Riders of the Purple Sage

Venters and Bess pack to leave Surprise Valley. As they leave the canyon, they run into Lassiter and Jane. Lassiter expresses pleasure at having run into them, but as he says this, Jane realizes that Venters’s companion is a woman. Jane becomes upset and vents all her frustrations on Venters. When she calms down, she asks about Bess, learning that Bess is the daughter of Oldring. Jane wonders aloud how Bess could go away with the man who killed her father.

Bess becomes upset, insisting she must go back to the rustlers because it is her duty as Oldring’s daughter to do so. Venters argues against it, but Bess is determined until Lassiter shows her a locket and asks if she knows the woman whose picture is inside. When Bess says the eyes are familiar, Lassiter tells her that Milly Erne and her husband, Frank, are Bess’s real parents and her name is Elizabeth Erne. He explains that Oldring told him he was paid by Dyer to keep Bess and to turn her into a feared rustler in order to torture Milly with the life her child has embraced. Oldring made Bess his masked rider, but he secretly fell in love with her, so he also taught her to read and protected her from the darkest parts of the rustler lifestyle. Oldring claimed he intended to return Bess to her father upon Dyer’s death. Lassiter’s information frees Bess to continue traveling with Venters, and it softens Jane toward her as she realizes Bess is her half-sister and the child of her friend.

Lassiter suggests they all go back to Surprise Valley and hide until they can decide what to do next. Venters refuses, however, determined to marry Bess and give her a better life. Jane and Lassiter decide to give Venters and Bess Night and Black Star because there is no way they can escape Tull on burros. Lassiter instructs Venters to go north following a trail that bypasses the villages.

Almost immediately as they enter the sage, Venters and Bess see riders in the distance. Venters instructs Bess to go north, then cut to the west. He encourages her to ride fast and not to worry about where he is. They are soon spotted by Tull and his men and begin to run. Venters remembers that she was Oldring’s masked rider, and the rumors of her riding skills were not exaggerated. They easily outrun Tull and his men.

Bess and Venters stop to rest, and Bess extols the virtues of the horses. They continue on, and they decide to return to Surprise Valley in 10 years. Venters tells Bess they will rest for a while before continuing on to Sterling. He says they’ll be married in Sterling and take the stagecoach to Illinois. Venters believes he hears a deep rumble, but Bess doesn’t, so he lets it go.

Lassiter and Jane descend into Deception Pass. When they reach a junction, Lassiter leaves Jane while he goes to scout ahead. He returns and tells Jane he has found some men he was looking for, and that she should stay and wait. He slips away and after a short time, Jane hears gunfire. She listens and realizes she no longer feels the strong objection to it she once felt. Lassiter returns with several injuries, including a bullet wound in his hand. Lassiter explains that he went after the men because they had Fay. She fell during the struggle, but Lassiter believes she will be okay.

Lassiter urges Jane to hurry up the canyon toward Surprise Valley. They can see riders coming after them and assume it is Tull. Lassiter has used all his ammunition, so they must get to Surprise Valley before Tull catches up to them. They ride as quickly as they can and get ahead of Tull and his men, but the horse is worn out and collapses. They continue on foot, carrying two saddle bags and Fay. Lassiter leaves his guns behind. Finally, they reach the carved steps that lead up to Surprise Valley. When they reach the stone at the entrance, Lassiter pauses. He tells Jane that the stone will seal them in forever, but he won’t do it if Jane doesn’t want to be with him. Tull can be seen coming up the steps. Jane tells Lassiter that she loves him and asks him to roll the stone. He does, sealing them inside Surprise Valley forever.