Their mother had perished on the journey west. Their father was long gone--was he even still alive? With the help of the wagon train master, 15-year-old Corrie Belle Hollister and her four younger brothers and sisters must find their way to the coast during the California Gold Rush. When the children arrive in Miracle Springs and discover that the uncle they were looking for has skipped town--with the sheriff not far behind--the land of promise turns...

Corrie's reputation as a journalist has brought her to the attention of handsome young Republican aide Cal Burton, who tries to convince her to use her influence to get Abe Lincoln elected, and though she is very opposed to slavery, her zeal is tempered by the mounting conflict within the nation and her own family.

Corrie, shot in the back while on a mission to warn General Grant about an assassination plot, loses her memory and gains the love of her life when she awakens in the home of Christopher Braxton.

Corrie Belle Hollister and Christopher Braxton, newly married, are making their first home on the farm of Corrie's parents when an old enemy of her father shows up seeking revenge.

Zack leaves home to become part of the Pony Express, and finds danger, adventure and independence.