Ashely Smith isn’t particularly pleased when her husband barges into their home shouting that he has sold it out from under them. She is even less pleased when Samuel declares they are migrating West with a wagon train. However, becoming a widow gives her second thoughts, and does not stop her from going. Together with her sister, Arabel, their blind father and Thomas, his hired hand, Ashley heads West.

In short order, the sisters cook up a plan that will surely provide them with bright futures. Ashely becomes Desperada, a lady outlaw. She also falls in love with Thomas. Unknown to anyone, Thomas is a US Marshal out to arrest her for keeping the government gold her now deceased husband is suspected to have taken from a train.