The fight between the solid people -- ranchers and farmers -- and the riff raff -- migratory miners -- comes into the open in Lace Curtain when lawyer Joel Lockhart is forced to take sides against the man who would dominate the town. Lockhart is right-handed by Harkman's wife, evades Harkman's efforts to have him killed, and leagues the townspeople together to dislodge their enemy. Lined up and primed.