—pressures him into agreeing by beating him.

Rudolf arrives in town and the plan is formalized: the Strobel-motivated $4,000 accompanies him as he courts a bride. The family views the arrangement as a chance to prosper from a marriage. Anna remains largely unaware of how far their scheme has progressed.

Anna lives in Brooklyn and works at a bar called Noah's Ark, earning a reputation as the family’s 'black sheep'. She is drawn to a sailor named Danny Johnson, who claims he has saved money to settle down, but he does not propose. When the family summons her back, she reluctantly agrees, having few other options.

Rudolf joins Anna in the bar, and they end up having dinner together. He immediately takes a liking to her, while she tests his resolve and intentions. The next day, Rudolf asks her to marry him and formalizes his interest.

Anna does not give Rudolf an immediate answer to his marriage proposal. She is haunted by memories of her past and wonders if a new life with Rudolf is truly possible. Her hesitation underscores the emotional pull between love and a difficult history.

On the family farm, Anna is haunted by a memory of being scolded for kissing a boy, which drove her to leave home years ago. The recollection pushes her toward leaving town again. The pull of the past makes her feel trapped in her current situation.

Rudolf follows Anna to the train station and pleads with her to stay and marry him. He gives her the $4,000 he has brought, hoping to secure a future together. Anna remains torn between her past and a potential new life with Rudolf.

Before the wedding can take place, Anna’s family intercepts and steals the money Rudolf gave her. The betrayal undermines their plans and shatters Rudolf’s confidence in the match. The family’s greed overrides any sense of opportunity for Anna.

Danny returns and asks for Anna, prompting Joe to confront him. Joe warns that he will ruin Rudolf's reputation by exposing details about Anna's past if she does not leave town with Danny. Caught between love and family coercion, Anna decides to go with Danny.

Anna departs with Danny for Brooklyn, abandoning the potential marriage to Rudolf. Rudolf continues to pursue her in the hope of reconciliation, but the immediate opportunity has slipped away. The chase for a second chance remains unresolved.

Rudolf tracks Anna to Brooklyn and eventually discovers the bar where she works. He waits for her, but she does not appear. He leaves a message that her father Joe has died, signaling a grim shift in the situation and a renewed sense of waiting.

Anna goes to the bar and learns that Rudolf has left his hotel. She loses hope of reconciliation and prepares to leave, only to find Rudolf waiting outside the bar as she exits. The two are left facing an uncertain future, with no clear resolution.