John Hare lies dying in the desert until he is discovered and saved by the kind and generous rancher, August Naab. As Hare is nursed back to health on Naab's ranch, he finds himself irresistibly attracted to Naab's adopted daughter, Mescal. But Mescal is being relentlessly pursued by Holderness, a man who is not to be trusted. Hare is soon drawn into a web of adventure and intrigue over land, water, and the heart of a beautiful woman, all set against the sweeping backdrop of the Wild West.