Maude must fend for herself in the mining town of Eldorado, New Mexico, after her mother dies and her father's "gold fever" inspires him to take off for the Yukon. Her strong desire to leave the frontier town and become an artist makes her take a job in a boarding house. But young women on their own with no money in the 1890s are not only frowned upon, they are looked at with scorn and suspicion. For Maude, whose strong will tends to get her in trouble, her new life can seem downright unbearable. Luckily, the few special friendships she does form help her achieve her dream.