The Retribution of Ysobel

Baldwin, a hot-headed youngster, loves Ethel a great deal. When at last she allows him to place a ring upon her finger, he is very proud. His pride is touched though by the fact that the ring is a little too large, and he offers to take it to a jeweler to have it cut down, but Ethel wants to show it to her friends at the party that evening, and she keeps it on. Not long after Baldwin has gone to his home, Ethel's cousin, a merry and good-hearted chap, returns from a trip abroad. As he leaves the house to go downtown and meet his friends once more, Ethel rushes out to tell him goodbye. In the hearty handshake that follows, Ethel's ring is drawn off accidentally. The cousin urges that she let him take it down to the jeweler and get it fixed. After some urging Ethel agrees, but to get the right size she tries on one of the cousin's rings. One is found after several trials, that is the right size and he leaves, agreeing to have it made that dimension. That night at the party, the cousin returns Ethel's own ring, but it is not quite right yet. She again tries on his ring, and while she is doing it he improves the opportunity to steal a kiss. Baldwin sees them and so great is his anger that explanations can do no good when he finds the cousin's ring where his own ought to be. His faith in woman-kind is crushed and he leaves that place forever. In due time he arrives in the west, buys a horse and saddle and gets work on a ranch. The ranch owner, a woman, is responsible for his employment and this gains him the enmity of the ranch foreman, a Mexican named Gonzales. Later Baldwin protects a girl from abuse at the hands of Gonzales. The ranch owner discharges the Mexican, and six months later gives the place to Baldwin, who by this time has fallen a victim to the coquettish wiles of Ysobel. As she is returning from a trip to California, Ethel gets off the train at a little wayside station. Because she wants to be alone, she orders her maid to remain at the train. A sprained ankle, subsequent fainting spell, and a supply wagon from the ranch ultimately bring her to the place over which Baldwin presides. Meanwhile, Baldwin has been trying his best to forget the east, an effort in which he is aided by his wife, Ysobel. Ethel is shocked when she finds Baldwin married, but there is no way in which she can leave the ranch that day and she stays perforce. Gonzales, the discharged foreman, sneaks back and leaves a note for Ysobel, warning her as she values her secret, to be at the shelter on the range that night. The ranch woman takes Ethel out on the range for a drive, and when she becomes tired, leaves her in Baldwin's care. Baldwin leaves her at the shelter with his revolver, telling her that a shot will recall him should he be needed. Ethel becomes worried and leaves the shelter. Gonzales and Ysobel make tryst there, and Ysobel, at harsh words from Gonzales, shoots him. The shot recalls both Ethel and Baldwin. The girl, thoroughly frightened, fires again. She turns and as Baldwin enters, he finds her standing over the body of Gonzales, which she has just discovered. Thinking she has killed the man, he confesses to the cowboys on their arrival, that he is the guilty party. Next morning everyone urges him to go away before the sheriff comes, but he will not. The officer is about to make his arrest when an Indian arrives with news that puts a different complexion on things. This Indian has observed the quarrel of the night before and when Gonzales lies dying, stole from him the papers about which he was talking to Ysobel a moment before. He has been to a priest and had them translated and he bears word to the tragic little party at the ranch that Ysobel not only killed Gonzales at the shelter, but that she was his wife at the time. A certificate from the priest bears witness to this fact. The way is thus cleared for Baldwin to rectify his former mistake and attain happiness, while Ysobel has at last come upon the retribution of her coquettishness.