Summary
In the morally ambiguous mining settlement of Poker Flat, John Oakhurst—a gambling den proprietor hardened by frontier pragmatism—finds his cynical existence disrupted when entrusted with the guardianship of innocent Easterner Lucy Decker. As winter isolates their ramshackle sanctuary, Oakhurst navigates treacherous dynamics among exiled outcasts: the volatile miner Uncle Billy, fallen woman Duchess, and his own best friend, the idealistic Tom Simson. Lucy's presence ignites dormant virtues within Oakhurst, sparking agonizing self-reflection as he observes her growing affection for Simson. The den owner's internal conflict crystallizes during a life-and-death blizzard, forcing him to reconcile possessive desire against self-sacrificial love. His ultimate choice—a gambler's final wager with destiny—redeems his tarnished soul through devastating renunciation, leaving Poker Flat forever transformed by the collateral beauty of broken hearts.
Synopsis
The owner of a gambling hall is entrusted with the care of a pretty young girl. He falls in love with her, but he must decide whether to let her go to his best friend, with whom he believes her to be in love, or to try to win her for himself.
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