Jim Clay, a rough western ranchman, kisses his daughter goodbye, and departs for the town saloon. Entering, he sees four of his comrades finishing a game of cards. Broncho Billy, one of them, wins all the money. Clay exits and seats himself on a barrel in front of the place. Broncho, with his winnings, departs from the saloon, meets Clay and together they proceed to the ranchman's home.
John Allen is in love with pretty Mabel Trude and the honor conferred upon Allen by the community, electing him sheriff, aids Allen in pressing his suit. The engagement is announced. Tom Trude, the brother of Mabel, is a sort of shiftless fellow and is exceedingly unlucky at cards. It required but little argument on the part of the acknowledged best man of the community to win Tom over to his gang, as he hopes to make good his losses at cards in some manner other than actual labor. The post office is held up and the sheriff called upon to bring the perpetrators to justice. A lively encounter is followed by the escape and pursuit of one of the men. The sheriff himself takes up the chase and successfully runs down the man. To his consternation, it proves to be Mabel's brother. He passes their home with the prisoner in tow. Mabel argues and pleads, but to no avail, and she finally plays her largest card--her love, against her brother's liberty
A woman is injured escaping her abusive husband and wanders the forest in a daze but loses her baby. Indians find her baby and rear the child as their own. Years later the mother is now married to an army colonel and living in a fort. A conflict with local the tribe breaks out and the woman discovers that their chief is her lost child.
On August 20, 1913, TR, numerous visitors, and Hopi Indians observe the performance of the ritual Hopi snake-dance at Walpi, Arizona, on the Hopi Reservation.
After holding up a stage-coach, Broncho Billy disappears into the woods on horseback. The driver of the coach unhitches one of the horses and rides to the nearest town, notifies the sheriff, who goes in pursuit with the posse.
With a fondness for gambling, Jim Saunders is given to neglecting his wife and child. One night during his absence at the saloon, Miguel Gomez, a Mexican outlaw, for whom $1,000 reward is offered, enters Jim's home and demands food of Mrs. Saunders.
A pretty western girl rejected a cowpuncher admirer for Bronche Billy. Snake, the rejected suitor, swears revenge and immediately proceeds to the village barroom to load up with ammunition, both for the gun and the stomach.
Stern parents have ever been relentless obstacles in love's young dream, but it is perhaps quite doubtful if ever love could equal the accentuated bliss and anguish of these two. She refused to eat for her hero and for her he bore the marks of battle, an eye made black by a cruel parent's fist. Tired of such an unsympathetic world, they sought the wilderness, where, had it not been for Indian Charlie, these two "babes in the wood" would have ended their dream in a manner quite too disagreeable to think of.
On his way to file a claim, a lone prospector stops overnight with a settler and his family. The miner little suspects that his host plots to steal the gold. But the settler’s daughter overhears the plan and warns the visitor just in time. The couple escapes with the woman’s younger sister. In store-bought finery suggesting new wealth, they return to the scene of the attempted crime and make peace with the settler. “We’ll work the mine together,” promises the prospector.
Jack, Alice and Dandy are a well assorted trio. Jack is handsome, Alice sweet and Dandy is the best horse and friend a man ever had. Dandy takes the honors and a blue ribbon at the rodeo. Old Bill, the foreman, retires and Jack is given his position. Everyone is satisfied but Pedro, who treasures a grudge against the handsome Jack. His dislike turns into hate when Jack chastises the Mexican for ill-treating a horse. He seeks out the Indians and incites them to help him steal some of the Bar "B" horses.
Winnie Allen, a pretty western girl, is loved by Dan Wild, whose father owns the Circle C Ranch. Broncho Billy, foreman of the Circle C, also loves Winnie and she favors his suit. Knowing this, and to make his way clear, Dan persuades his father to discharge Broncho. Broncho is unable to learn the cause of his dismissal from Wild.
Netty Parker and her sister, Mildred, two brave western girls, are instrumental in capturing two notorious outlaws in the cleverest of ways. Returning from town early one evening, they discover two bandits who have held up the afternoon stage, laughing over the division of the loot.
Broncho marries a Mexican girl at the earnest entreaty of her dying father. Later a Mexican singer wins her love and, to get Broncho out of the way, she has him arrested and jailed on the charge of having assaulted her. In a frenzy of rage, Broncho secures the sheriff's revolver, escapes from jail and tracks the pair at his shack.
The U.S. Army and the Indians sign a peace treaty. However, a group of surveyors trespass on the Indians' land and violate the treaty. The army refuses to listen to the Indians' complaints, and the surveyors are killed by the Indians. A vicious Indian war ensues, culminating in an Indian attack on an army fort.
Black Wolf, a brave, wants Whispering Water to be his squaw. Whispering Water is afraid of this taciturn Indian and refuses. He tries to carry her off but is stopped by another Indian, Brave Heart, and there is a savage light in which Black Wolf is worsted. He appeals to the chief to banish Brave Heart.