Hal Doyle, son of the prison warden, falls in love with a portrait of Mollie Dare, who runs a reformatory for ex-convicts where they may work for honest wages. To win the girl he poses as the notorious Tucson Joe and goes to the reformatory where his reputation causes the other men to fear him. The real Tucson Joe arrives but does not reveal his identity.
Hell Bent Wade is the victim of an attack in which is wife is killed and daughter kidnapped. A couple of decades later, he is a sheriff known only as the "mysterious rider," because of his nighttime prowls in search of cattle rustlers.
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
Wanah-to-mah, a son of the forest, is in love with Mah-to-mee. George Bradford, a stranger and prospector, sets camp in the forest and, by his carelessness, sets the forest afire. Mah-to-mee makes a great impression on the stranger and he tries to work his eastern tactics on her. He is rebuked.
Broncho Billy, in love with Bessie Hendricks, the daughter of the ranch owner for whom he is working, discovers to his sorrow that the pretty girl is in love with Ralph Spaulding, the pony express rider. Heartsore, Broncho Billy enters a saloon and proceeds to get intoxicated.
Patricia Watkins and her father are proprietors of the Lariat Saloon and dance hall but because of his small size and his tendency to keep in a state of perpetual drunkenness the old man has little to do with the business. Patricia as a barmaid meets all the riffraff of humanity drifting across the plains to the west and the Lariat Saloon is noted far and wide, not so much for the quality of its poisons as for the pretty maid who always offers a smile with the drink.
Herbert Mills, a young chap from the east, with his partner, Walter Daniels, an experienced miner, are about to set out on a prospecting trip through the mountains.
Convict No. 999, lonely in his prison cell, is handed a letter one morning from his mother. The letter states that the enfeebled old lady is ill and without food or money. The convict's heart saddens as he recalls his life of crime and that he is responsible for the poor old mother's want. He prays for the opportunity to redeem himself.
Rev. Horace Brightray, pastor of a New England village church, is ordered by his physician to seek another climate. He goes to Agua Caliente, where he attempts to hold services in the hotel dining room, but nobody attends excepting the hotel clerk and maid, and a dance hall girl, Bubbles. The proprietor of the Legal Tender saloon is very bitter toward Horace and commands them not to attend services. Horace is soon out of funds and is ejected from the hotel. Sick and hopeless, he goes to the Legal Tender and slaps Frosty across the face with his hat, feeling sure it will mean death to him.
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.
Jerry Hixon's ranch is being besieged by raiders so Ben sends for his friend Bud. When Bud arrives and finds that the outlaw Texarkana Pete has been captured, he buys Pete's clothes and posing as Pete joins the outlaw gang. But he is quickly in trouble when his masquerade is exposed.
Spitzer wants the Gordon ranch, so he has his men waylay and rob him as he returns with money. Dick finding the body also finds a blood soaked money wrapper, a clue that will help him find the culprits.
