Nanette Roland lives an unhappy existence in the Northwoods; her father dies leaving her no money, and her fiancee, Raoul Challoner, has gone off trapping for pelts, and has disappeared. She does not want to marry Duncan McDougall's son, Buck, until she is convinced that Raoul is dead. Buck fabricates evidence that Raoul is dead, and Nanette reluctantly agrees to marry him. She is about to be wed when Raoul returns and spirits her away from the ceremony. Raoul and Nanette are married, but Buck goads Raoul into a fight, during which one of Buck's men, Black Marat, is accidentally killed.