Blanco (MARTHA HYER) in the act of setting it afire to 0collcct insurance money. After saving the house and moving his family in, Vance and Laura develop a friendship which becomes a passionate affair. Vance neglects his work and his wife, and faced with the loss of job and family, breaks off with Laura. He tells her that he would not break up the relationship were it not for his family, and Laura determines to do away with them.
She sets fire to the Pierson house one night while Vance is working late, trapping Laura and her little daughter. Vance returns home while the fire is at its height and almost perishes with his family in a vain attempt to save them. He escapes alive but suffers fourth degree burns to face and hands, disfiguring him SO badly that he will never again resemble a human being.
Laura visits Vance in the hospital and when she admits setting the fire, he vows to kill her and her own daughter. He warns her to run away so he can search for her and make her suffer and wonder when he will strike hack in revenge.
As soon 'as he is able, still scarred and bandaged beyond recognition, Vance escapes from the hospital to begin his vengeful search for Laura. His first act of vengeance is to set fire to the house
where her daughter Isabella (MARISENKA) lives with Laura's brother and his wife. Isabella is saved, hut the brother and his wife perish in the flames. Laura and her little girl disappear in the face of a widespread police hunt to capture the maddened Vance and save the mother and daughter.
Fifteen months pass with no trace of either Vance or Laura, when suddenly Vance strikes again with a fire which kills Laura's mother and her maid. There are no clues, other than the presence of a carnival in a nearby village. Julio, searching for his friend along with the police. remembers Vance's childhood fondness for ferris wheels and checks out the operator (if the amusement device, who is apparently a Dane. Peter Swenson, who is really Vance, disguised and his appearance altered. 1-he is sought after by Lu (SOLEDAD MIRANDA) the pretty daughter of the carnival owner.
We soon learn that the carnival travels to the remote villages of Northern Spain - an area where Laura has fled with her daughter to live in isolated fear on a small, desolate island. When the carnival arrives on the mainland, Laura's daughter hides in the boat of a fisherman to get to see the carnival. She is spotted by the disguised Vance ','. ho learns where she lives.
The frightened Laura alerts the police hut before she can flee again. Vance goes to the island to wreak his revenge despite a last minute attempt by Liz to stop him. Vance arrives at night -while Laura is taking a bath. He douses the house with gasoline, pulls out the light fuses and waits to confront Laura. She does not recognize him at first and learns who it really is when she finally is subdued after a struggle. Vance reveals his horribly scarred face …