Norwegian immigrant Marta Hanson keeps a firm but loving hand on her household of four children, a devoted husband and a highly-educated lodger who reads great literature to the family every evening. Through financial crises, illnesses and the small triumphs of everyday life, Marta maintains her optimism and sense of humor, traits she passes on to her aspiring-author daughter, Katrin.

Two petty gangsters trying to elude their enemies join the French Foreign Legion.

On the eve of Columbus Day, Mateo, a boxer who has served time in prison for assault, returns to his New York City neighborhood, where he receives shocking news.

When Shag Smith kills Jim's brother Bob, Jim and Thunder quit the rangers so they can cross the border and join Smith's gang. Jim's plan is to get the gang to cross back over the border where the rangers will be waiting.