Ed Ryan is the spirited son of John Ryan, He was brought up on a western ranch and, through association with reckless cowboys, drinks often and heavily. His father is stern and has little sympathy for his wayward son, but his mother's love...See moreEd Ryan is the spirited son of John Ryan, He was brought up on a western ranch and, through association with reckless cowboys, drinks often and heavily. His father is stern and has little sympathy for his wayward son, but his mother's love finds excuses for her boy many times. At last the crisis comes and Ed is driven out by his father, while his weeping mother and sister protest, but to no avail. Time passes and Ed writes home to his mother. The father, fearing a scene, keeps the letter from her. After waiting for mouths for a reply, Ed becomes dejected. He decides to leave the country and goes to the post office for the last time to ask for news from home. The mail bag is on the counter and Ed overhears the postmaster tell the R.F.D. man to be very careful of a registered package, as it contains the payroll of the Two Bar Ranch. In his embittered state of mind. Ed becomes imbued with the spirit of a desperado. He decides to hold up the mail man and secure the money. He does so. Ed's father, in the meantime, has died and his mother finds the son's letter in the dead man's clothes. She writes at once, but too late to save her boy. The first letter he tears open contains a picture of his mother and sister and the long-looked-for letter from home. He is overcome and for the first time realizes the enormity of his act. He decides to atone as best he can, and hurries to the town and confesses all to the postmaster. In the meantime, the sheriff and posse are on his trail. They return and Ed is made prisoner, the sheriff promising to be as lenient as possible. Ed asks the postmaster one favor: it is that his mother and sister shall never know. The postmaster marks the letter "Opened by mistake." "Letter unclaimed." "Return to sender." Ed goes to prison, while the mother and sister wait and hope in vain for his return. Written by
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