During the Great Depression, Lizzie Curry is the sole female in a household of males on the Curry ranch in rural Three Point, the males being her widowed father H.C. and brothers Noah and Jim. Considered plain, Lizzie is close to being classified a spinster, something she doesn't like, she wanting to be loved for herself and not wanting to act flirty i.e. helpless or silly, to attract a man, or to be paraded as desperate for a husband. H.C. and Jim in particular will push her into situations to be with eligible men, inexperienced Jim who himself is susceptible to ploys of such flirty girls as Snookie Maguire. Of the men in town, they all believe that recently arrived Deputy Sheriff File has the most potential as a mate for Lizzie, he who tells people he that he is widowed, while in reality his wife left him for another man, arguably the reason for he being relationship-shy. The lives of the entire family are turned upside down with the arrival into town of Bill Starbuck, a proverbial snake oil salesman who they are unaware is on File's radar as the con man heading their way. What Starbuck is selling to the Currys is rain in the current drought decimating their cattle stock. For $100 up front, he guarantees rain within twenty-four hours. While H.C., with naive Jim by his side, is willing to pay the money seeing the amount as what he may routinely lose on a gambling night anyway, Noah but Lizzie in particular can see Starbuck as the charlatan that he is. But Lizzie may have a different view of this stranger when he convinces her that she is indeed beautiful.—Huggo