'His name's Judd Hogan. Please call him that so I can find him,' Judd's mother calls as she carefully places the newborn boy on a chair in the McDonald Boys' Home, near Brisbane. But she never reappears and Judd's battles begin. He is unwelcome at the Home which wants only boys who can work in the potato fields, but he survives all the cruelties, becoming a rapidly growing and very strong boy in the process. He's also very intelligent and is soon a top student at the local State school where he's befriended by Mata Molnar, a pretty girl of his age. Her parents, bothered by the conditions at the Home, take Judd into their home as a brother for Mata and he and Mata become close. When Judd and Mata reach an age where their love is obvious, her parents spirit her to relatives in Hungary, away from Judd.At University Judd, angered, feverishly works on his studies so he can get a job, save money and look for Mata. He obtains a sensitive position at the Government betting agency and begins to embezzle money. When his Recover Mata Fund is complete and he prepares for Europe, but finds that a young married friend has also been thieving. When the Police come, Judd confesses and returns all the money he stole, covering his friend's theft. He is in prison for four years and quickly learns to defend himself and soon becomes king of the yard.His cellmate is a big Samoan who's dying, and Judd forgoes parole to help him.In prison he gets word that Mata has married in England so gives up on her. On release,he goes to a small country town and there meets a cattle heiress, Madonna Bellamy, and they quickly marry and have an idyllic life, travelling and trying to have a child. After two years, Madonna tells him she's pregnant and they celebrate at dinner at the small local pub that night. Judd has a minor run-in with a former beau of Madonna.They're happily driving home when Judd sees a car approaching on the wrong side of the road. He calls to Madonna and puts out a hand to her.......