Jim Matthews, express agent in Red Rock, Arizona, and his daughter Alice, are watching anxiously over the bedside of Mrs. Matthews, who is very ill. An express box of money is now left by the stage and Matthews is ordered to guard it overnight. The "Arizona Kid," a notorious bandit, who has followed the stage and watched while they left the box, now gallops back to the rendezvous of his pals, tells them of the easy chance to rob the office and they start at once. Meanwhile Alice has sent her father for a doctor and is all alone with her sick mother.
Jake Willis, a timber-cutter, is felling trees with a gang of men one morning when an Indian applies for work and food, Willis hires him and tells him to do a day's work first, then eat. Stolidly the Indian agrees and leaves with an ax for the forest. Now, little Flo Willis, Jake's little girl, pities the poor man and, when her father leaves, butters a piece of bread, spreads it with jelly and takes it out to the Indian, who, although surprised, thanks her as best he can and sits down to eat.
Pasquale, half Mexican, secures work on the ranch of old Fowler. Fowler has a pretty daughter, Vedah, who teaches the district school. Pasquale meets the girl on several occasions and falls in love with her. She repulses his attentions and tries to show him his error in loving her, but Pasquale is determined and, one day, rides to the schoolhouse after the children are dismissed. Finding Vedah alone he again renews his attentions and is on the point of taking her in his arms when she holds aloft a crucifix and, terror-stricken, Pasquale hurriedly leaves.
Maizie Mackey finished with her term at boarding school in Los Angeles, leaves her sweetheart, Bud Stone, and returns to her father's ranch near Ash Forks, Cal. A few weeks later, Bud, lonesome and downhearted, wires Maizie's father that he is coming on to ask a very important question.
Broncho Billy, a lawless western renegade, reels out of the Rawhide saloon one day and comes face to face with the town preacher. The good man tries to show Broncho the error of his ways, but Broncho laughs and goes on to the Rawhide dance hall where a crowd of young people are enjoying themselves.
John Mackley is in the hands of a money-lender, and a broken leg prevents him from meeting a note when due. He succeeds in putting off the payment until a future date, in the hope that better times will come in the interim. His wife and daughter, Lucy, comprise his family. Lucy, just budding into womanhood, has formed an attachment for a young man, who had rendered herself and mother a little service one day. They have met several times and love has become mutual. She knows nothing of his avocation or his past, only that he is living in the neighborhood.
Brig Harris, a renegade Mexican, casts off his sweetheart, telling her he is tired of her. Harris and a pal now find that a shipment of ore from the Catspaw mine is to be left overnight at the house of Barnes, the town agent. A plot to rob Barnes is instantly laid. Barnes is also a doctor, and Harris lures him to his shack by shamming sickness.
Bill Simpson, a sturdy young Westerner, is made a deputy and his star is forwarded to him. Simpson is in love with pretty Olive Farnum, a daughter of the plains, and they are practically engaged. Dolores, a Mexican girl, also loves Simpson and plans to break his engagement to Olive. She enlists the aid of Pedro, a Mexican lover
The sheriff lives with his sister, and is engaged in running down an unknown bandit who has been quite active in the district. It develops that Jim Brown, a poor miner, who has lost his wife and is in straitened circumstances, has become embittered at the world and is the bandit, living alone with his little boy, Tom.
Tom Fleming, a Western bandit, and his pal, Morgan, hold up the stage. Fleming dispatches Morgan to town to inform him when the stage leaves. Fleming now receives a letter from his wife back east, in which she tells him she and their little girl pray every night that he will always remain an honest, faithful husband and father.
Old Perkins, a ranchman, has a bevy of pretty daughters, ranging in age from five years up to twenty. Perkins will not permit any love making between the girls and the cowboys, the most ardent of whom is "Alkali" Ike. "Alkali" likes Jennie, and the other boys each have their individual sweetheart.
Old Silas Gregg lives with his pretty daughter, Vedah, in the western hills, unknown to the girl. Gregg is the leader of a band of smugglers, who have their rendezvous in his barn. Vedah is loved by Brant Graham, a sturdy young Hillman, and to insure his future, Graham gets the sheriff to appoint him a deputy, receives his badge, pins it inside his sleeve and is ordered to be on the watch for smugglers, who are continually getting goods across the Mexican border, Graham promises and leaves. Later he goes to Gregg's shack, puts the ring on Vedah's finger and asks to see her father, to gain his consent. Finding he has gone down to the barn they start in search for him. In passing the barn Graham suddenly discovers Gregg and his gang sorting over their goods inside.
Pretty Nan Morgan is admired by all the boys in Lariat and likes them, every one, but her heart belongs to Broncho Billy, who proudly announces to the boys one day that he wants to introduce them "to the future Mrs. Broncho." Matters glide along smoothly until about the time Broncho is thinking of putting the ring on Nan's finger.
Pretty Bessie King has all the cowboys' hearts thumping ragtime jigs against their ribs whenever she comes to town, and Alkali is the hardest hit of all. After a series of flirtations she finally takes Alkali for better or worse and they are married. A year later a small son and heir keeps Alkali doing Marathons across the midnight floors.
A western prospector, who has been unusually lucky, prepares to return east to his wife. The suspicious actions of a gypsy horse-trader, whom he has seen loitering near his cabin, prompts him to take his gold to the bank, but on the way he is thrown from his horse and suffers fatal injuries. A young man and woman come on the scene and are given the gold, after they promise the dying man to send a portion of it to his wife. Later, the gypsy, learning who got the gold, attacks the mother of the young people and escapes with the treasure.
Jim Black has a daughter, Edna, who is engaged to marry Frank Shaw. One evening Jim and Frank leave the cabin together and later lay in wait for the stage-coach, soon due. After the robbery they separate in order to throw the posse off the trail. Jim is finally trailed down by the sheriff and posse and surrenders, while a deputy is sent to Jim's house, where it is suspected Shaw has retreated. The deputy is met at the door by Edna, who gives the deputy her word of honor that Shaw is not in the house.
Alkali Ike is in love with the daughter of Ranchman Brown, who is very much opposed to the match. Alkali, to prove that he is brave solicits the help of two of his cronies, who are to disguise as hold-up men and waylay Ranchman Brown. The hold-up occurs, but when Alkali pulls the masks off the highwaymen he finds they are not his friends, but two of the most desperate bad men of the country.
Bob Graham gains the consent of Grace Allen to marry before he leaves for the fall round-up. Bob takes with him a locket given him by Grace as a token of remembrance. Jed Brown, who has also loved Grace, goes with the punchers across the range and when opportunity offers steals the locket and forges a note which he returns and gives to Grace, making her believe that Bob has jilted her. Womanlike, she turns her affections to Jed and they are married. Bob learns of the trick and makes a solemn vow someday to get even.
When Widow Jenkins publishes the news that she has been left a valuable estate and other properties, including a grocery store, all the eligible men of the neighborhood seek to win her hand. The most persistent of her admirers is Alkali Ike, who absolutely refuses to remove himself from her immediate vicinity and guards her so well that none of the other suitors are given a fair opportunity to propose.