Devout wild-west farmer Clark Davis works his tail off to provide for his wife, sons Aaron and Arnie, and daughter Missie. When his beloved, equally-devoted older son Aaron is startled, Clark, who was chopping firewood, accidentally hits his leg with an ax. He would have bled to death if wandering youngster Nate hadn't found them, brought them home, and taken care of the farm, way above the kids' ability. Grateful Clark offers Nate an indefinite farmhand job, all the more interesting as he and Missie take to each other, but she's also courted by a classy railroad surveyor. Once recovered, Clark realizes that Nate is really Willie, the son of local grump Zeke, who left years ago after his kid brother Mattie's tragic death. Decision time arrives for both families.

Loveless, jobless, possibly terminally ill, Frank has had enough of the downward spiral of America. With nothing left to lose, Frank takes his gun and offs the stupidest, cruelest, and most repellent members of society. He finds an unusual accomplice: 16-year-old Roxy, who shares his sense of rage and disenfranchisement.