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If Camille (“Dark Brother”) was Buck’s childhood sweetheart and first love, then Kathleen Devlin was his introduction to the bittersweet realities of life, and “love”, as an adult in the white world.  With Kathleen, Buck left the innocence of youth behind forever.

Buck is enamoured by Kathleen from the first moment he sees her, on the podium at the Founders Day race.  Just returned from Paris, Kathleen presents Buck’s prize – a $20 gold piece donated by her father Jack – and to Buck’s surprise, also kisses him on the cheek.  Her father is shocked at this public display.  “With an Indian, no less,” he fumes.  Later, Kathleen ‘accidentally’ runs into Buck and artfully praises his riding, sighing “I wish I could ride like that.”  Buck eagerly agrees to teach her.

The next day, Buck learns that not only can Kathleen ride, she was Regional Equestrian Champion in Paris!  It’s only the first in a series of lies she’ll tell the smitten Buck.  Kathleen gives Buck an ornate silver cross; they share an elaborate picnic lunch and, ultimately, a kiss.  And maybe more?? Whatever happened between them, it certainly must have distracted Buck.  Lost in thought on the way home, he is ambushed by Devlin’s men and suffers the humiliation of being dragged by a horse, beaten, and tarred & feathered.  (He gets his revenge, of course.)

Jack Devlin, meanwhile, is horrified though not surprised that his daughter is continuing to see Buck.  It’s a predictable routine between the two of them – Kathleen’s most recent paramour was an actor in St. Louis.  She chooses her suitors based on how UNsuitable her father would find them.  Kathleen will get her father’s attention in any way she can, and it is ONLY her father’s attention that she wants.  It is a rather twisted relationship, to say the least.

As a means of settling her down, Jack intends to marry her off to his foreman, Rance.  Kathleen runs away to Buck, asking him to take her to ‘relatives’ in St. Louis.  Buck is hesitant, until Kathleen lays on the charm again.  They ride for St. Louis, but an injury to Kathleen’s horse makes it easy for Rance and his men to overtake them. Buck is willing to fight for her, but Kathleen scornfully considers him a fool to even contemplate it. “Love” has blinded him and despite warnings from the other riders about her true nature, Buck is still not ready to believe that she’s been using him.  Kathleen returns to Sweetwater with Rance but Buck follows them.  He stops Rance from killing Jack, and only then does he see Kathleen for the manipulator she is – when she confesses to her father that ‘she wasn’t going anywhere, she only wanted him to get rid of Rance’.  Rejected and heartbroken, Buck returns the cross and leaves, alone again.

So, did Buck truly love Kathleen?  I don’t think so.  He loved what she represented.                                      Acceptance. Tolerance.  Equality. Her betrayal of his love and trust may have set him back far further than we know – after all, we never saw Buck truly give his heart again.

A huge thanks to Vicki for this wonderful  text section on Buck and Kathleen!

And special thanks to Gail for these great screen caps!