 The story is set in 1916. Bill (Gere), a Chicago manual laborer, knocks down and kills a boss (Margolin) in the steel mill where he works. He flees to the Texas Panhandle with his girlfriend Abby (Adams) and younger sister Linda (Manz), who provides the film narration. Bill and Abby pretend to be siblings to prevent gossip. The three hire on as part of a large group of seasonal workers with a rich, shy farmer (Shepard). The farmer learns that he is dying, although the nature of the illness is not specified.
After the farmer falls in love with Abby, Bill encourages her to marry the rich farmer so they can inherit his money after he dies. The marriage takes place and Bill stays on the farm as Abby's "brother". The farmer's foreman suspects their scheme. The farmer's health unexpectedly remains stable, foiling Bill's plans. Eventually, the farmer discovers Bill's true relationship with Abby. At the same time, Abby has begun to fall in love with her husband. After a locust swarm and a fire destroy his wheat fields, the incensed farmer goes after Bill with a gun, but Bill kills him with a screwdriver, fleeing with Abby and Linda. The foreman and the police pursue and eventually find them. Bill is killed by the police. Later, Abby inherits the farmer's money and leaves Linda at a boarding school. Abby leaves town on a train with soldiers departing for World War I. Linda runs away from school with a friend.
Who does the farmer fall in love with? What kind of school does Linda go to? What causes Bill to leave Chicago? What is the girlfriend's first name? When does the story take place? Who does the killer flee to Texas with? Who does the wealthy farmer marry? In what year is this story set? What happened to the farmer's wheat fields? Who kills the farmer with a screwdriver? Why did Bill want Abby to marry the farmer? Who leaves Chicago with him? Who encourages the farmer to marry the girl he falls in love with? How did Bill die? What is the younger sister's first name? What destroys the wheat fields? Why did Bill run to Texas? Where does the story take place? Where did Bill work when he lived in Chicago? Who pretends to be Bill's sister? When was Linda sent to boarding school? Where does Linda run away from with a friend? When is the story set? Why do Bill and Abby pretend to be brother and sister? How did Abby plan to inherit the farmer's money? Who suspects that Bill and Abby are not related? What type of work did Linda's brother do in Chicago? Who went to Texas with Bill?