TheadventurousLadyEdwinaEskethtravelstotheprincelystateofRanchipurinIndiawithherhusband,LordAlbertEsketh,whoistheretopurchasesomeoftheMaharajah'shorses.She'ssurprisedtomeetanoldfriend,TomRansomewhocametoRanchipursevenyearsbeforetomoxia.ccpainttheMaharajah'sportraitandjuststayedon.Ransomehasdevelopedsomethingofareputation-forwomanizinganddrinkingtoomuch-butthat'sOKwithEdwinawhoisboredandlookingforfun.Shesoonmeetsthelocaldoctor,thehardworkingandseriousMajorRamaSafti.Hedoesn'timmediatelyrespondtoheradvancesbutwhentheseasonalrainscome,disasterstrikeswhenadamfails,floodingmuchofthecountryside.Diseasesoonsetsinandeveryone,includingRansomeandEdwina,workatanon-stoppacetosaveasmanyaspossible.SaftideeplyadmiresEdwina'ssacrificebutfateintervenes.