Southern banjo player Luke Stringer had headed to New York to find fame and fortune. He returns to his sister's farm, sad, defeated, and with just twelve dollars in his pocket. Hoping to put the pieces of his life back together, he meets up with the town's recluse and her blind daughter. The woman, Ruthie, is known as "the snake lady" because she makes and sells snakeskin articles. Luke takes a liking to her and begins teaching her daughter to play the banjo.