Ben Ide spends his time chasing wild horses in Northern California, accompanied by the wanderer, Nevada and his Native American companion, Modoc.

She defends Ben against the suspicions of her newly-rich father and his mysterious associate, Les Setter, who has a previous connection to Nevada.

Looking toward the future, Ben Ide and his companions buy out a couple of ranchers in a severe drought and proceed to catch a lot of wild horses.

He is after one in particular- California Red, whom Ina's father has promised as a present for her, if any man should catch him.

The author accurately describes the geography of the region throughout the novel, identifying Mount Shasta, Tule Lake, and the landscape in and around Lava Beds National Monument.