The Mysterious Shot (1914)

Buck Gade, the son of the owner of the large Gourd Ranch, had dismounted and was on his knees stopping for a drink of water at a ford of the San Pedro River, when his hat was sent spinning by a bullet, and he promptly spread out flat on the ground. Immediately a horseman emerged from a clump of cotton woods across the river. Whereupon the foxy Buck Gade turned on his side and sent a 'forty-fiver' across the shallows. It spurted sand into the air close to the right of the rider, who wheeled and scurried off at top speed. Buck tried again, but the cartridge jammed. He was much disappointed because the fugitive was the Gopher, and the Gopher was the brains of the Price faction. Buck's father and Price, the owner of the Fork Ranch, were engaged in a desperate feud. Previous to this war Buck had been devoted in his attention to pretty Marylee, Prince's daughter, but her father so deep in his hatred of Gade, senior, forced his daughter to marry Gopher, his foreman. Marylee still loves Buck and meets him at every chance. This becomes known to Gopher, who determines to kill him and, prompted by jealousy, he is very cruel to Marylee. The war goes on and several attempts are made to kill Buck. Finally Gopher compels Marylee to write Buck a note, telling him that she is held prisoner by her husband, who threatens to send her to an asylum and begs him to come to her rescue at once. Buck starts off at once, unaccompanied, to affect her rescue. He reaches the house and just as he is about to signal Marylee through the window Gopher, assisted by one of his men knocks him down and the men proceed to tie him up with ropes. They then carry him off to an abandoned outhouse. Gopher then dismisses his men, stating that he will fix Buck. Buck securely bound has been placed on a stool and Gopher before carrying out his revenge taunts and man-handles him generally. Gopher sitting opposite his prisoner proceeds to sharpen a knife on his heel. He shows Buck how he intends to kill him. Gopher leans forward and smites him on the lip. Buck throws himself backward on the stool, kicking straight up as he topples over. The toe of his heavy riding boot catches the Gopher under the chin, and he falls down as though hit with a pile driver. Buck rolls over, staggers to an upright position, and rasps the rope around his wrists up and down the sharp point of the anvil. He releases himself before Gopher regains consciousness and makes his escape. His horse has been put away and he is forced to walk back to his own ranch. Shortly afterward be meets Marylee again and she plainly exhibits signs of the Gopher's abuse. Buck tries to persuade her to run away with him, but she returns to her husband. Marylee is constantly accompanied in all her rides by a Mexican boy attendant, who is her devoted slave and watches over her carefully. A week later Buck is riding over his ranch. To his right is a sharp rise on the ground topped by a thick cover of thorny brush. Lying in wait behind a screening of this brush the Gopher, with rifle in hand, is waiting for Buck to ride by so he may kill him. A sharp report from the brush makes Buck whirl in his saddle. Instantly he throws himself off over the horse's shoulder, jerking his rifle free from the holster as he goes. A man totters up behind a bush on the crest holding a gun. He sways a few seconds and disappears. Next a woman runs around the base of the ridge and speeds toward Buck. 'Don't shoot,' she cries, 'Don't shoot. It's only me, Buck.' Marylee is sobbing against Buck's bosom when a cavalcade of horsemen approach, composed of her father and a number of his men. Buck immediately jumps in front of Marylee and awaits their attack. Old man Price rides forward with outstretched hand making signs of peace and looks upon the scene with evident signs of approval. Lying upon some shale was the body of Gopher. Old man Price gazes at the body for a moment and shakes his head, remarking, 'Well, he surely is dead.' Turning toward Buck, he continues, 'The question is, who done killed Gopher? Did you get him, Buck?' Buck shakes his head. Everybody turns to the Gopher's widow, but she does not utter a sound nor make a move, but continues to nestle in Buck's arms. One of Price's men grunts and throws Gopher's body over the back of a horse and slowly rides away. Meanwhile the Mexican boy, Marylee's faithful attendant, modestly keeps in the background, stirring gravel with his boot very uncomfortably, and avoiding old man Price's eye.