After Oklahoma Territory opened for settlement, many people left their homes to move to the Territory and obtain free land. These pioneers settled in a wild place, sparsely populated by the Plains Indians. Many became farmers in order to survive on the desolate plains. Some lived in fear of the Native Americans during the earliest years. When oil was discovered, settlers grasped the opportunity for a better life by leaving their farms to move to boom towns to find employment in the oil fields. Action is set in the western half of Oklahoma during the years of 1906 through the early 1940's. The experiences of the people include the way of life on the farms and oil leases, fatal fights, a murder trial, drilling for oil, and the love of an Indian for a settler that endures through the years.