After an absence of ten years, Severino returns home to the Manzenero tribe, who live on the edge of the Argentinian Andes, only to find a host of problems in his village. His father, who was on the trail of a gang of white cattle-stealing bandits, has been recently found dead.

The culprit turns out to be a sheep-ranching company who wants to create conflict between the Indians and settlers and drive them off the valuable fertile land. Severino decides to remain in his village to defend it, but also because he has fallen in love with Maruja, the granddaughter of the old chief Nicolas, who is filled with hatred against the white settlers.

When Nicolas calls for war against the settlers, Severino tries to mediate between the hostile parties by using his own savings to buy back the Indians' rightful land. These peace-making attempts bring him into conflict with the stubborn chief, and Maruja now has to save Severino's life from his own tribe.