A Story of Montana (1912)

• 79%
• 1912
• Western
• Gilbert M. Anderson
• Gilbert M. Anderson
• Vedah Bertram
• Harry Todd

Old Clayton, a ranchman, has a pretty daughter, Sue, who is loved by Dan Morris, a worthless cattleman. Clayton tries to force Sue to marry Morris, but the girl indignantly refuses, tells Morris she doesn't love him and goes to meet her real sweetheart. Tim Burrows, a stalwart young cowboy, to whom she gives a pair of hand-made gauntlets. They are planning to marry when Morris discovers them, goes to Clayton in a rage and tells him of what he has seen. Clayton Instantly orders Burrows off the ranch with many threats and Burrows, furious, declares if he ever applies such names to him again he will kill him. This is overheard by Sue, who calls her father into the ranch-house. Later old Clayton is carrying his saddle into the barn when he is suddenly stricken with heart-failure and dies. Coming upon the body, Morris suddenly conceives a dastardly scheme, drops Burrows' gauntlets beside the body, withdraws to a distance and fires two shots into the dead man. Biding to the sheriff's office, Morris explains matters, the sheriff investigates and the supposed crime is fastened upon Burrows. At the trial Sue is called to the witness stand and is forced to acknowledge having heard her sweetheart threaten her father's life. The jury returns a verdict of "guilty," and things look black for Burrows. However, Morris is now mortally wounded in a saloon brawl, and, on his deathbed, confesses the truth about Clayton's death and clears Burrows. Later Mrs. Clayton gladly gives her consent to Sue's marriage with Burrows and withdraws silently from the room as Jim takes the girl to his heart.