The lure of FREEDOM was great Caleb, freed by Lincoln's Emancipation Proclomation, seeks that freedom. The journey is long and full of danger, including slave catchers, bushwhackers, led by a past enemy who stumbles upon Caleb and is anxious to repay him for past transgressions, and finally, Mother Nature at her worst. In his search Caleb meets Prudy, the woman who would become his wife; Smokey, a small boy who needs a family, and Lula, an aged woman with a wisdom only time and experience can teach who freely imparts that knowledge - whether wanted or not. Caleb's quest for respect is blocked by racism and intolerance. After numerous battles and hard-won victories, he gains the respect he so desperately sought and settles into a new life, but another adventure awaits. A request is made he can't refuse that takes him back to an old friend and an old debt he must repay - or die trying.