Summary
In a valley long occupied by squatters who displaced the indigenous Indians, two enigmatic strangers, Engineer John Marshall and District Schoolteacher Mary Elizabeth Dale, arrive, disrupting the precarious equilibrium. The valley's inhabitants, wary of outsiders, regard them with hostility. Unbeknownst to Mary, her family's history is inextricably linked to the valley; her father, Welchel Dale, was brutally lynched by bootleggers who suspected him of being a revenue agent. As Marshall's true intentions come to light – to facilitate the construction of a dam to provide power for a nearby industrial town – tensions escalate. The squatters, convinced that Marshall's company will exploit them, are incensed. Through Mary's intervention, Marshall persuades the company to offer fair compensation for the land. However, an incensed mob attempts to lynch him. In the ensuing chaos, two villainous men and an innocent boy are killed. Ultimately, the valley's residents, chastened by the loss of life, accept Marshall's generous offer and agree to relocate. The film concludes with Marshall and Mary Elizabeth's union, symbolizing a new era of cooperation and understanding.
Synopsis
To a valley held by squatters since their ancestors took it from the Indians come two strangers who are regarded with hostility by the natives. Engineer John Marshall's mission is mysterious and he chooses to live in a cabin long believed to be haunted. The cabin's history is connected with district schoolteacher Mary Elizabeth Dale. She comes to the valley unaware that her father, Welchel Dale, original owner of the cabin, was lynched by some angry bootleggers who suspected that he was a revenue agent. The squatters learn that Marshall's mission is to take over their land, enabling Marshall's company to dam the valley, thus providing power for a nearby industrial town. After convincing Marshall that the company should pay the squatters for the land, Mary Elizabeth helps him when an angry mob arrives to lynch him. During the melee two villainous men and one innocent boy are killed; when peace finally comes to the valley, the folk, sobered by the deaths, accept Marshall's generous compensation and consent to move. John weds Mary.
