- When her mother dies, Mary not only becomes the household slave of her overbearing father, Scottish American Andy MacTavish, but also becomes a mother to her little sister Ruth at their home on the Dakota plains. Years later, Jack Fraser, the son of a surgeon at the nearby fort and a steady visitor at the MacTavish home, secretly marries Ruth although he is deeply loved by Mary. Sometime later, a baby is born to Ruth, and Mary, doubting her sister's assertion that she is married to Fraser, takes the child to the fort to find out the truth from Fraser himself. Andy, believing the baby to be Mary's, orders her from the house. In the meantime, the Indians go on the warpath and Mary is surrounded. Buck Mathews, a half-breed who has lusted after Mary, sees her with the child, and pitying the helplessness of the girl, leaves the Indians to protect Mary. Fraser arrives just as Buck is fatally wounded, rescues Mary, who forgives Buck before he dies. Fraser now acknowledges that he is the husband of Ruth.—Pamela Short
- Andy MacTavish, a stern Scotchman, held that women were slaves and needed no education. He was power supreme over his daughter, Mary, and his wife, whose failure to present him with a son damned her in his eyes. When she gave birth to another girl, Andy became so violent that the frightened woman passed away. Womanhood found Mary a willing slave to the sister whom she mothered. Lieutenant Fraser was like a brother to Mary and Ruth. Seeing the look of love in Ruth's eyes, Jack confessed his love. They forgot to tell Mary. The railroad was planning to build through this country, and the squatters urged to protect their land by filing claims. MacTavish found Buck Mathews and his brother Bill, "badmen," had already jumped his claim. Buck went to the cabin, where he found Mary and Ruth alone. Mary attempted to protect her sister, and aroused the admiration of Buck. Fraser entered in time to force Buck to leave. MacTavish returned and accused Jack of stealing his claim, but Mary told her father that he had saved it. A cyclone arose and Andy read from the Bible. Ruth furtively read from a book given her by Fraser. Her father demanded the book, and the girl refusing, he snatched up his whip. Mary and Ruth backed to the cabin door. A flash of lightning struck MacTavish, paralyzing him. Buck determined to get Mary. One day he appeared as she was plowing the fields. She raised her whip and struck him. Mary sent Ruth to school. Some months later she received a letter from the matron that her sister was not a proper associate for the other girls. Mary found Ruth was the mother of a baby boy. When MacTavish saw the child he promptly thought it Mary's, and ordered her from the house. Fraser later tried to arrest Buck and a battle ensued, during which the building caught fire. Fraser was rescued by a troop of soldiers. Buck escaped and wrought up the Indians, who started to sweep over the prairie. They met Mary fleeing with the baby, and were about to murder her, when Buck saw the child. His blood aroused, he fought, keeping Mary behind him, until rescued by Fraser and his troop. Buck, fatally wounded, died after being forgiven by Mary. Fraser went to MacTavish's cabin and was surprised to find Ruth. MacTavish, believing him the betrayer oi Mary, grappled with Jack and was about to strike him with a knife, when Ruth told her father she was Jack's wife and it was their baby Mary took away. MacTavish was pacified, and Jack set out to find the girl. Reunited, Mary took up her mission of service to the others.
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