LostNationdelvesbeneaththebright,promisingveneerofearly-nineteenth-centuryNewEnglandtounveilastartlingparableofindividualismandnationhood.ThenovelopenswithamanknownasBlood,guidinganoxcartofrumtowardthewildcountryofNewHampshire,anungovernedterritorycalledtheIndianStream--alandwherethelucklessoroutlawedhavemadeafreshstart.Bloodisamanofcontradictions,oflearningandwisdom,butalsoamanwithasecretpastthathasscorchedhissoul.Hesetsforthtoestablishhimselfasatrader,haulingwithhimSally,asixteen-year-oldgirlwonfromthemadamofabrotheloveragameofcards.TheirarrivalintheIndianStreamtriggersanescalatingseriesofclashesthatservestoseverthemaster/servantbondbetweenthem,andoffersbothasecondchancewithlife.Butastheconflictswithinthecommunityspilloverandattracttheattentionofoutsideauthorities,Bloodbecomesatargettothoseseekingeasyblamefortheirtroubles.Asplotsunravelandviolenceescalates,twoyoungmenofuncertainidentityappear,andBloodisforcedtoconfrontdreadedapparitionsofhispast,whileSallyisofferedafinalescape.