In the film version of Harold Bell Wright's 1907 novel, the Shepherd is attacked and wounded by the Baldknobbers. He is taken to the Matthews family cabin to recover and becomes involved in their problems. The Matthews family does not know that the Shepherd is actually the father of the young artist, Howard, who deserted their pregnant daughter years before. The daughter had died in childbirth and her son is now a mentally-disabled boy named Pete who lives in the woods. There is also a love triangle between the Matthews' son, Young Matt, the beautiful Sammy Lane, and her city fiance' Ollie Stewart. Throughout the course of the movie, there are fights, dances, a shootout between the Sheriff and the Baldknobber gang, old secrets are revealed, and lost gold is found to help the community.