Meg (Allene Roberts) lives with her adoptive parents, Pete (Edward G. Robinson) and Ellen Morgan (Judith Anderson). When Nath (Lon McCallister), a classmate of Meg's, comes to help on their farm, Pete repeatedly tells Meg and Nath to stay out of the surrounding woods. Out of curiosity, they disobey, and Pete is irate, subsequently hiring Teller (Rory Calhoun) to guard the woods. As Pete's rage devolves into madness, the kids start to discover the dark secrets that are buried in the nearby land.