After a childhood beset by abject poverty, Jeckie Fletcher is determined to do whatever it takes to live a comfortable, stable life. That's why she rejects the love of her childhood sweetheart, Joe Bartle, and instead sets her sights on local merchant Albert Grice. When her dogged pursuit of Grice ends in failure, Jeckie refuses to give up on her dream -- setting into motion a series of events that will ultimately wreak havoc in the lives of everyone involved.