It's 1924, and times are tough throughout the Midwest. Tougher even for nineteen year old Hallie Meredith. Totally on her own and with a younger brother to care for, she is desperately in need of a job. She left her last job with rich, Quentin Raford when his unwelcome romantic overtures became unbearable. When Garth Macleod offers her a job as cook with his threshing outfit she jumps at it and finds a home with his nomadic outfit. They travel from farm to farm threshing wheat for farmers from miles around. But her security is short-lived when Raford decides he wants to put Macleod's outfit out of business...