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L'Odonnance (The Orderly) is based on the Guy de Maupassant story of the same name. After the sudden and unexpected suicide of his wife Helene (Marcelle Chantal), a grief-stricken Colonel (Jean Worms) comes into possession of a letter left behind by his wife. In flashback, the audience is apprised of the events leading up to Helene's demise. It seems that in the Colonel's absence, Helene entered into a brief affair with a young lieutenant (Claude Lehmann). This indiscretion was witnessed by Phillipe (Alexandre Rignault), the Colonel's orderly, who demands a great deal of money to keep his mouth shut. Phillipe's villainy reaches its summit when he takes advantage of the lieutenant's absence by offering himself as Helene's lover -- again threatening to reveal all to the Colonel if Helene does not accede to his wishes. Unable to withstand the shame, Helene drowns herself. Upon being apprised of all the facts, the Colonel takes matters in his own hands, bringing Philippe's blackmailing career to a violent end. L'Odonnance was a remake of a 1921 film, also directed by Victor Tourjansky.