Bessie received a note from Uncle Dan along with a pony and was more than delighted with the handsome gift. Her sweetheart, Bill Walters, grew quite peeved at the way in which Bessie forgot him for her horse. Some days later Bessie's father, the sheriff, received a note that horse thieves were operating in his vicinity. He notified Bessie to watch carefully over her new pony and Bessie alert to the possibility, promptly rode to town to obtain a strong lock for the barn.
Young Cal Jim had often called upon Betty but never found the courage to propose. His pal, Mark Halworthy did, however, and Betty accepted. Disappointed, Cal asked and received a grubstake from Mark and went away into the hills to seek gold and heart balm. Two years later Mark took to gambling. He neglected Betty and, one day, intoxicated, struck her.
The pretty dancer and the casual cowboy visitor at the cabaret fell in love. A Mexican waiter loved Chiquita. A Gringo get this dainty bundle of Spanish nerves and beauty? Never! He planned to destroy the cowboy lover by a drop of poison in his cup.
Big Ben from the Bar N Ranch called often on Margaret. As the two were inseparable, it soon became known that they would soon marry. This news greatly displeased Bill Higgins, who promptly set about to make trouble. He wrote an anonymous note and attached it to Ben's saddle, saying " She don't love you. She was with Bill Higgins all day yesterday. A Friend." When Ben found it he frowned and tucked it idly into his pocket. This happened regularly thereafter. If Ben had been a trifle older he might have smiled derisively, but he didn't. Youth and jealousy are old acquaintances and so Ben made his visits shorter and shorter. One day, lonesomeness overcame him and he sent the notes in a bundle to Margy. She read them and promptly burst into tears.
Ben Hart, the youthful mining expert, arrived at Red Rock and promptly sought out pretty Mabel Whitaker and her mother, who had inherited a map purporting to lead to a gold deposit. Ben made an appointment to look at the deposit and did so - quite unaware that Jim Halliday, with two bad pals, kept close watch of his every movement.
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
The basis of the story is an old edict, issued as the result of one of the tribal differences, that death shall be meted out to the Hopi woman who marries an Apache.
Jane Carston was to return tomorrow from Ohio, where she had been for the past three years in school, and the ranch was all agog with expectancy and cleanliness. Bob Evans, head cowboy, was most eager and most anxious of the lot. Tomorrow finally became today and Pa had gone to the station in his best linen duster and the buckboard to meet Jane. Finally, in a cloud of dust. Bob discerns them on the brow of the hill. Arriving at the house Jane greets mother with a rousing smack.
The advent of Mabel Jones on her uncle's ranch in Stony Gulch creates great havoc among the boys. Three of them, Bob, Frank and Jack are so smitten with her charms as to forget their own sweethearts who rise up in arms and are glad indeed when Mabel's visit is over.
Although Nell Barclay is very young, she has succeeded in falling in love with Ralph Tracy, a big, manly ranch owner and friend of her father. Louis Potosi, a neighbor, is also in love with Nell. The two suitors attend the round-up held on the Barclay ranch and pay court to the pretty girl while watching the roping and branding of the cattle.
The period is 1876; trains of settlers are moving westward. It is the time of pioneers and prairie schooners. Dan is leading one wagon train and his party fall in with another led by a stalwart Indian, Mahomena. They proceed together. Amongst the latter party is a young girl, Eunice, and she and Dan are immediately attracted to each other
Broncho Billy is in love with the rancher's daughter. Her father disapproves of their affair and one day quarrels with Broncho. A few days later the rancher drops dead while at work. Broncho Billy's rival discovers the body and seeing an opportunity to implicate Broncho, shoots the rancher's body. Broncho Billy is accused of the murder
Broncho Billy becomes engaged. A month later the engagement is broken when the girl's father comes into a fortune. She moves to the city with her parents, where she lives surrounded by luxury.