Dick, an easterner, comes west to try his luck at mining. No sooner does he arrive than Hartley, the local gambler and all-around villain, commences to make sport at his expense. Dick endeavors to bear it patiently, but a clash is inevitable, until the arrival at the village store of Mary Brown, one whom all held in respect, excepting Hartley.
The Brockton clan considers the mountain Little Smoky their own, but then the government comes in and declares it a forest and game preserve. This doesn't stop the family, who swears they will do what they want with the land.
There is trouble between the Dunbar brothers when Wally proposes to Bonnie on his brother's behalf only to have her accept him. Their feud is interrupted when they have to go after a con man who has cheated the bank out of $5000 by using a gold brick. With the outlaw captured, Wally now tries to get his brother and Bonnie together.
When old rancher Mark Ridgeway passes away, his property goes to relatives in the East instead of to trusted foreman Tom Taylor as promised. The relatives, Reginald (Taylor Graves) and his sister Marion, arrive to take over the ranch, and Tom quickly falls for the lovely Marion. The weak Reginald, on the other hand, sells his part of the property to evil Indian Joe Deerfoot, who then kidnaps Marion to get her share as well.
A captivating young woman arrives in Paradise Gulch and, after charming all the young men of the town into buying her jewelry, proves to be a con artist working for her husband, the jewelry salesman.
Each year the unique surroundings and novel characters of this great and typical American custom is becoming more and more obsolete and in a few short years entirely extinct. Can you imagine a more exciting or sensational picture than a great cattle stampede, curbed by fearless cowboys and dauntless riders of the western range horse?
Hank Wilson, a good-natured cow puncher, loves a rancher's daughter, and finally musters up courage enough to make known his love. She looks upon the matter as a joke, and coquettishly furnishes him considerable annoyance.
Sam Long leaves his invalid wife to seek work in a neighboring town. He is unsuccessful in his quest and being penniless, and his wife in need of food and medicine, he steals a wallet of money from Dr. Lane. While returning home he loses the wallet on the road. It is found by some of the boys, who return it to the doctor.
Ted, the foreman of "The Diamond S. Ranch" is in love with Dora, Dad's daughter. Tafe is the leader of a band of desperate characters that have been terrifying the neighborhood for some time. He sees Dora and immediately decides to try and make an impression upon her.
The marshal is compelled to arrest his brother-in-law for accidentally shooting a Mexican. His wife pleads for his release, but it is ineffectual. When he is asleep, she takes the calaboose keys from his pocket, but finds that the prisoner has been helped out by a "half-breed.". The marshal is awakened by her return and discovers that his keys are gone.
A pair of precious loafers in a mining town learn from one of their "kidney" that Dick Mackey's partner, Bill Bryson, has died and that his gold dust is cached in Dick's cabin. They get sober and conclude to rob Mackey, but find that he is too quick on "the draw," and give it up.
A drifter nicknamed "Driftin' Sands" is hired by a wealthy rancher to protect his spoiled daughter. Driftin', of course, falls for the lady and is immediately banished from the ranch.
Jerry Hixon's ranch is being besieged by raiders so Ben sends for his friend Bud. When Bud arrives and finds that the outlaw Texarkana Pete has been captured, he buys Pete's clothes and posing as Pete joins the outlaw gang. But he is quickly in trouble when his masquerade is exposed.