The Forty-Niners

In 1849, Jed Hawkins and his daughter Virginia wait with other settlers at Fort Laramie for a guide to lead them to Sacramento. Jed has a gold claim waiting for him, which be boasts about during his frequent drinking bouts, much to the dismay of his would-be paramour, Widow Spriggs. One afternoon, store owner MacNab tells Jed that guide O'Hara will be coming soon with a wagon train. The wagons arrive, and while Jed makes O'Hara's acquaintance, he once again boasts about his mine. O'Hara tells Jed they will leave in a few days, and MacNab tells Tanner, the wagon train's leader, that he will hold a dance to celebrate. At the dance, O'Hara and others vie for Virginia's attention, but she is captivated by Tennessee Matthews, a renowned buffalo trader. Their attraction is mutual, and after the dance, Tennessee escorts Virginia to her wagon, where she shows him the rose bush she is taking to California. Meanwhile, O'Hara goes to his cabin, where his Indian lover Lola waits for him. O'Hara cautions Lola never to let anyone into the cabin, where he hides loot he has stolen from his previous wagon trains, and orders her to instruct her tribe to meet him at a prearranged place to attack this new group of settlers. The next day, Virginia is sad to learn that they will be leaving the following morning, as Tennessee has stated that he will travel to his cabin in Yellowstone rather than join the wagon train. Virginia gives Tennessee a rose and they kiss goodbye, after which Tennessee sees O'Hara beating Lola, and tenderly helps her. Virginia sees them and assumes that Lola belongs to Tennessee. The next morning, Tennessee sends a letter to the cavalry commander at Fort Collins, while O'Hara helps Virginia pack. Virginia dislikes O'Hara's advances but defends him out of spite when Tennessee, who is too much of a gentleman to mention O'Hara's relationship with Lola, attempts to force O'Hara away. The wagon train leaves, and as time passes, Widow Spriggs comforts Virginia while O'Hara plies Jed with drink in order to steal the map to his claim. Elsewhere, Tennessee waits for the wagon train to pass and, when it fails to show, he searches for it. He reaches the travelers and warns O'Hara that he is far off the trail and is heading deeper into Indian territory. O'Hara shoots Tennessee after he reveals that he has seen O'Hara's cabin and now knows why the other wagon trains O'Hara led disappeared. O'Hara tells the others he shot Tennessee in self-defense, and while the widow tends Tennessee, O'Hara asks Virginia to marry him. Virginia coldly informs him that she loves Tennessee, after which O'Hara meets Lola, who warns him that the cavalry found his cabin and is pursuing him. They plan the Indian attack for the next morning, and O'Hara orders two men to kidnap Virginia during the raid. The attack begins the next morning, and while the travelers defend themselves, Virginia is kidnapped. Tennessee rescues her, and Lola, who sees that O'Hara was doublecrossing her, shoots him. Tennessee then heads off a buffalo stampede as the cavalry arrive and saves the wagon train. The cavalry captain thanks Tennessee for alerting them, and the wagon train safely reaches California. Tennessee and Virginia bid farewell to Jed and Widow Spriggs, now Mrs. Hawkins, and head for Tennessee's cabin to begin their life together.