Pasquinel, a French-Canadian trapper, rows up the Platte River around 1800, intruding on Indian land and looking for fur pelts. The trapper has a critical confrontation with Indian hero Lame Beaver, yet they soon become friends and the fur trading operation is started. Later, Pasquinel runs across a band of unfriendly Pawnees holding Scot fugitive McKeag prisoner. Pasquinel swaps the Pawnees a gun for McKeag, and the two men become business partners. During a trip to take pelts to St. Louis, Pasquinel marries Lise, daughter of German silversmith Herman Bockweiss, before heading back into the wilderness. Returning to Lame Beaver's Indian village, the two trappers find a number of changes and Clay Basket, Lame Beaver's daughter, becomes their charge. 

After being falsely accused of rape, Mennonite butcher Levi Zendt flees his hometown and meets with McKeag. Levi becomes deeply Involved with McKeag's family which includes Clay Basket, who married McKeag after Pasqulnel's death.