A Feud in the Kentucky Hills 1912

A psalm-singer [Henry B. Walthall] proposes to The Daughter [Mary Pickford] of his family. The Mother [Kate Bruce] presses her to accept, and she reluctantly agrees. The Younger Brother returns after a long stay in the valley, and he and The Daughter begin to feel something for each other, sharing a kiss and a quiet embrace. The older brother sees this and beats him, but the younger man agrees to leave for the sake of peace in the family. In the background, The 2nd Clan Member [Harry Carey] watches as tensions rise and the clan’s loyalties harden.

The Father [Charles Hill Mailes] and two of his sons go into town. The youngest, a boy, gets into a fight with a boy from another clan, and the other son shoots him, reigniting a dormant feud. The men of both clans arm themselves and gather for a showdown. Men are killed on both sides, but the first clan is greatly outnumbered. When only the psalm singer and the younger brother are left alive, the psalm singer sends the younger brother to fetch their parents and The Daughter to safety. As they are leaving, the old father turns back to join the fighting. He is killed, and the mother goes back and picks up his rifle, only to be shot dead herself. The surviving brother and The Daughter go to start a new life in the peaceful valleys.