Mary Anne is the main character of The Coyote of the Painted Plains.
Early Life[]
Mary Anne taught at Springfield Primary for five years. She then accepted a marriage proposal from Beau Richmond and got on a train to move with him to Crossroads so he could pursue a career as a sheriff.
History[]
On the train ride to Crossroads, Mary Anne inquires if there are any openings for a teacher in Crossroads. She is told there are not, but another person on the train asks her if she is any good at teaching. Mary Anne balks at the intrusion into the conversation, and the other person assumes she is no good.
Later the person reveals themself to be a bandit and takes a hostage to stick up the train. Mary Anne thinks that the bandit is going to shoot a child who runs up to them, and so she runs up to the bandit and pushes herself between the bandit and the child. The bandit decides to take Mary Anne hostage instead, and hands over the other hostage.
Mary Anne is resistant all the way back to the bandit's place. The bandit unties her because there are coyotes out and Mary Anne has no choice but to come inside willingly. When she gets to her new room, a young boy enters asking for Chance. Mary Anne first thinks the bandit has kidnapped the child, but it becomes clear the child is an orphan the bandit picked up off the street. He says his name is Billy and asks if he can sleep in Mary Anne's bed because one of the other children scared him with a ghost story. Mary Anne acquiesces.
Mary Anne and Chance have breakfast. Chance offers their horse Moonshine for Mary Anne to ride home on, but tells Mary Anne they promised the children she would tell them a story first. Mary Anne tells the children 'The Bandit Who Learned to Rue the Day.' She then ends up staying the whole day with the children.
The next morning, Mary Anne's fiancee Beau and Chance's old partner in crime Joe Nix arrive. Chance and Joe have a brief shoot out, and then Joe kidnaps Billy and tells Chance to meet him on a cliff. Chance leaves before Mary Anne can stop them. Mary Anne takes a frying pan, leaves a child named Tobias in charge, and leaves on Beau's horse.
By the time Mary Anne gets to the cliff, Joe Nix is dead and Billy is safe. Beau, who has followed Mary Anne here, shoots Chance in the leg, and Mary Anne slams him over the head with her frying pan. She announces she no longer has any intention of marrying Beau, and kisses Chance on the mouth. The couple and Billy ride off on Moonshine.
At least a year later, it is Christmas Eve and Chance and Mary Anne are out to steal a Christmas dinner for the children. Mary Anne keeps watch while Chance robs the house, but Mary Anne is distracted by an infant child who has been left alone in the snow. She picks him up and puts him in her coat.