A young woman in search of a hero is reminded that there is a dark side to heroism.

Captain Dade, a war hero who rescues Miss Margaret Dornton from a mad dog, is referred to as Captain Dead because he has the dubious distinction of being the only one in his entire regiment to survive a charge in the battle of Waterloo. As Dade works out his feelings with regard to both the war and Miss Dornton, she in turn must deal with a trauma from her childhood and her growing love for the hero who thinks himself undeserving of such a title.