Dr. Franklin Cochran practices in Luxor, Egypt, and his vivacious wife. Miriam, is prominent in society affairs. She makes the acquaintance of Mahmud Bey, an Oriental diplomat, who becomes fascinated with the young woman and by artful blandishments so impresses the temperamental wife that she neglects her husband. In a burst of crazed anger the doctor departs for the desert, first making out a will which amply provides for Miriam. Reaching a Bedouin village Cochran trades his horse for a camel and continues across the desert. The scorching sun and sands almost overpower him, but with true instinct the camel finds an oasis, where the unfortunate wanderer falls in a daze. Zenab, a young Egyptian woman, comes to the oasis and discovers the doctor. She summons her tribesmen, who tenderly carry Cochran to their village. When he gains strength the doctor embraces the Mohammedan faith, saying his past is dead and the future offers nothing. He is adopted by the Sheik, the father of Zenab. The doctor labors faithfully with the natives and his friendship for Zenab develops into a warm love, which is reciprocated. The Sheik gives his daughter in marriage to Cochran and they live happily together. There comes a time when Miriam, with a party of tourists, visits the quaint village, and there she discovers her husband. He is horrified at the meeting as he has long since consigned her to the forgotten past. Miriam, repentant, implores Cochran to return to her, but he is firm in his devotion to Zenab. The Egyptian wife sees her husband with the stranger and is lead to believe that she will be deserted. Cochran accompanies Mirian to the edge of the village and then bids her to depart forever from his life. He returns to join Zenab and finds to his horror that the heartbroken girl has killed herself. The doctor's cup of sorrow is now full and, kneeling at the side of his faithful wife, he cries in supplication: "Allah preserve us, for we are but the Dust of the Desert."