Katie Jones, living on an army post in the Mississippi River valley with her officer brother, takes her regimented, carefree life for granted until she foils a young woman's suicide attempt, then begins to probe the girl's psyche for motives. As the girl's mental state improves, she tells Katie of her past life in Centralia and Chicago, reveals the reason for her despondency, and together the two find a greater awareness of the meaning of life.
