Born of a proud Irish heritage, Maggie O'Malley grew up with stories of her mother's struggles and hardships in traveling from Ireland to America. Although her mother was eventually forced to work as a servant in order to ensure their survival, Maggie was not content to live under the roofs of rich men and women who delegated housekeeping chores to poor immigrant families. Maggie convinces her mother to join her in a search for freedom and equality out West. Arriving in Denver and then moving out into the San Juan Mountains, Maggie and her mother feel that their adventure is ending. They discover that it has only just begun.