In the lawless territories of the Old West, Eldon Quint and his young son must journey to Missouri to bury his recently deceased child, while being pursued by his criminal brother. Meanwhile, in the newly emancipated south, an ambitious black housemaid, Minn Barker, makes a daring escape from her lecherous overlord--and father to her unborn child--to pursue her dream of attending one of the first black colleges in America. A chance run-in brings Eldon and Minn, setting the stage for an unexpected future together.