The Man from Red Gulch (1925)

"In the days of the California Gold Rush of '49, Sandy is at odds with his partner, Falloner, over the latter's heavy drinking. Falloner is killed by Lasham, who many years before ran off with Falloner's wife. Sandy brings Falloner's children, Cissy and Jimmy, and their Aunt Betsey to Sacramento from Missouri. He then sets out to find the mother and to avenge his partner's death. Lasham induces Betsey to take the night boat for Sandy Bar with him, under the pretense of finding the children's mother. Sandy rides after them and swims to the steamer, arriving in time to save a frightened Betsey from Lasham. In a fight, Lasham is knocked overboard and drowns. The mother, who under the name Madame Le Blanc has been living with Lasham, helping him with his gambling and other nefarious schemes, becomes a novice in a convent. Sandy and Betsey are wed"--AFI catalog, 1921-1930.