Nilda Carlson and her brother Ivar are thrilled to be headed to America. Their relatives Signe and Rune welcome them warmly, as does Gerd Strand, but their uncle Einar doesn’t seem to like anyone. Nilda soon finds work helping a young widow with her children, and is introduced to their schoolteacher. Now her world is beginning to grow…but Nilda still wonders what happened to make Einar so unhappy.