Bad luck with crops necessitates the removal of John Wilson, with his family, to the west. Traveling in an emigrant train, they proceed uneventfully, and finally make camp in the Indian country. Mary, Wilson’s daughter, is given some washing to do, and she makes her way to the stream to complete her task. In the meantime, the Indians have sighted the party, and give chase. They lose no time in sneaking up, kill the brother, who is pasturing the horses for the night, stampeding the animals, and massacring the rest of the family, but Mary. She, hearing the shots and shouts, is terrified and rushes into the brush. Jim Hawkins, a prospector on his way to the gold lands, also hears the shots, and takes to the river to hide his tracks. While there he is seen by Mary, who rushes to him, explains the catastrophe, and is taken on behind. But Indians are no easy proposition to ‘lose” and they easily find Hawkins’ tracks and follow him. Hawkins and Mary take refuge in a canyon and barricade themselves behind the rocks. Thus, the Indians can only attack from the front. But, one, more sly than the others, leaves the main band and creeps up behind Hawkins. Mary sees him and protects Hawkins with her own body, receiving the wound herself. Hawkins makes short work of the Indian, as well as several more and they, being none too brave or anxious for an open fight, escape as best they can. Then Hawkins attends to Mary’s wound, and after assisting her to his horse, she is taken to the nearest ranch house and taken care of by the farmer’s wife, Amanda White. Later, Hawkins’ gratefulness to Mary for saving his life, has turned into love and he entrusts it into her keeping for “all time to come.”