In the 1890s, among the residents of Flambeau, Alaska, a small mining town near the Canadian border, are gold prospectors John Gale and "No Creek" Lee (the only man in town who doesn't have a creek named after him), and a big-hearted, singing French fur trapper named Poleon Doret. Gale lives with an Indian woman, Alluna, and a young woman, Necia, whom he calls his daughter. In reality, she is the daughter of another Indian, Merridy, a woman Gale had loved, but who married another man, Bennett, who mistreated her. When Necia was three, Merridy summoned Gale for help and asked him to take care of Necia while she confronted Bennett about his abuse. Although Merridy planned to join Gale and Necia, she never came, and Gale was charged with kidnapping and murder. To save the child, Gale changed her name to Necia and became an outlaw. When the U.S. Army, led by Lieutenant Burrell, sets up a post in Flambeau, the town booms. Among the newcomers is Bennett, who is using the alias of Stark. He has been tracking Gale for fifteen years and plans to have him arrested and to steal Necia from him. Although Poleon, who has grown up with Necia, is deeply in love with her, she falls in love with Burrell. Alluna warns her that a white man will never marry a "half-breed," after which Necia confronts Burrell, who intimates that their parting would be the best thing for her. In a state of grief, Necia wanders off alone in the woods and Stark follows, sending her down the river to a mission. Meanwhile, in town, Gale has decided to confess all to Burrell in order to secure Necia's future with him. When Stark orders Burrell to arrest Gale, Gale confronts Stark and both men are wounded. As Stark lays dying, he tells Gale he has "Merridy," and Poleon runs to the river to rescue Necia. He arrives in time to stop her from being accosted by her oarsman. Burrell gets a signed confession about Merridy's murder from Stark before he dies, and the Miners Committee clears Gale of blame in Stark's death. Poleon gallantly gives up Necia to Burrell and leaves Flambeau singing in a canoe.
