Dr. Lucas Steadman seeks to make amends for all the wrongs his rich and arrogant family inflicted on his hometown. He will be the servant instead of the taskmaster. He will lift up the mill workers and the downtrodden instead of adding to their sorrows. But are all his noble plans designed to make himself feel worthy? Has he the same generous heart of the nearsighted orphan who helps run the town orphanage? Maybe not. Perhaps she can pave the way to the release of guilt he feels just because he is a Steadman.