Broncho Billy, the sheriff, is in love with a girl, but another man wins her affections and marries her. He is a worthless sort of fellow, and when Broncho sees him in the saloon, drinking with an outlaw, he gives the bartender orders to sell him no more liquor. This causes a fight, but peace is soon restored.
A sheriff and his posse shoot it out with a gang of robbers headed by Bad Jake Kennedy. The surviving robber, Buckshot John, won't tell where the gang's loot is hidden and gets 30 years in prison. Halfway through his sentence he "gets religion" and in order to save his soul, decides to tell where the gang has hidden its stash of gold. However, a phony clairvoyant, The Great Gilmore, finds out about John's intentions and tricks him into revealing where the gold is. When John finds out what happened, he decides to break out of prison and take care of matters himself.
Moya Lantry, a belle of Cattleland. has captured the hearts of two bold cowboys, Bob Davis and Frank Scott. They arrange, a contest to decide which shall marry her and Scott wins out by a trick.
While on the round-up, Broncho's rival one night steals his sweetheart's picture from his watch. He then returns to the girl with a note saying that Broncho has fallen in love with another girl and is returning her photograph. He signs Broncho's name. Believing Broncho's love dead, she marries the forger some time later.
Billy rescues a child and returns her to her mother. When the husband returns and discovers that the savior of his child is a wanted outlaw, he's faced with a moral crisis.
A cowboy advertises for a wife. A shop girl in Chicago responds, and he travels there to see her. Once he gets there, however, she changes her mind. Ashamed to return home empty-handled, the cowboy uses a mannequin in a woman's dress to fool his friends into thinking he has a wife.
Broncho Billy is sent on a secret mission to a small Arizona town. There he meets a beautiful girl, Elizabeth Barton, who is betrothed to a handsome daredevil, Juan Martin, of the Bar-O Ranch. Broncho is given a job by the foreman, George Chisholm. At a dance Martin and another cow-puncher quarrel. Martin draws his gun but Broncho Billy interferes. Martin is enraged and attempts to shoot Broncho. He takes the gun from him, takes the cartridges out and hands it back. Martin plots with the cook and other members of the outfit to poison the coffee of the foreman and steal the cattle. He hopes to throw the blame for the murder and theft on Broncho Billy.
Broncho Billy becomes engaged to Mae, whose sister, Marguerite, is a cripple. Her parents are unable to stand the expense of an operation which will cure her, so she starts in to save the necessary $100. Slowly the money accumulates. Meanwhile Broncho Billy is caught making moonshine whiskey in Gulch Canyon.
When eggs went up to $6 a dozen, Slim and Sophie try in every way to make their hen lay, but with no success. Mustang sees their efforts and decides to play a joke. One morning Slim receives a letter telling him that giving hens hot water to drink and putting salt on their tails will make them lay.
Dan Melton is in love with Daisy Dale, who, being of a coquettish disposition, permits herself to become infatuated with Soapy Smith, gentleman gambler. Sheriff Melton is greatly worried by the continual holdups committed by Black Jack, a desperado, who has become the terror of the mountains. His excursions in quest of the bandit compel him to neglect Daisy somewhat. One day Daisy meets with an accident while riding and applies for assistance at a lonely shack in the hills. To her astonishment Soapy Smith opens the door. She accepts his invitation to enter. Once she is inside, however, Soapy betrays his real character and attacks her. Daisy's screams are heard by Morristette, a Mexican, who rushes in and intervenes. Smarting under the blow Soapy deals him, he gallops to town and informs the sheriff. On arriving at the shack to rescue his sweetheart Melton finds that Soapy Smith and the long-sought desperado. Black Jack, are one and the same.
Broncho Billy, a prospector, makes a rich strike, but while he is examining the rock he is being watched by three claim jumpers. The minute he leaves the spot the jumpers gather up some samples of the ore, and after replacing Broncho's sign with one of their own, start for the claim agent's office.
The proprietor of the O.K. hotel is advertising for a "lady" cook. Meanwhile, a Chinaman is stealing all his trade. Sophie arrives in Snakeville and applies for the position. The proprietor engages her without a moment's hesitation.
A saloon hostess loves Ramerrez, a notorious highwayman. Sheriff Jack Rance, who loves the girl too, instigates a card game that will determine the fate of all three of them. If she wins, the girl's lover will go free; but if she loses…