A girl deserts her cowboy sweetheart and marries a gambler. In a short time she realizes her mistake and is thrust from the house when ill. Vainly she tries to induce her husband to take her back, but he refuses and she falls by the wayside in a dying condition, where she is found by her former lover. After she dies he hunts out her husband, forces him to go to the house and see her body and then gives him the choice of a vial of poison or bullets from is revolvers.
Broncho Billy loses his job and is forced to go west in search of employment. He lands in a small western town, where he takes up gold mining. Stockdale, a westerner, also meeting with bad luck, consults Broncho Billy, and the two determine to hold up the stagecoach that day.
After successfully eluding the London police, David Goodwin, an embezzler, sails for America and locates in the west. At the opening of our story, he is married and has several little children, and has become a thoroughly respectable and honorable citizen. One day he is reminded of the past by a newspaper item which states that the London embezzler has been located
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.
Unable to apprehend a certain daring outlaw, who had for the second time successfully held up an express train, the general manager of the road employs the services of a well-known detective to hunt down the bad man. Clarington, the detective, visits the scene of the hold-up, and decides that the outlaw must still be in the vicinity
Wilton Shaw, a young author, has been advised by his physician to go west for his health and the opening scenes of this picture finds him in a little town in Montana, seeking board and lodging. Jim Walker, a backwoodsman, offers him a home with him and his wife, and he accepts. Arriving at the rough hut of the Walkers, Shaw is introduced to Walker's wife.
Young Gilbert Randel, an American surveyor, is sent to Mexico with a construction gang, and quartered in a small Mexican village, meets Pepita, a beautiful Mexican girl, with whom he falls in love. After frequent visit to the cottage of Pepita, Gilbert proposes to the girl and she consents to the marriage.
Dorothy Sloane, the daughter of a white settler in the west, leaves her home one day for a ride on horseback to the village, but on the way in intercepted by a party of Indians who, after a hard chase, capture her and taking her to the village, bring her before the chief.
To err is human, but in the end, goodness of heart will prevail and the one who has committed an offense against man-made laws may come out of the mire and develop into a law abiding and god-fearing citizen. Broncho Billy, from being one of the most desperate characters in the west, is reformed through the kind treatment accorded him at the hands of the sheriff and his wife, and is made deputy.
Ned and Jack, two western boys, are both in love with the pretty daughter of their employer, who, liking both, is unsettled as to which of them she will accept. She finally decides upon Jack and not desiring to hurt Ned's feelings, proposes to her father that she and Jack be married secretly.
Harvey Barton, a young cowboy, is happily in love with Kate Bowers, a pretty western girl. One day he calls at her home, shows her a handbill advertising a barn dance to be held at one of the nearby ranches, and asks her to go with him. On his way back to the ranch he comes upon a beautiful young woman, whose horse has met with an accident and Harvey dismounts and bashfully asks her if he can be of any assistance. She accepts his help and invites him to accompany her home. She is inclined to flirt and easily turns the foolish young cowpuncher's head, and the meeting ends with him inviting her to accompany him to the dance.
Jennie Lee and her father are on their way to Golden California, from a little Kansas farm, traveling in a prairie schooner. At the last settlement visited by the two, the old man, who has a weakness for drink, purchases several bottles of whiskey, which he begins drinking when they have made camp for the night. A lone cowboy calls upon them and finds the old man in a jovial mood and cautions him to beware of the hostile tribe of Indians, through whose country they are now traveling.
Young Jack Farson, the foreman on the "Bar O" ranch, is in love with Alice Walton, daughter of his employer. Alice rejects the young cowpuncher, but asks in a kindly way that they continue as good friends and nothing else. One day, while out on a canter, the spirited horse stubbornly refuses to ford a stream, and becoming angry endeavors to throw his fair rider.
Joe Fuller, the outlaw and bandit, draws rein at a humble cottage and begs refreshment. The traditional hospitality of the west is at once shown him by Jane White, who is alone in the house at the time, with her baby daughter. The bandit is given food and drink, while he is eating which, the baby takes a child-like fancy to him.
Dan Warrington, an outlaw, is captured by the sheriff, after the former had held up a stagecoach, and is sent to jail. After the sheriff has placed his captive under guard he goes home and is welcomed by his little daughter, a child of five. Not long after the sheriff is notified of the escape of Warrington
Richard Mead was a sheepherder who lived with his daughter in a hut in the mountains. He was hated by the cattlemen and was ordered to quit the range. Returning to his home he tells his daughter what has happened, and prepares to protect himself.
Old Jim Brown, a western ranchman, has a pretty daughter Gladys, who is loved by young Frank Carpenter, then foreman of the ranch. Brown objects to the match because he has an opportunity to marry Gladys off to a rich mine owner, seeing in this alliance the opportunity for social advancement for the girl and himself.
Young Frank McLain loses his position in the east, and resolves to go west to prospect for gold. Arrangements are made that he leave his wife at home, and send for her later, as soon as he has found a position. Frank's prospecting proves a failure, and he is without funds, when his plight is made more severe by receiving a letter from Alice, his wife.