Butterfly

Kady arrives at Jess's place in the Nevada-Arizona border mining town, claiming Belle runs a brothel and that she is pregnant with a son named Danny. She reveals her motive to steal silver to secure their future, and Jess begins to weigh the risks. An uneasy alliance forms as they consider exploiting the mine's resources.

To facilitate the theft, Kady seduces Jess and convinces him to take only small scraps of silver. They resume working in the mine, testing how far they can push the plan. The tension between them deepens as trust is built on a shared secret.

Belle arrives with Blue and Ed Lamey to celebrate Kady's engagement to Wash Gillespie. Blue hints that he knows about the theft, signaling trouble ahead. The mood shifts from celebration to suspicion.

Belle stabs Blue with a hat pin, and Blue kills Belle in self-defense. The violent moment exposes hidden grievances and propels the town toward a fateful confrontation. The incident also tightens the web of lies surrounding Kady.

Jess goes to the mine in pursuit of Blue, who is looting silver. He notices a butterfly birthmark near Blue's navel, similar to Danny's, and suspects Blue might be Danny's father. In a fit of anger, Jess shoots Blue, who then reveals that Kady is his daughter.

Back at the Gillespies' home, Jess lies to Wash, claiming that Danny is Blue's son to prevent Kady from facing more punishment. Wash contemplates breaking off the engagement, but Jess stops him from telling Kady himself. The deception strains every relationship in town.

With the wedding day arriving and Wash failing to appear, Kady returns to the mine with Jess to steal silver. The two have sex in front of Ed, who looks on in silent complicity as the scandal deepens.

Police arrive with warrants for Jess and Kady; they are arrested and charged with incest. The arrest brings the town's moral outrage into the courtroom, amplifying the personal stakes for the involved family.

At the hearing, Judge Rauch calls the act a crime against nature and condemns it as shocking to propriety. Jess pleads guilty, claiming he forced Kady to spare her from punishment, hoping to protect her. The judge sentences him to ten years in prison.

Ed reveals that he is Blue's half-brother and shares that they both bear the same birthmark, explaining why he kept quiet about the silver. The new information reframes the motives behind the theft and the relationships involved.

The case is dismissed following the new revelations, ending the criminal charges against Jess and Kady. The resolution leaves the community and the couple with a complicated sense of justice and forgiveness.

Outside the courthouse, Wash waits for Kady. She realizes Jess's actions were meant to protect her and Danny, and she forgives him, choosing Wash for the life he can provide. The future for Danny becomes tied to Wash's stability and support.