The girl gives herself to one of the men to escape a worse fate, though she separates from another lover to do it. Later she discovers in a dramatic way that her lover was a poltroon and turns to her husband for protection.
The scene opens in a backwoods hut, the home of Dave Barlow and his stepdaughter Anna. Barlow is one of a party of timber thieves who have been working stealthily and to good profit in the government forest reserves on which property they live.
Hiram Matthews, a western ranchman, owns an apple orchard which borders on the property of Jesse Forsyth. The former and his wife are picking apples in the orchard from a tree, the branches of which droop over the fence of the Forsyth property. Forsyth and Matthews have never been on good terms and when the former, who has brooded long over supposed ills done him by Matthews, finds this latter and his wife trespassing on his property, he orders them off at the point of a shotgun.
'Red' Bowman is a worthless renegade, an alleged rustler, to whom fate has been unduly kind to allow him to escape so long the honest judgment and double earned punishment. His daughter, a curly-headed ragged little sunbeam, keeps house for him as best she can, accepting with model fortitude her brutal father's blows and lashings. When he beats her too mercilessly she runs away, if she can, to hide until his anger cools. One day he is interrupted in his amusement of "lickin' the kid" by a group of stern, determined cowboys, who threaten to lynch him if he dares whip the little girl again. 'Red' slinks away and postpones the lashing for another time. That night, he and a pal, another black-hearted scoundrel, make a raid on a bunch of cattle, but are caught in the act.
"Snake" Williams, typical bad man, and a little group of cowboys are found loitering lazily about the Snakeville, Ariz. barroom, when the noon-day stage coach out of Phoenix rumbles around pike and deposits one lone passenger. Interest is immediately aroused and as the stage coach pulls out, Snake, the constant bully, sidles up to the newly arrived stranger to inquire the latter's business, explaining at the same time that although the town has no mayor or reception committee, he will be pleased to do the honors.
The story concerns Bill Dunham, a droll cow-puncher, who finds that home without a wife may have its advantages, "but durned few," and a good woman who can sew on buttons and make flapjacks is worth more than much silver and gold and the liberties of single blessedness.
Will Talbot, a miner, is severely injured in an explosion of dynamite on his claim and his life is saved through the aid of his faithful Indian servant. The Indian carries him to their shack and rides to town for the doctor. When the latter arrives he finds that Talbot has not only suffered severe face burns, but seems to have also lost all knowledge of his identity, a species of insanity occasionally the result of a violent shock.
Frank Wendell, a ranchman, also the sheriff of his county, is about to leave home on the rounds of duty one morning when a buckboard drives up to the house, and a gentleman, whose careful grooming and style of dress signifies a man from back east, alights and presents Wendell with a note from a former friend of the ranchman, introducing Mr. Frederick Church, who desires to spend a few weeks on Wendell's ranch for the purpose of bettering his health. Unsuspecting the true character of the stalwart Easterner. Wendell welcomes him and, with the big hospitality of the Western householder, tells him to make himself at home. A month goes by and with its passing a tragedy. Wendell returns home one evening to find the Easterner and his wife and child gone.
Minnie Harding, a Western maiden, is preparing for a hard washing day. Sam, the negro helper, is assisting her with the wash, carrying water and filling the tub. While he is making his third trip to the well, a cowboy rides up to the cottage and asks Minnie for a drink. She goes to get it and the cowboy, taking advantage of her hospitality, makes love to her. Minnie repulses him and the cowboy becomes insulting. When Sam returns he finds Minnie struggling in the arms of the cowboy, but being a coward himself, he runs out to the road to see if other help cannot be secured. Ross White, another cowboy, is cantering by when Sam sees him and tells him that Minnie has been insulted by a strange cowboy.
Robert Graham, a rich land owner, buys a farm adjoining that of a widow, Mrs. Sarah Brown. In surveying the property, the report of the surveyors makes the claim that the Widow Brown's fence, dividing the two properties, encroaches five feet on Graham's property.
Chief Arraphoe promises his daughter in marriage to a young brave of the tribe. The Indian girl goes to the creek for water and a prospector attempts to embrace her. She calls for help and Broncho Billy responds, knocking the prospector down. The prospector shoots Broncho Billy and the Indian girl in nursing him, falls in love with him. His sweetheart, Bessie, writes that she will be with him in a few days. Bessie arrives and the Indian girl, seeing Broncho Billy embracing her, is about to stab her when she overcomes her desire for revenge and instead, is about to make away with herself, when the young brave appears on the scene and prevents it.
Broncho Billy, a woodsman, living in northern Montana, is greeted by Paul Harding, an artist from New York City. Harding presents Broncho Billy with a letter of introduction. The newcomer is taken into the rough western home and is told to make his headquarters there until he has finished with his painting. Harding sees in Broncho Billy's wife, an excellent subject for oils, and is given consent to paint her portrait. Harding takes a deep interest in the woman and not only teaches her how to read and write, but gives her a thorough knowledge of worldly things in general. Some time later, Harding receives a telegram demanding that he return to his home immediately, that his mother is critically ill. Broncho Billy's wife takes Harding to the railroad station in their buggy. Broncho gets wind of his wife driving away with Harding, and comes to the untimely conclusion that she is eloping with the artist. Harding is overtaken by Broncho Billy and a fierce struggle ensues.
Coyote Simpson and "Alkali" Ike both love the buxom Sophie, pride of Buckskin, Ariz. Coyote has a long curling mustache that is his one pride and joy, but Sophie objects to it when he kisses her and orders him to trim it down.
Mr. Josh Banks a ranchman, receives word that his niece, a pretty Chicago girl of eighteen, is on her way to make them a visit. The news immediately electrifies things down in the cowpunchers' bunkhouse, and all the boys begin sprucing up to he presented to the fair one. She arrives, casts a withering glance at the big rawboned fellows waiting to meet her and sweeps off on her uncle's arm into the house, while the latter looks hack and winks his eye at the boys.
Matt Malone, a highwayman and night rider who has long baffled the police authorities, loves Nona McMahon, posing with her as a cowboy from up country.
Bill Smith, a cowpuncher, is in love with Nell Parsons, daughter of Jon Parsons, a gruff old rancher. Bill wins Nell as far as she is concerned, but he must first ask father. When Bill broaches the subject to the old man, the father kicks him off the premises. All subsequent meetings are frustrated.