OVERVIEW

Shows James' joining of the Quantrill's raiders, a guerrilla force which fought against union sympathizers during the Civil War. James takes allegiance to the Black Flag, the raiders' banner. After the war he recieves kind treatment from a judge concerning his acts of crime and later meets and falls in love with Zee, with whom he wishes to live a peaceful life.

While Franklin B. Coates discusses his book with Jesse James, Jr., James's daughter Lucille briefly encounters young Eastern millionaire Robert Standing, who has landed his airplane in a nearby field to get his bearings. It is love at first sight, and Robert tries for many months to learn the girl's name--despite his mother's objections. Finally succeeding, Robert visits Mr. James, who gives the young man Coates's book. Robert thus learns the story of Jesse James, beginning in 1863, when he was a boy on the family farm near Kearney, Missouri: Desiring revenge on the soldiers who mistreat his family, Jesse joins Quantrill's Missouri Guerrillas and swears allegiance to their Black Flag. Because of a serious wound, Jesse is separated from the Guerrillas and is thus prevented from surrendering with them after the war. But Jesse does receive the kind hospitality of Judge Bowman and the love of the woman he calls Zee, with whom he hopes to spend a peaceful future. Robert now understands Lucille's reluctance to declare herself.