A homesteader (Constance Talmadge) shoots a man she believes is a "claim jumper," only to discover he is a government inspector. The film follows her as she tries to protect her claim from schemers while navigating a confusing and overly complicated plot with many side stories.
The plucky boy rider Red discovers the dead body of Jim Crawford in the desert. A message scratched on a canteen begs the finder to protect Jim's daughter Ann from the killer, Luke Matthews.
A film company is shooting a western on location when the star breaks his leg. A local mule herder, who had never acted before, is "shanghaied" into taking over the role. Complications ensue.
Lovely Jessie Stevens falls in love with Jim Sullivan, much to the dismay of Red Collins (L.J. O'Connor), who wants the girl for himself. Red blackmails Jessie's father, Job, into ordering his daughter to forget all about Jim, who takes to the bottle instead.
Fleeing to Dodge City after killing a man in self defence Masterson finds his brother Ed (Harry Lauter) running for sheriff of the town. When Ed is killed by hired guns of the corrupt incumbent Bat is determined to settle the score with violence but he is convinced by the townspeople that the best way to avenge his brother's death is by taking Ed's place on the ballot. Bat agrees and wins the election but his new role on the right side of the law will lead him to unexpected confrontations as he finds himself torn between his loyalties to his friends and his duties as sheriff.
While on her way by stagecoach to visit relatives out west, Flower Belle Lee is held up by a masked bandit who also takes the coach's shipment of gold. When he abducts Flower Belle and they arrive in town, Flower Belle is suspected of being in collusion with the bandit.
David Ross organizes the ranchers into a vigilante group to rid the town of outlaws. The plan succeeds but the trouble starts when some of the men form a new vigilante group and posing as the original one plunder for loot.
A crook masquerading as an Army Colonel in charge of gold shipments, replaces gold ingots with fakes. Spirito Santo is recruited to solve the case and make sure the gold gets through.
As prisoner Ed Archer is being transferred, the stage is attacked and crashes. Archer escapes the attackers but Ranger Rocky Lane catches up with him. As Rocky is bringing him in, Archer is attacked again. Somebody wants Archer killed and Rocky, now suspecting Archer is innocent, decides to find out who and why.
On the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s, a 14-year-old Tennesseean nicknamed The Kid stumbles into a nightmarish world where Indians are being murdered and the market for their scalps is thriving.
Daggett is out to stop the completion of an oil well. He cheats Foster at poker and then forces him to delay the drilling. But the Mesquiteers are on the job with Lulaby posing as a cleaning lady to get evidence.
Horse breeders Adams and Brock are vying for the Army contract. When Adams is killed trying to ride his horse Trigger, Roy saves the horse from being shot. He trains him and then plans to ride him in the race to win the contract.
When his ward seeks protection with rival cattleman John Stewart, embittered, jealous rancher Wick Campbell hires ten outlaws to help him seize power in the territory.
A battle between revolutionary Mexicans and the U.S. cavalry brings Zorro onto the scene to enact vengeance for violent acts incurred by the cavalry Sergeant. Once the Sergeant is killed, Don Jose de la Torre retires from being Zorro and settles down to live a quiet life. The brother of the Sergeant, in an act of his own justice, dons the costume of Zorro and terrorizes the countryside. In an act to draw out the true Zorro, the imposter kidnaps Don Jose's wife, making him once again don the mask to rescue her.
Hoppy goes undercover as a gambler from the East when Bar 20 cattle are stolen by unknown rustlers. Brennan/Talbot are twin brothers (one a casino owner, the other a rancher) and Hoppy believes they provide alibis for each other while one is out committing crimes. Hoppy gets a job in the casino to learn more but is exposed when a gambling gunslinger notices him.