As the nation readies to enter WWII, Tink Buchanan has one concern: his personal battle to regain the land, and home, that are his birthright. A generation earlier the Ogilvies had forced his father to turn over the land to cover a debt, and with the Depression grinding on, Tink sees his chance to return the favor—if he can only dredge up a bit more cash. So he pulls his son, Carter, out of college to work in his lumber mill and sets his eyes on going home. But Tink's plan unravels when Carter's affection for Julia Ogilvie threatens familial ties—and as racial tensions mount following the brutal murder of his employee, Saint MacGrue.