In 1870, Dr. John Brighton and his wife Louise are on a wagon train heading for California. When they reach Oklahoma Territory, Louise dies during childbirth, but her baby girl survives. Louise is buried in the nearby town of Cherokee Wells, where her distraught husband decides to remain and practice medicine. He receives room and board from elderly widow Mrs. Fitzgerald, who also offers to help rear Dr. Brighton's child. Despite the town being a peaceful one, wealthy rancher Cass Dobie and his brother Mel stir up trouble. When the two brothers don't like a rival cattleman they undercut his price to try to force him out of business. Cass has secretly discovered oil on the land of his native neighbor, Charlie Smith. Oil is a relatively new commodity and few people know what it looks like or what it's worth. Cass Dobie offers to buy Charlie's land but when Charlie refuses to sell, Dobie threatens him. Dr. Brighton finds himself involved in this feud and the town's racial divide because of his friendship with the Smiths, with possible tragic consequences for all involved in it.