First there was the land. It was a land of gypsum hills, red cliffs and underground caverns, a land of dust and wind and violent storms. Cowboys from the south push their cattle through to railyards in Kansas. Indians roam the area picking off unwary travelers. Settlers from the east gather for the opening of the Cherokee Outlet.

The sweet cool water of an artesian spring draws people to a canyon. A nearby cave offers temporary shelter. A handful of intrepid women seek out the canyon, hoping to establish a community limited to females. A young man drifts through looking for a place to belong....