Ruth was the wife of Joe Lacey. When she was dying, the Sheriff sent the tax collector, and he put them out for not paying their taxes and Ruth died on the street. Joe wants to kill both the tax collector and the Sheriff, in revenge. He successfully kills the tax collector, but fails at an attempt to kill the Sheriff when he misses and accidently kills a boy. He kills the sheriff's lookalike, thinking it was the Sheriff. Joe is then killed by Guy of Gisborne.