when a minister dies from alcoholism, his daughter briar rose (love), also called "nettles", is unofficially adopted by a team of lumberjacks, including the rough-and-tumble 'hell-to-pay' austin (lucas). nettles is so touched by the logging camp's tribute to her father, organized by austin, that she chooses him to be her foster father. her innocence and purity eventually transform austin into an upstanding christian.