Kindred of the Dust

Kindred of the Dust opens in the timber country of Port Agnew, Washington, where Hector McKaye—"The Laird"—has built a lumber empire from frontier daring, practical genius, and fierce family pride. From his cliffside home above the bight, he watches his ships, his town, and the future he imagines for his son Donald, even as the rise of rival mill settlements exposes the harsh class divisions and human cost of industrial expansion. McKaye's power reshapes the land itself, from the orderly town of Port Agnew to the rougher, unsanitary Darrow, and even the dump known as the Sawdust Pile, which he turns toward useful purpose. When Caleb Brent, a resourceful retired sailor, and his spirited daughter Nan claim that neglected ground, McKaye's curiosity and generosity create an unlikely alliance. But the humble household on the Sawdust Pile becomes the center of a deeper conflict as Donald falls in love with Nan, threatening his inheritance, his duty, and his father's hopes. As family loyalty, class prejudice, and ruthless scheming collide, the novel builds toward a painful choice between privilege and love. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.