Jim Matthews, express agent in Red Rock, Arizona, and his daughter Alice, are watching anxiously over the bedside of Mrs. Matthews, who is very ill. An express box of money is now left by the stage and Matthews is ordered to guard it overnight. The "Arizona Kid," a notorious bandit, who has followed the stage and watched while they left the box, now gallops back to the rendezvous of his pals, tells them of the easy chance to rob the office and they start at once. Meanwhile Alice has sent her father for a doctor and is all alone with her sick mother.
Bob Evans, a telegraph operator, together with a group of soldiers gets ambushed by Sioux Indians. Wounded, he climbs into a telegraph pole and asks through the telegraph wires for help from the fort. Bob's fiancée Edith comes along with the soldiers. The soldiers find only dead bodies and decide to chase the Indians. Edith stays behind to search for Bob. She finds him and together they return to the fort. The Sioux then attack the fort, but when the situation seems hopeless, the army returns and the Indians are expelled.
Jake Willis, a timber-cutter, is felling trees with a gang of men one morning when an Indian applies for work and food, Willis hires him and tells him to do a day's work first, then eat. Stolidly the Indian agrees and leaves with an ax for the forest. Now, little Flo Willis, Jake's little girl, pities the poor man and, when her father leaves, butters a piece of bread, spreads it with jelly and takes it out to the Indian, who, although surprised, thanks her as best he can and sits down to eat.
May Barclay, returning from the east, is met at the station by her father, a wealthy cattle king. On passing the town saloon, two members of Buck Brady's gang, known and feared throughout the country for lawless depredations, see May and determine to steal her and hold her for ransom.
The Chief's son, Silver Water, returns from college and is met at the station by the tribe. The Indians make merry to celebrate his homecoming. Hal Benton, an easterner, rides on to ask his way to the hotel, where he is stopping with some friends, among them his fiancée, Veda Mead, and her father. Knowing that the Indian ceremonies will interest his friends, Hal obtains permission to come the next day and bring his friends. The Chief calls Morning Star, an Indian maiden, telling his son that she is to be his squaw. Silver Water is pleased with her. The next day Hal Benton and his friends arrive. While the others inspect the camp, Veda Mead amuses herself with Silver Water and ere long is thoroughly infatuated with him, while the Indian's vanity is touched by the attentions of the society coquette, and he promises to meet her the next day. Their little tete-a-tete is cut short by the entrance of Morning Star.
Pasquale, half Mexican, secures work on the ranch of old Fowler. Fowler has a pretty daughter, Vedah, who teaches the district school. Pasquale meets the girl on several occasions and falls in love with her. She repulses his attentions and tries to show him his error in loving her, but Pasquale is determined and, one day, rides to the schoolhouse after the children are dismissed. Finding Vedah alone he again renews his attentions and is on the point of taking her in his arms when she holds aloft a crucifix and, terror-stricken, Pasquale hurriedly leaves.
Broncho Billy, a lawless western renegade, reels out of the Rawhide saloon one day and comes face to face with the town preacher. The good man tries to show Broncho the error of his ways, but Broncho laughs and goes on to the Rawhide dance hall where a crowd of young people are enjoying themselves.
John Mackley is in the hands of a money-lender, and a broken leg prevents him from meeting a note when due. He succeeds in putting off the payment until a future date, in the hope that better times will come in the interim. His wife and daughter, Lucy, comprise his family. Lucy, just budding into womanhood, has formed an attachment for a young man, who had rendered herself and mother a little service one day. They have met several times and love has become mutual. She knows nothing of his avocation or his past, only that he is living in the neighborhood.
A little girl whose parents were killed by Indians grows up the adopted daughter of a white settler and the one Indian who lives in the same hut with him. They both love the girl dearly and finally, when an artist comes along with whom she falls in love and who ultimately takes her away to his eastern home.
While on a vacation, an elderly Buffalo Bill dreams of his adventures as a young man when he scouted for the cavalry, fought Indians and captured outlaws.
Brig Harris, a renegade Mexican, casts off his sweetheart, telling her he is tired of her. Harris and a pal now find that a shipment of ore from the Catspaw mine is to be left overnight at the house of Barnes, the town agent. A plot to rob Barnes is instantly laid. Barnes is also a doctor, and Harris lures him to his shack by shamming sickness.
The Goddess, the prettiest and best-natured girl that ever graced that little mining town, meets the tenderfoot prospector and leaves him another worshiper of her. His chances, however, are slim for Blue-grass Pete has won her affections, he having at an opportune moment saved her from the fangs of a snake which was about to attack her. Pete's affections turn to the Goddess's sister, while Pete's friends plot to rob.
Bill Simpson, a sturdy young Westerner, is made a deputy and his star is forwarded to him. Simpson is in love with pretty Olive Farnum, a daughter of the plains, and they are practically engaged. Dolores, a Mexican girl, also loves Simpson and plans to break his engagement to Olive. She enlists the aid of Pedro, a Mexican lover
Tom Fleming, a Western bandit, and his pal, Morgan, hold up the stage. Fleming dispatches Morgan to town to inform him when the stage leaves. Fleming now receives a letter from his wife back east, in which she tells him she and their little girl pray every night that he will always remain an honest, faithful husband and father.
A deserting soldier encounters a wagon train of settlers. When they are faced with an Indian attack, he risks court martial to return to the Army post for help.
Iola, the little Indian girl, is held captive by a gang of cutthroats but is soon rescued by Jack Harper, a prospector. She is truly grateful to Jack, and regards him as something different from other white people. Jack's sweetheart and her father are travellers in a wagon-train headed for this place, and, not having much luck so far, he is somewhat gloomy. Iola learns the reason, and promises to help him find gold. "Will you?" he says, "Yes." "Cross your heart?" This cross-your-heart action mystifies Iola. She thinks it is a sort of tribe insignia and tells her people that "Crossheart" people are all right. Iola surely pays her debt of gratitude, not only in finding gold, but in giving her life to protect Jack's sweetheart from her own people.