Eight-year-old girl Olivia works to repay her father's debts and, as a 'little head of the household,' disciplines three mischievous wealthy children, asserting her authority with a sickle and shaping character through labor. Her gambler father repeatedly causes trouble, further harming Mrs. Smith, who took her in. With the help of companions, Olivia breaks the bonds of blood, uses her agricultural talent to become a technical consultant, and after being officially adopted, establishes a foundation, moving from the mud toward a new life.
