Paul and Virginia are two young lovers who have grown up together from infancy on an island in the Indies. When Virginia is sixteen, her mother receives a letter from a wealthy aunt in Paris, who offers to make Virginia her heir and give her a good education, providing Virginia will, in the future, make her aunt's home her own. Virginia goes leaving Paul brokenhearted at her departure. Virginia tries to be a dutiful niece, but when her aunt insists that Virginia marry a rich nobleman she refuses, and her aunt disowns her sending her back to her island home. Virginia's ship arrives during a hurricane, and despite being only a cable's length from shore, it sinks before help can reach it. Paul almost loses his own life in a vain attempt to save her, but Virginia is lost.