The Cowboy and the Lady

Mary Smith, daughter of a presidential hopeful, lives a cloistered life while supporting her father's ambitions. She longs for independence and excitement. Her Uncle Hannibal takes her dancing at a nightclub, but a police raid interrupts the night.

News of Mary's name on the police report reaches her father. To shield the campaign from scandal, Horace sends Mary off to the family's Palm Beach mansion. Mary leaves with mixed feelings of relief and resentment.

In Palm Beach, Mary feels lonely and stifled by wealth and propriety. She asks her two housemaids to take her on a blind date with rodeo cowboys to inject some life into her days. The prospect of romance outside high society tempts her.

The maids teach Mary their three-step dating plan: flatter the man, get him talking about himself, and tell a hard-luck story to win sympathy. They arrange a blind date with cowboys from a visiting rodeo. Mary hopes the system will give her the excitement she craves.

After the rodeo, the dates gather at the Rodeo Cafeteria. Mary is immediately drawn to Stretch Willoughby, a tall, plain-spoken cowboy. She senses he might be the real thing beyond Palm Beach propriety.

Back at the estate, Mary pretends to be a lady's maid to get Stretch's attention. She tries the first two steps, but falters, so she invents a hard-luck story about a drunken father and four sisters. Stretch is won over and the two share a kiss under the moonlight.

The next morning Stretch returns to ask for Mary's hand in marriage. Mary is unprepared and casually rejects the proposal. Enraged, Stretch throws her into the pool and storms off, leaving Mary both shaken and intrigued by this man.

Fascinated, Mary follows Stretch as he travels by ship toward Galveston to apologize and pursue a life together. On the last night of the voyage, they are married by the ship's captain, sealing their bond despite their different worlds.

The newlyweds set up in a tent at a rodeo camp in Galveston. Mary struggles to adapt to the rough, uncultured life, while Stretch senses her unease and tries to reassure her that he accepts her.

Stretch suspects Mary's unease comes from her supposed family obligations rather than the rodeo life. He suggests she return to Palm Beach to settle those 'duties' and to reveal her true situation.

Back in Palm Beach, Mary returns and confides her secret marriage to Uncle Hannibal. Her father arrives with his political entourage, including an influential congressman who could decide the nomination, changing the stakes.

Feeling trapped, Mary tells her father she is married and intends to join Stretch in Montana. She agrees to stay until the presidential nomination is secured, balancing love with duty.

Stretch heads to Palm Beach to speak with Mary's employers after learning she never arrived in Montana. He bursts into the dining room, challenging the group and exposing the social divide that keeps him away from his wife.

In Montana, Horace finally yields that Mary’s happiness matters more than politics and quits the race. A party at Ma Hawkins' kitchen ends with Mary and Stretch kissing, sealing their reunion after all the turmoil.