While working in a bustling Chicago grain mill, shy farmer Lem Tustine falls in love with Kate, a spirited waitress drawn to his quiet sincerity. The two marry quickly, but romance falters when Lem brings Kate back to his family's isolated wheat farm. There, Kate faces suspicion, cruelty, and rigid tradition - especially from Lem's domineering father, who views her as a disruptive outsider.