During the darkest hour of the American Civil War, the Union desperately needs gold to keep its armies in the field and its credit good. Federal Agent Bob Scott is therefore instructed to clean out the bandit gangs that have been stopping the vital California gold shipments.
Billy Buell (William Farnum), a stranger involving himself with a long-standing mountain feud. The Benchleys and the Camps have been feuding ever since Lew Camp (J. Morris Foster) learned that his daughter Nellie (Doris May) was stolen by Jacob Benchley (Arthur Morrison) to replace a dead Benchley baby. Buell, who has fallen in love with Nellie, returns her to her mother (Virginia True Boardman). That doesn't sit well with the Benchley clan, who arrive for a final shootout.
Bill is a gambler, whose friend Scipio goes in search of his wife Jessie. Jessie, fed up with her life of poverty, has run off with the wealthy and villainous James. She has left behind her two children on James' promise that she can send for them later. Scipio leaves the tots with Bill when he goes on his search..
"Flash" Lanning returns to Bozzam City from the East to put an end to cattle rustling. Gloria Hallowell, who has known him by reputation, falls in love with Lanning but believes that he loves Ellen Bosworth, an eastern "lady." Campan, the leader of the rustlers, hoping to lure Lanning into a trap, kidnaps both girls. Lanning rescues the girls, punishes Campan, and indicates to Gloria that she is the girl for him.
Both Harmon and his men and a Mexican gang are after a treasure hidden on the Wilson ranch. Acey learns of their raid and goes to get Ken only to find him in jail for a murder he did not commit.
Hoping to rid a small western community of its corrupt political machine, Ken Marshall (Ken Maynard) runs for sheriff against the bad guys' candidate and wins the election. Dissatisfied with this, the villains contrive to frame Ken on a murder charge. He breaks out of jail and tracks down the genuine culprit,
Ken Armstrong (Ken Maynard) finds himself a mine owner and a daddy simultaneously when a friend dies and wills him his mine and his baby. The outlaws eying the mine try to frame the hero for the death.
Ken and his sister are separated while young when the Indians attack their wagon train. Ken, now grown, is sent after the outlaw known as the Golden hair Girl only to find that she's his long lost sister.
Wanting the Lance ranch, Burkett kills Lance and brings in an imposter to pose as the heir Ken Lance. Ken learns of the plan, captures the imposter, and arrives posing as himself. In an ensuing gunfight a man is killed and Ken is in trouble when not only is he accused of the murder, but the imposter escapes and convinces the Sheriff he's the real Ken Lance.
When Mort loses his and Ken's money at poker, Goss gets him to rob the stage. He is captured, identified by his palomino horse. Ken tries to clear him by robbing a stage while riding a palomino, but he also gets caught.
Honest John is pulling off a swindle by buying cattle in Texas with worthless scrip and selling them in New Mexico for cash. Ken is leading the cattle drive not knowing that when they cross the state line Honest John's plan will have succeeded.
Government man Fiddlin' has joined Wolf's gang and Banty has become his friend. When Fiddlin' objects to Wolf's kidnapping of Ann, he is left in a burning building. Rescued by his horse Tarzan, he convinces Banty to help bring in the gang.
Mysterious deaths have been occurring in the same towns as Miller's Circus and the Governor has sent Ken Kenton to investigate. Ken joins the show but when he realizes that Bargoff is involved, Bargoff has fled and taken Mary Hiller as a hostage. The trail leads to Baron Petroff who concocted the deadly chemical and Ken quickly finds himself the Baron's prisoner.
Captain Porter's scheme is to buy livestock and then have his men show up later to kill the buyer and retrieve the money. When his men kill the next victim, he frames the Arizonian for the murder. The Arizonian escapes the law and joins up with the outlaw Vasquez. Knowing Porter's scheme, he plans to trap him by using Vasquez as the next buyer.
Jim Brandon, foreman of the Wind River Ranch, owned by Martin Stavnow, is in love with Ronnie, the rancher's daughter, though he is unaware that Harvey, a youthful cowhand, also loves her. Thus, Jim asks the boy, whom he protects like a brother, to speak for him. When he is spurned by Ronnie, Harvey decides to join Red Slade's gang, who are plotting a raid on the Wind River herd. As Jim forcibly attempts to separate him from the gang, Harvey is killed; and through the aid of his horse, Tarzan, Jim foils Slade's attempt to stampede the herd. Slade takes refuge in a wagon where Ronnie is hiding; Jim rescues Ronnie from the wagon just before the runaway team plunges over a cliff with Slade riding to his doom.
After El Lobo robs Don Jose he gives one of the stolen items to Conchita. Later when he saves Anita in a runaway coach, Don Pedro invites him to the wedding of Anita and his son Don Jose. But Conchita is at the wedding and recognizes him putting his life in danger.