During 1798, Bushrod Gentry (Robert Taylor) is a Kentucky trapper who travels from place to place, sometimes staying with settler families for a night or two before moving on. Being a handsome man he often breaks the hearts of the unmarried young daughters of his hosts and it always leads to proposals of marriage from the girls' part. This causes Bushrod to quickly pack his gear, give the smitten girl his standard speech about why he cannot marry or settle down and depart in a hurry, leaving the girl in tears. But one day, after being saved from an Indian attack by young Scottish woman, Mary Stuart Cherne (Eleanor Parker), he takes shelter with her family until his injured arm can heal. Invariably, the girl falls for his charm and asks him to marry her. Bushrod gives her his standard speech and thinks he's off the hook but stubborn Mary Stuart is not so easily dissuaded. This leads to lies, insinuations, evasive actions, hilarity, fist fights with her brothers, a shooting contest, broken promises and a shotgun wedding. Bushrod is determined to leave and he has a few tricks up his sleeve.