| Plot Summary |
The class of humanity that flock to the borderland of civilization are always of an adventurous nature, the kind of people who dislike conventions and long for freedom, and very often we find the lawless element predominating. Our present story deals with life in the early sixties along the Mexican border. A motley mixture of gamblers, Mexican herders, ranchers and Texas cattle men have gathered for an evening's entertainment at Gabby's palace dance hall and thirst parlor. Gambler Joe, a magnificent specimen of manhood and a product peculiar to our borderland, saunters up to a table where Monte Pete, a wealthy Mexican ranch owner, is playing cards with a group of his countrymen. Monte and Joe are rivals for the favor of a pretty senorita, Papinta, and as Joe arrives he is favored with a shy recognition from Papinta, which angers Monte, and, to get Joe away from the girl, Monte proposes a game of draw. Joe, nothing loath, removes his coat and the game begins. At the very first deal Joe discovers the Mexican in the act of concealing a card, and in the mix-up that follows Monte Pete is marked for life with a bullet from Joe's ready weapon. Monte's crowd are too strong for Joe, so he figures discretion the better part of valor, and smashing a window, leaps for life to the street below and makes his escape. "Ten years later" we next meet Joe outside the sheriff's office in another border town, known as Border City. The sheriff has issued a notice to the gamblers and sure-thing men of his district to clear out. Joe takes exception to the invitation and his ready gun again comes into play. Then follows an exciting ride for the river and safety, for under the peculiar laws then existing between the United States and Mexico, our officers were not allowed to follow a culprit across the Rio Grande without certain legal formalities, which usually consumed time enough to allow a guilty man plenty of leisure to get out of the law's reach. We next see Joe ride up to a ranch on the Mexican side, and by a strange turn of Fate's wheel, he comes face to face with Monte Pete, the man he had marked for life in the brawl ten years before. Monte has wedded Papinta, but her heart is still tender for the handsome Americano, and Joe's good looks stand him in good stead, for Monte Pete has him in his power and condemns him to endure the Aqua Morte, or Water Death. Our closing scenes show clearly how Joe plays upon Papinta's regard to help him out of Monte's clutches. Joe realizes that it would be folly to leave the girl behind, so induces her to cast her lot with his. A thrilling dash for freedom closes this exciting story.
Written by Moving Picture World synopsis
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