Dad, a likable old pioneer character, lived among the foot hills of the western mining region, on a ranch with his two daughters, Rose and Madge. As sort of a side issue he had been doing a little prospecting, and about the time the story starts, we see him carrying some of his quartz to Andy Thomas, a young assayer located in a nearby village.
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.
The Texas Rangers, led by Tom Wilson, are hot on the trail of the Mexican bootleggers, who have been smuggling whiskey into American territory and supplying it to the Indians.
Hiram Hughes, foreman on "Pop" Lynd's ranch in Bingo Gulch, has quit his job. He has had enough of "Wild Jim," who is the pest of the ranch. In despair, Pop goes to Bingo, where he places a sign on the post office, advertising for a new foreman. "Easy" Thompson, the star performer of the "Circle Bar Ranch" show, has had enough of circus life and resigns his job.
Alice Marson, an eastern young lady, becomes engaged to Glen Arnold, a young man just out of college. Girl-like, she rushes to her friend, Lucy Starr, and tells of the engagement. Lucy, who also had designs on Glen, congratulates Alice, but determines to break up the match.
It was a time when men thought quick and shot quick, self-preservation being Nature's first law. The stage-coach, having the precious freight of two fair girls and much of Uncle Sam's mail, goes through on schedule time, despite the fact that a band of outlaws leagued to rapture the mail coach.
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.
Dare Devil Tom Wallace, so called because of his seeming lack of fear, is held up while riding in the stage and robbed by a masked desperado named Morgan. Wallace finds the trail of the robber and follows it to the face of a cliff.
Steve, ambitious to outstrip his rivals, Slim and Tex, in a race for Betty's hand, orders a dress-snit by mail. The spike-tail is an awful fit and Steve retires from Betty's inspection anything but pleased. He gives the "fixins" to a Mexican, who in turn suffers from the hands of the populace when he makes his appearance in public, and is finally suspiciously pursued by a posse.
John Wilson goes to the mountain-town bank to draw out the pay-roll. Sam Marvin and Ed Hanley "pike" this proceeding and ride on ahead, up the road, to await the coming of the superintendent in his auto. Jim Carter, the son of Sheriff Carter, also his deputy, observes their actions, and finds their pictures in prison records.
Willie Clever, city born and bred, having been spoiled with plenty of money, thinks he knows it all, or nearly all. His father buys a ranch in Arizona and sends Willie out to run the business. He comes with "all the fixin's," and has not been on the place an hour before he tries to run, or reform the outfit. The cowboys decide he needs some experience.
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.
Bud Harris, a young miner with a reputation for courage, goes prospecting in the desert with Tom Jones in an attempt to locate a turquoise mine. Their water gives out and their horses die on the way. Bud thinks that Tom has water in his canteen and strikes him down.
Texas Pete, a gun-man, is "extra" bad when in liquor. This, however, does not terrify the ranch foreman, who discharges him for drunkenness. Pete laces on his hardware and lurches off, with the intention of shooting up the town where he pumped in his original trouble.