The Kill-Joy

Summary

In a poignant tableau of frontier survival and profound human transformation, 'The Kill-Joy' unfurls the saga of young Billie, an innocent adrift in the unforgiving expanse of the American West. Her perilous journey with her father towards the ironically named 'Contentment,' an 'Eyeless Eden,' is abruptly truncated by his tragic demise, leaving the child isolated and vulnerable. Rescued by the taciturn merchandise driver, Bob, Billie is clandestinely brought to the nascent settlement. However, Bob's furtive efforts to shelter her are grossly misconstrued by the town's jaded inhabitants, whose collective suspicion, fueled by misinterpretation of his paternal solicitude, rapidly escalates into a chilling manifestation of mob justice. A nascent vigilance committee, convinced of illicit dealings, prepares to exact a brutal punishment. Yet, the very presence of Billie, with her guileless smile and unwavering trust, begins an almost alchemical process of societal recalibration. Her innate charm disarms the hardened denizens—from 'Sure Shot Mike' to 'Death Valley Joe'—softening their cynical outlook and fostering an unexpected communal embrace. The narrative takes a darker turn with the machinations of 'The Crab,' whose bitter resentment prompts a heinous plot to orchestrate Billie's abduction by Native Americans. This act of calculated malice, intended to rid Contentment of its 'nuisance,' ironically occurs amidst the town's newfound celebration of Billie as 'The Darter of the Camp.' Witnessing the profound error of his ways, 'The Crab' embarks on a desperate mission to retrieve her, only to be intercepted by the enraged townsfolk, who, now fiercely protective, vow vengeance upon her abductor. In a dramatic climax, as the noose tightens around 'The Crab's' neck, it is Billie's pure-hearted intervention and her declaration of affection that halt the impending execution, culminating in a profound societal catharsis. Her transformative influence not only redeems 'The Crab' but fundamentally reshapes 'Contentment' from a place of superficial promise to a genuine haven of shared humanity, forever including her unlikely 'father' in its embrace.

Synopsis

Billie and her father are crossing the plains to the frontier town of "Contentment," an "Eyeless Eden," when he becomes lost in a search for water, falls from a cliff and is killed. Little Billie is picked up by Bob, driver of a merchandise wagon, and is taken to "Contentment" and secreted in his cabin. Bob's suspicious actions arouse the curiosity of his fellow townsmen, who believe he has brought a woman to his cabin. They see him stroking the child's hair as she sleeps, only the back of her head is turned to the eavesdroppers, and, believing their suspicions confirmed, they organize a vigilance committee and procure a rope. Their consternation is overwhelming when they find Billie, but still they are annoyed by her presence. "The Crab" arranges to have her kidnapped by Indians, but in the day intervening the abduction, Billie, with her smile and childish confidence has won over the majority of the "Eveless Eden," including "Sure Shot Mike," "The Denver Kid," "Rattlesnake Pete," and "Death Valley Joe." The abduction is carried out while Bob and his companions are celebrating the adoption of Billie as "The Darter of the Camp." "The Crab" sees the mistake in his plot, and goes to the Indian camp to bring her back, but in the meantime the town has learned that she is missing, and vows death to her abductor. "The Crab" is overtaken as he is bringing her back to "Contentment," but Billie's smiles also have won his heart, and his pleas to her when the noose is tightened about his neck are answered by her interference and the challenge that "she loves her Crab." The crowd desists, and "Contentment" is made a real place of contentment, with "The Crab" included in the list of her "fathers."