Laurie (Jean Parker)lives in the Limberlost (swampy timberland found in the American south)with her Aunt Nora (Marjorie Main), who hates the girl because her mother married the man Nora had loved. Laurie's existence is much the same as a bonded servant and she gets no encouragement from her aunt as she tries to overcome her environment by studying. Laurie's only friends are the birds and animals of the forest, and a young boy named Chris (Hollis Jewell), a bound boy to Corson (Edward Pawley), a drunken, coarse bully who is the wealthiest man in the community. Laurie meets and falls in love with Wayne (Eric Linden)whose ambition is to become a lawyer.
In the meantime, Corson, a widower, decides he wants to marry again and bargains with Nora to get Laurie as his bride. He promises to support Nora for the rest of her life in style and wealth. Laurie agrees to the forced marriage because Nora threatens to involve her dead mother in a scandal. Chris, secretly in love with Laurie, threatens to kill Corson before he will let him marry Laurie.
On the night before the wedding, Chris follows Corson to the barn, with a gun, but the bully disarms him with a whip. Accidentally, Corson falls onto the gun which he has seized from Chris, and is killed.
Chris is charged with murder, and Wayne agrees to defend him.
In the meantime, Corson, a widower, decides he wants to marry again and bargains with Nora to get Laurie as his bride. He promises to support Nora for the rest of her life in style and wealth. Laurie agrees to the forced marriage because Nora threatens to involve her dead mother in a scandal. Chris, secretly in love with Laurie, threatens to kill Corson before he will let him marry Laurie.
On the night before the wedding, Chris follows Corson to the barn, with a gun, but the bully disarms him with a whip. Accidentally, Corson falls onto the gun which he has seized from Chris, and is killed.
Chris is charged with murder, and Wayne agrees to defend him.