Her father’s murder when she is seven leads to her mother’s mental breakdown and the dispersion of the four sisters. Several uncles try to molest Mary. She and a younger sister end up with their maternal grandmother, who is poor but firm and loving. Mary longs to kill the murderer. Her sister runs away but Mary does well in school, graduating salutatorian. Her grandmother dies that day, and Mary weds her high school sweetheart who is abusive. Finally, Mary takes their two children and divorces him. She drinks to ease the pain, meets Jay and they marry. After he quits drinking, she talks with his sister, who leads her to Christ. She is able to forgive the murderer and serve.