A Perilous Ride (1913)

Mary Gray was a girl of the plains. Her father, an old ranchman, took great pride in his daughter's riding accomplishments. "She can ride any horse that ever breathed," he boasted, "and the man that wins her will have to be a sure enough rider." The man arrived. He was the owner of a ranch several miles away and when he visited Col. Gray at his home he fell an instant victim to the girl's charms. Finally the young man proposed as he was riding across the plains with the girl. "The man who wins me," Mary replied in a very deliberate manner, "must first catch me," and settling spurs to her horse she galloped swiftly across the prairie. Her sweetheart realized what she meant and thundered after her at full speed. His horse was the swifter and as he darted past, the rider swept the girl from her saddle into his own. Col. Gray was greatly pleased at the engagement, for the young rancher was wealthy and in every way a desirable match. His foreman, however, who had cherished an idea of becoming Mary's husband, was incensed, and his anger turned against his employer for consenting to the engagement. The foreman had a very dark past, and when Col. Gray prepared to ride to town with a large sum of money to be deposited in the bank, the foreman resolved to secure possession of it. Mary had left several days before to visit relatives living far away, and Gray was alone at the ranch with a few cowboys. The old ranchman rode away with the money, little dreaming that his foreman, supposed to be on the "round up" with the other men, was hiding in ambush on the trail which he must pass before he reached town. Mary enjoyed a very pleasant visit with her relatives and rode gaily towards home. She stopped for lunch in a picturesque spot, and while resting she heard voices. Cautiously she made her way forward in the direction of the sounds, and to her surprise discovered her father's foreman in earnest conversation with the two men she had instinctively classed as outlaws. Soon she learned their purpose, which was to waylay her father as he rode by. She realized the desperate character of the men with whom she had to deal, but she did not hesitate. Quickly she ran to her horse, mounted and galloped away to warn her father. She was discovered and pursued. The foreman and his followers, driven to desperation, fired on her, but she eluded them and reached Col. Gray in time. The outlaws were captured by the young ranchman to whom the girl had plighted her troth, and soon afterwards she became his bride.

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Summary Details
GenresDrama Short