- On his way to Denver in an impassable snowstorm, Beau's only retreat seems to be a closed hotel. When the owner and her niece exhibit suspicious behavior, their past, present and future become very much entwined in his.
- Beau and an old friend, Judge John Scott, take refuge from a blizzard in an isolated hotel. The hotel is run by a suspicious older woman, Martha, and her young and apparently insane niece Sally. A gang of robbers secretly take refuge there as well, and their leader was romantically involved with Martha in the past.—Gislef
- Beau and his old friend, Judge John Scott, that he's been riding with, or riding through a snowstorm and come to a cutoff. Scott says that's the way to Denver and he'll go on his way, and Beau tells him that he can't make it out. They ride forward and come to the pass blocked by snow, and Beau figures that they'd better head to Flood's nearby hotel. Scott warns that the hotel has been closed for ten years, but Beau figures that it's better than being out in a storm.
The two men ride to Flood's ornate hotel, and prepare to go inside. Scott says that the owner, Martha Flood, considers "Flood's Folly" a memorial to her dad husband and has put off selling it because of that. They knock at the door and Martha answers. Scott introduces Beau, and Martha says that Scott knows they can't have company up there. However, she lets them in rather than freeze. Martha says that only her and her niece Sally are there, and they don't encourage visitors. As they make themselves uncomfortable, Martha tells Beau that he should be on his way as soon as possible.
Scott explains that the hotel used to draw the rich and wealthy from off the floor. Martha says that expense wasn't a consideration for her or her husband, and goes to get tea and sandwiches. Scott, a local, explains that the hotel was built around a hot sulphur spring but the spring dried up. The judge says that he doesn't discuss a case before it's tried, but he's trying Martha's case. Sally comes in with firewood, and Beau immediately offers his assistance. She says that Beau is the first visitor outside of Scott, and Martha doesn't allow visitors.
Scott gives Beau a new puzzle as a gift, and goes to turn in. While they wait for Martha to come back and take Beau to his room, Sally says that she'd better go and her aunt wouldn't want her to be alone with any man. She explains that Martha doesn't like strangers, and Beau says that he's a friend of Scott's and not a stranger. Sally says that her parents were killed in an avalanche, and her brother was sent to stay with friends in San Francisco. She says that she'll leave someday, whether Martha wants her to or not.
Scott meets with Martha and says that he can get a closed jury in a few weeks. She says that Scott hadn't brought Beau, and is upset when she realizes Beau and Sally are alone downstairs. Scott doesn't see the harm, and Martha tells him that she's lived alone to keep Sally from seeing strangers. When she worries that they talk about Sally's brother, Scott says that Sally can't bring back the dead. Martha rejects Scott's romantic advances, and tells him that she can't be herself while Beau is in the hotel.
Sally tells Beau that she puts together puzzles to pass the time, and shows Beau one of them. Martha comes in and sees them together, and tells Beau that his room is ready. He goes with Martha, and tells Sally that they'll work on the puzzle tomorrow if the snow keeps up. In his room, Beau says that the room is luxurious and Martha misses them as ordinary. He asks why Martha chooses to live alone, and she tells him that it's none of his business. Martha also tells Beau not to take advantage of her "hospitality" with Sally, and Beau tells her that he doesn't plan to take advantage of her hospitality or her niece.
That night, Beau hears Sally singing and goes to investigate. He finds her wearing a dress and waltzing to an invisible partner in the ballroom. As Sally finishes and says that she's been dancing with a Mr. Evans. Beau offers the next dance, and they waltz together. He asks if there's really a Mr. Evans but Sally doesn't respond. When they finish, Sally says that as a child she used to watch the dancer in the ballroom, and one of them was Mr. Evans. The dress belonged to her mother, who wore it the night before she was killed. Beau kisses her and says that must go, and Sally asks him to stay because she's afraid to be alone.
Sally tells him that the dancers actually exist, and she heard the voices earlier, a week ago and earlier that night. Martha comes in and sends Sally to her floor, then tells Beau that Sally can't face reality and if they left, Martha would have to institutionalize her niece. She says that it was apparently the shock of her parents and brother dying.
When Beau points out Sally said earlier that her brother was in San Francisco, Martha shows him a death certificate for Sally's brother, Robert, and points out that it was acquired by Scott. Beau goes to his room and there's knock on his door. It's Sally, who says that she needs Beau's help with her plan to leave the Folly and look for Robert. Beau warns that the snow has made the country too dangerous, and Sally asks if he believes what Martha told him. She figures that Beau doesn't believe her, and figures that he's just like Martha and Scott. Sally says that she's not violent or dangerous, just determined. If Beau won't help her, she'll find some way out, and leaves.
Beau discovers that the fire in his potbelly stove has gone out. When he checks the pipes, he hears a voice coming from it. Beau puts on his gun and goes downstairs, and goes to the cellar that the pipe leads to. Before he can go into the room, someone knocks him out from behind.
The three men in the hotel, Chet Whitehead, Emery, and Elkins, check the unconscious Beau. Beau wakes up and Whitehead tells him that he's going to be with them for a spell. Beau asks for an explanation, and Whitehead says that he doesn't want anyone to know that they're there.
When one of Whitehead's men mentions his name, Beau recognizes it and Whitehead figures that Beau knows them the minute he saw them and they're wanted men. Beau asks why Martha cooperates, and Emery says that a man's girlfriend wouldn't turn him or his friends in. Whitehead tells Beau that he'll be staying for a while, just as Martha comes in and see him there. Whitehead tells Martha that they caught Beau snooping, and she wonders what she should tell Scott. Emery suggests that she tells Scott that Beau left early in the morning, but Whitehead figures that Scott wouldn't believe Beau went out in the blizzard. Martha expresses her regrets to Beau, who says that Whitehead and his men are wanted. Whitehead tells Martha that Emery and Elkin will leave with Beau, and leave him out in the snow.
Beau paces back and forth, saying that he's trying to stay warm. He points out that Sally will know that he was there, and Whitehead says that nobody will believe her if she hears voice. Martha and Whitehead go out in the hallway, and Martha wishes she had married Whitehead ten years ago. He says that they can live in style thanks to Sally, and Martha warns him that she has to give Scott half of the money. White head says that she made a bad deal, and Marth wonders if he wants her, the money, or a place to hide out. Whitehead says that he's greedy and wants all three.
Beau tries to make a break, but Whitehead draws his gun and stops him. Sally and Scott arrive, and Beau says that they're the voices she heard. Scott realizes that he sentenced Whitehead for robbery six years ago, and Whitehead tells him that he broke out a year later. He says that they're both criminals, and tells Scott that he knows he plans to have Sally declared insane. Whitehead tells Scott that he can't stand hypocrisy. The judge says that Martha led him to believe she was going to marry him, and Martha denies it.
Whitehead and his men take everyone upstairs since there's no longer a reason to hide. Martha serves coffee and Scott tells Martha her lying to him might be dangerous. She notes that she never promised Scott anything romantically, and he figures she didn't say anything because it would mess up her plan with Whitehead. Martha says that Whitehead showed up a week ago after ten years, and it was like time wasn't being passed. Scott doesn't believe her, and says that she needs him more than he needs her because she won't get Sally's money without him.
Beau and Sally are putting together Sally's puzzle, and she says that she doesn't know anything about the will. She says that puzzle is important... to Beau. He studies it carefully, and tells Sally that he hasn't given up hope. Beau says he he's putting his hope in Scott, and has an idea to divide and conquer.
Going over to Scott, Beau tells the judge that he doesn't know what Whitehead plans to do with him. He asks what they'll do after they get the money, and Scott admits that he's considered what they'll do to him afterward. Beau suggests that Scott take him in as a partner against Whitehead, even if Scott has to split the money with him. Scott says that he'll think it over, and Beau tells him not to think too long because the weather is clearing.
Martha serves Whitehead his breakfast in his room, and he says that Scott might not leave. Whitehead figures that they can't keep Sally there as a prisoner, and he has something in practical in mind to deal with Scott. If Sally is out of the way, they don't need Scott and have to give him any money. Whitehead suggests that Scott plans to go once his own way once he has the money, and suggests that they kill Sally and then he'll leave once the snow clears. Martha figures he wouldn't walk out on the money.
Downstairs, Sally puts the puzzle together. She says that the dress the dancer is wearing in the painting is the one she was wearing, and Robert painted it. Sally shows Beau a card showing that Robert painted the puzzle a year ago, and explains that Scott bought it in San Francisco without knowing who painted it and gave it to her as a gift. Robert lived at the Folly at a hotel and must have painted it from Emery.
Beau figures that it's time to apply more pressure, talks to Scott privately, and asks if he's made a decision. He says that the death certificate was a fake, and in the will Robert and Sally were to share the money equally. Scott says that he faked Sally's death, and death certificate. Scott agrees that he'll make Beau a partner, but shouldn't get too involved with Sally. The judge says that Robert is wasting his time in San Francisco trying to be an artist.
Emery hits on Sally, and takes offense when she rejects him. Beau comes over and intervenes, and Scott draws his derringer on him. When Beau takes his gun and trains it on Elkins, Scott tells Sally that Beau is now his partner. Whitehead and Martha come out, and Whitehead gets the drop on Beau. Emery takes Beau and Scott's guns, and Sally angrily asks what Beau's share was going to be.
Whitehead tells Beau and Scott that any more trouble from them, and they won't wait. Scott tells Martha that she can't do it without him, and realizes that Whitehead plans to kill them all. He tells Whitehead that if Whitehead spares Sally, he'll give Whitehead his share. Whitehead doesn't believe him, and says that he has to kill Sally as a practical matter.
Beau suggests that Martha will have qualms of conscience later. Whitehead figures that Martha will go along with him, and Sally asks Martha if she hates her that much. Martha suggests that they spare Sally, but Whitehead refuses. Beau tells Whitehead that he won't be able to spend the money, and it might concern Martha. If she gets bored with Whitehead and leaves with it, Whitehead will take a chance if he ever leaves.
Scott notes that Emery and Elkins might start thinking they're entitled to their shares. Emery insists that it never occurred to him, and Whitehead warns him that it never should. Emery takes Beau, Sally, and Scott out to take them off on horses and make it look like they froze in the storm. They go out and Elkins and Emery lead them off from the Folly. They finally stop in an isolated area and Beau tells Sally, riding with him, to fall off. She does, but Emery isn't fooled. Beau yells at Scott to jump Elkins. Emery opens fire on Beau, who takes cover. Scott knocks Elkins' head on a rock, killing him, but runs off. When Emery closes in on Beau, Beau manages to jump him and the two fight. They struggle for Emery's gun, and Emery is shot and killed.
Sally runs to Beau, who hugs her. Scott gets there first, trains his gun on Martha, and says that Sally is probably dead. He prepares to kill Martha, but Whitehead shoots him first. Martha says that she said whatever she needed to, and Whitehead tells her to prove herself by shooting Scott. She takes the gun and trains it on Whitehead, and asks why he had to come back into her life. When Beau comes in, Whitehead knocks the gun from Martha's hand.
Beau and Whitehead struggle for the gun, and Beau manages to grab it. Scott thanks Beau, who tells him that he'll need a briefcase full of appeals to get out of it.
That night, Sally prepares to leave and tells Martha that she can have the Folly. She says that she'll have supplies sent up, and otherwise Martha can leave whenever she wants but won't have money. Beau tries Whitehead up to a horse and goes in to tell Scott that they'd better go. Martha makes one more appeal to Sally, who ignores her. Beau tells Sally that they'll find Robert, and rides off with her, Scott, and Whitehead. In the Folly, Martha looks wistfully at the puzzle and puts it together... by herself.
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