Riders of The Purple Sage - Plot

Plot

The events depicted in Riders of the Purple Sage occur between the mid-spring and the late summer of 1871. Early in Riders of the Purple Sage, we are introduced to Jane Withersteen and the main conflict: the right to befriend a Gentile (in Riders of the Purple Sage, the word Gentile is synonymous with "non-Mormon"; the usage was common in the book). This conflict is best demonstrated in the statement: “Jane Withersteen gazed down the wide purple slope with dreamy and troubled eyes. A rider had just left her and it was his message that held her thoughtful and almost sad, awaiting the churchmen who were coming to resent and attack her right to befriend a Gentile.”

We are introduced to Tull, an elder in the church. It was the wish of Jane Withersteen’s father that Jane marry Tull, but Jane refused (saying because she did not love him), causing a string of controversy and leading to her persecution by the local Mormons.

Jane’s Gentile friend and rider (cowboy) Bern Venters is "arrested" by Tull and his men, including Jerry Card, who prepare to sentence him (Venters). It is not clear under what authority the mob is acting, however. As is common in the genre, it seems that might makes right. Jane continuously defends Venters, declaring him her best rider. Her defense is worth very little to her churchmen, who refuse to value the opinion of a woman, as shown by: "Tull lifted a shaking finger toward her. 'That'll do from you. Understand, you'll not be allowed to hold this boy to a friendship that's offensive to your bishop. Jane Withersteen, your father left you wealth and power. It has turned your head. You haven't yet come to see the place of Mormon women ...'" It is here where we first hear mention of Lassiter. Venters uses Lassiter’s name to express the waves of terror that Lassiter had been known to cause. Ironically, at the moment when Venters mentions Lassiter’s name, the actual Lassiter is seen approaching in the distance by Tull’s men.

Upon his arrival, Lassiter speaks briefly to Jane without introducing himself. Lassiter expresses his trust in the word of women, at which point Tull rebukes him telling him not to meddle in Mormon affairs. It is at this point that Tull’s men begin to take Venters away, when Venters, realizing who he is, screams "Lassiter!", at which point Tull understands that this man is the infamous Lassiter and flees, leaving Venters.

By the second chapter we have been introduced to many of the major characters in Riders of the Purple Sage. The statement, “'If by some means I can keep him here a few days, a week—he will never kill another Mormon,' she mused. 'Lassiter! ... I shudder when I think of that name, of him. But when I look at the man I forget who he is—I almost like him. I remember only that he saved Bern. He has suffered. I wonder what it was—did he love a Mormon woman once? How splendidly he championed us poor misunderstood souls! Somehow he knows—much.'” explains early Jane’s intent to transform Lassiter to be less resentful of Mormons.

Lassiter inquires as to the location of Millie Erne's grave, to which a transfixed Jane agrees to take him. Venters later tells Jane he must leave her. When she protests, Venters delivers this statement: " ... Tull is implacable. You ought to see from his intention today that ... but you can't see. Your blindness ... your damned religion! Jane, forgive me ... I'm sore within and something rankles. Well, I fear that invisible hand will turn its hidden work to your ruin.", showing that Venters could see far into the future, and although Jane rebukes his statement, he is indeed correct.

Jane’s red herd is rustled shortly afterward and Venters ventures to track it and return it to Jane. Bern finds the herd, but, in his travels, wages a gun battle with two of Oldring’s rustlers, killing one and managing to wound Oldring’s notorious Masked Rider. Upon further examination, he removes the mask and shirt of the wounded rider and learns that the Masked Rider is a young woman named Bess whom he believes had been abused by Oldring. Venters experiences a large amount of guilt about shooting a girl and decides that it is his duty to save her.

It is through this guilt that Venters discovers Surprise Valley and Balancing Rock, where he takes Bess, the girl he has found. Bess gradually gains health and begins to fall in love with Venters who begins to fall in love with Bess. Each explain their individual stories ambiguously, but through Venters’ dedicated care for Bess, the pair forms a mutual love that leads to their resolve to marry. Bess had also discovered the truth concerning Oldring’s rustlers, who only rustled cattle to disguise their true lifestyle of surviving off gold in the streams and business deals with the Mormons.

Venters then determines that there is a need to attain supplies, thus warranting a trip back to Cottonwoods. On his trip to Cottonwoods, Venters sees Jane Withersteen’s prize horses being stolen. He kills the thieves and retrieves the horses for Jane, but unfortunately loses his horse, Wrangle.

Jane’s horses are returned to her, and are locked in the entry hall to Withersteen house. Venters officially breaks his friendship with Jane at this time. He goes into the village and proclaimed that he was breaking his friendship and leaving. After he leaves, Jane’s other herd gets stolen.

Jane at first pretends to love Lassiter—whom she knows had come to the Utah village to avenge the death of his sister Milly Erne—to prevent him from murdering the Mormon Elders that she knew were guilty. However, through their struggles against the plights calculated against Jane, these two characters also grow to love each other. The climax in their love occurs when Jane's adopted daughter Fay is kidnapped and Lassiter kills Bishop Dyer while risking his own life.

Towards the end of the story, the four main characters—Venters, Bess, Lassiter, and Jane—realize that they can no longer safely stay in Utah. Lassiter convinces Jane to prepare to leave with him, and Lassiter is able to determine the name of a Mormon who contributed to the ruin of Milly and Jane implicates her father in the proselytizing of Milly. In a state of shock, Jane packs and is ready to leave when Lassiter comes back.

Meanwhile, in Surprise Valley, Venters and Bess are preparing to leave (at the same time as Jane and Lassiter start departing), except on burros. Lassiter sets fire to Withersteen House and flees on horseback with Jane. They encounter Venters and Bess in travel. Before they part, Lassiter explains that Bess is not really Bess Oldring, but actually the lost daughter of Milly Erne, Elizabeth Erne.

Jane gives Venters her horses, Venters and Bess gallop for Venters’ Illinois home, and Lassiter and Jane continue on their way to find refuge in Venters’ valley paradise. On the way, Lassiter rescues Fay, but they are pursued to Surprise Valley, causing Jane to shout to Lassiter "Roll the Stone" and create an avalanche, shutting the outlet to Deception Pass. (Grey uses the term "forever", but this is obviously not correct. Grey describes the "stone" as chiseled by the ancient cliff-dwellers using stone tools. Thus, it should be possible at some point to chisel an opening when Jane and Lassiter decide it is safe. Also, Venters and Bess discuss returning in 10 years and he mentions returning with rope to climb the cliffs.)