- June Tolliver, whose family has long feuded with the Falins, falls in love with engineer John Hale when he comes to their mountain town. John sends her to the city to be educated with the promise of marriage when she returns. Because John is appointed deputy he tries to remain neutral, but he finds the Falins supporting him when June's Uncle Rufe is accused of murder. June is called to testify during his trial but does not perjure herself for Rufe's sake. To prevent a Tolliver from being hanged, Jud Tolliver has Rufe shot. John is also injured, but June's pleading finally brings an end to the feud.—AFI
- Two youngsters, one from the Tolliver family, and one from the Falin family, are shooting marbles when the Tolliver lad is taunted because of a patch on his trousers. The two boys grapple, and soon are rolling on the ground. Both fathers arrive, followed by both mothers. Words are exchanged, and the families come to blows. Tolliver's son is shot and killed by one of the Falins, thus starting a long feud in the Cumberland Mountains. Years later, the feud between the two families is suspended, due to the development of their coal and iron holdings. John Hale, an engineer from the North, has organized a police guard to bring law to the mountains. "Bad" Rufe Tolliver returns from the West, despite having promised to stay out of the area. Hale threatens to send him to jail if he doesn't leave immediately. Rufe complies, but threatens vengeance when he comes back. Hale meets June Tolliver, daughter of Jud Tolliver, when he rides up a ridge to examine a coal vein. He takes an interest in June, agrees to pay for her schooling, and takes an option on Jud's coal mine. June's cousin, Dave Tolliver, who loves June, resents Hale's attentions towards her, and declares he will kill any man who tries to take her from him. June goes to New York for a year under the guardianship of Hale's sister, where she develops a passion for music. Meanwhile, the industrial boom in Kentucky bursts, and Hale loses money. He is hard pressed to pay for June's expenses. Rufe Tolliver quietly returns, and the old feud with the Falins is revived. June returns from New York. But she overhears Rufe threaten to kill a policeman. When Rufe commits the crime, Hale arrests him. For the sake of her family, June breaks from Hale, but at Rufe's trial, she tells what she overheard and Rufe is convicted and sentenced to death. Dave Tolliver declares his intention to kill Hale, and when June hears of the threat, she rides desperately to warn Hale of the danger. Since the Tollivers believe that "no Tolliver was ever hanged," Dave Tolliver shoots Rufe dead while the latter is standing at a window of the jail. June reaches Hale, but Dave ambushes him, and Hale drops by June's side, but he recovers. Dave falls from the roof where he had been hiding, and is fatally injured. Through June's efforts, the feud is called off. Hale and June are married.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content