The novel follows the lives of a group of raucous Texans in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Phineas Farrow enters the lives of Marvin G. Crush and the wealthy local widow, Stella Villard. The three agree to join forces in an outrageous scheme to bring wealth to their isolated, dying railroad community of far West Texas. The scheme ends badly, and they flee to Alaska where they are further tested.