Cattle baron Nat Erdlatter has built his empire by taking what he wants, then ruthlessly holding on to it. Even now, with the Homestead Act encouraging people to claim their own portions of land, he believes that his needs take precedence over the government's decrees. But times are changing, and the citizens of nearby Enterprise are angered by his latest callous act - none more so than his ranch hands Clem Rawlings and Gus Farley, who become embroiled...

Tragedy strikes the Cardinal family when their car is involved in an accident. 12-year-old Lou and 7-year-old Oz survive, but their father is killed and their mother is left in a coma. It is left to their great grandmother to bring them up.