Plot

Mercedes Murphy and her partner, Slick Barney, run a saloon and dance hall in the tough town of Paradise, Nevada. While Mercedes is a hard-nosed businesswoman, she has a soft spot for her sister Olive, with whom she lives. One day a preacher, Rev. McGregor, who is determined to "reform" Paradise, sets up his church right next to the saloon. Mercedes is at first opposed to the reverend, but is eventually won over by his sermons and closes the dance hall. However, she soon discovers that Olive's "virtue" may no longer be so virtuous--and she suspects that the minister might be responsible for this.—frankfob2@yahoo.com

In Paradise, Nevada, Mercedes Murphy, known as "The Sage-Brush Hen," owned and operated a saloon and dancehall called "The Red Light." Her word was law. At home the Hen was an entirely different character and lived with her younger sister, Olive. "Slick" Blaney, a sort of partner to the Hen, was interested in Olive, unknown to the Hen, who tried to keep Olive away from the rough element. Another character, "The Heller," also loved Olive. A reform wave hit Paradise and a church was built near the saloon. The Rev. Gavin McGregor was sent for. Sunday came and the church music could be heard in the dancehall. It had a telling effect on the Hen, bringing out her better nature, and Blaney, realizing that this would never do, ordered the dancehall orchestra to strike up. The minister, hearing the noise, told his congregation that his mission was too close to the dancehall, and two miners in the church slipped out and bore the news to the Hen. At the Hen's instructions, Blaney entered the church and roped the minister, and after dragging him into the saloon, commanded him to drink at the point of a gun. The minister's open defiance gained the Hen's admiration, and she bade him go. Later, the minister and his mother called at the Hen's house and asked her to attend the church. She did, and was so moved by the sermon that she ordered the dancehall closed and barred married men from the saloon. It then developed that Olive had been betrayed and the Hen, thinking the minister to be the cause, determined to kill him. She rushed into the church while service was on, pistol in hand. Unnerved, the minister directed his sermon to her. She slipped the pistol back in its holster. The minister had won. Outside the church a shot rang out, "The Heller" had learned of Blaney's duplicity toward Olive and shot him dead. The Hen, realizing that she had wrongly accused the minister, ordered the saloon closed forever. She saw "The Heller" leaving with Olive and, turning to the minister, said, "Tomorrow I leave with the kid and Olive." "I need you here," the minister replied, and began pleading his love. She answered falteringly, "Some day."