During World War I in 1916, Austrian soldier Dodek Wędzonka is mistaken for a Russian lieutenant and freed by a Russian patrol, only to be quartered at the seized Majewo estate - home of his own superior, Lieutenant Majewski.

After becoming a licensed engineer abroad, Lucyna comes back to Poland and looks for a job. Because her wealthy father thinks it's inappropriate for a girl to work, she decides to put on men's clothes and get a job as Julian Kwiatkowski.