Rose McKenna’s beau, Stephen Youngblood “Sy” Fenton, has headed west to be a farmer. Having laid claim to some fertile ground and begun building a house, he has written to Rose, inviting her to join him. Nancy McKenna White is a new bride whose husband, Joshua, has caught gold fever. Josh agrees that Apple Valley, Texas, is close enough to their line of travel to make a detour to bring Rose to her fiancé and enjoy the wedding festivities. Then tragedy strikes; only one person gets off the train in Apple Valley.