After nearly drowning, James is rescued by a small band of Ojibwa and comes between two men and the woman they love. James is taken in by a group of Ojibwa after a fall. A trader living with them tells James that a boy is endangered. James assists the boy to recovery. The trader introduces James the boy's sister, Meenya, a young woman in the tribe with whom the trader is in love. Her family won't let her marry him. Instead, they offer her in marriage to James who refuses. However, in the translation the trader tells the family James agrees and he tells James that they accept his decision but want to give him a feast in thanks. At the feast, James and the girl are supposed to be ceremoniously married but James figures this out and refuses. The next morning he leaves clandestinely only to be stopped by the tribe who accuse him of killing a rival tribesman who also wanted Meenya. Both James and the trader are told that one must kill the other, James refuses but the trader agrees,