The story of Henry Elijah Smith, respected, feared, but not loved -- a cotton grower, banker, lumber yard owner, the boss of a small Southern city. His reputation of a ruthless, bitter man veils a tenderness and understanding which comes to the fore when one of his favorite Negroes is killed by a man whom Lije had maltreated. A story of small people, at the time of the world war, realistically handled but only so-so.