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A sister act finds itself stranded and broke, and teams up with a medicine man who is promoting a child talent contest.

A sheriff and his posse shoot it out with a gang of robbers headed by Bad Jake Kennedy. The surviving robber, Buckshot John, won't tell where the gang's loot is hidden and gets 30 years in prison. Halfway through his sentence he "gets religion" and in order to save his soul, decides to tell where the gang has hidden its stash of gold. However, a phony clairvoyant, The Great Gilmore, finds out about John's intentions and tricks him into revealing where the gold is. When John finds out what happened, he decides to break out of prison and take care of matters himself.

In 1840, while California is ruled by Mexico, American settlers are in constant danger from Mexican marauders. After a band of Mexican soldiers led by American renegade George Granville kill the parents of Leonardo Davis, he vows vengeance and begins a career as a masked highwayman who terrorizes the Mexican offenders. Because Leonardo gives his plunder to those Americans who have been robbed, and he protects the women, children, poor, and helpless from attacks, he becomes known as "Captain Courtesy." At the San Fernando Mission, Leonardo falls in love with Eleanor, the orphaned ward of Father Reinaldo. For Eleanor's sake, Leonard renounces his mission of vengeance and joins the California Riflemen. When Granville learns about a cache of gold hidden at the Mission, he organizes an attack. Leonardo crashes through the stained glass window on his horse and rides to General Stephen Kearny's troops encamped in Los Angeles, who then rout the Mexicans. When Granville boldly admits that he slew the Davises, Leonardo fights him, but Eleanor persuades him to spare Granville's life.

A pacifist mother tries to protect her son, whose patriotism makes him want to enlist in the army. Her uncle, a doctor, has invented a heart medication which mimics heart disease. Just a drop or ten in her son's drink should keep him home.

While working his way through college, Paul Potter acquires a flock of wealthy friends who encourage him to give up his hometown fiancée, Sylvia Castle, for Muriel Evers, a flirtatious married woman. After Sylvia releases Paul, and Muriel's husband divorces her for infidelity, Paul and Muriel marry. Meanwhile, when Sylvia's father dies after being ruined in the stock market, she goes from one job to another in the city until she tries acting in a stock company. There she befriends Henry Leamington, an alcoholic leading man, who, as he tutors her, falls in love and stops drinking because of her. When Paul discovers Muriel's unfaithfulness, he renews his acquaintance with Sylvia, who still loves him. After Muriel dies in an automobile crash, Paul's appearance in Sylvia's dressing room before an opening night causes Henry to drink, but after Sylvia refuses Paul's request to be his mistress, Henry braces himself to give a commanding performance, after which they marry.

Frank Austin, a soldier, one day sees Colonel Kinkaid, his superior officer, abusing a little lame newsboy, and in a passion knocks the coward down. He is court-martialed for this and given a sentence of five years. That night the newsboy aids him to escape from the guardhouse, and Austin sets out for Colorado. Thomas Doyle is a professor of languages in a college and lives happily with his wife, Mary, and Kitty, his sister. His wife's health has been failing for some time, and at last the doctor tells them the only hope for her is that she seek a drier climate. On the way Doyle, his wife and Kitty make the acquaintance of Colonel Kinkaid, who is going to Denver on business, and makes himself useful to the party. Kinkaid wires a henchman of his, Staples, a gambler and crook. By acting as Kinkaid's agent, Staples gets Doyle to invest in worthless land, leaving Doyle with a balance of only five hundred dollars. Austin has been working a claim just above the tract bought by Doyle, and one day while he is working he is accosted by one of the natives, Old Morgan, tells him that he will never find anything there, whereupon Austin shows him some samples taken out of the claim which prove to be rich in gold. With the dry season Doyle finds everything on his land is dead and Old Morgan tells him that his land would be rich if it was irrigated, but that it is worthless as it is. Doyle is discouraged over his finances, but finds consolation in the fact that his wife is very much improved. Staples had noticed Austin working, and stealing some of the ore, takes it to Kinkaid and the two have it assayed. It proves to be very rich and they plan to work the young man out of his claim. Kitty and her brother are out hunting one day and discover Austin wounded by a blast. They pick him up and take him to Doyle's house. They find that Kinkaid has arrived at Doyle's, and made himself very much at home. Kitty is sent for water, and after she has been gone a long time, her brother goes in search of her. He finds her in the grasp of Staples. They fight and Staples confesses that Kinkaid was back of the land deal. Kinkaid recognizes Austin and makes the ex-soldier give him a partnership in his mine. The mine is developed, and Doyle accepts a position as foreman. Kinkaid has given Mrs. Doyle a revolver, and one day takes her for a hunt. Staples accosts Doyle at the mine. Doyle thrashes him and Staples swears revenge. Later, when Doyle and Kitty have gone down in the mine, Staples manages to stop the lift and prevent their escape during a blast. The blast goes off and a flood of water is released in the mine. They are rescued just in time by Austin. The water proves the key to wealth for Doyle as it irrigates his arid land. Staples is drowned. Doyle tells Kinkaid of the flooding of the mine and finds him in intimate conversation with his wife. He throws him out and demands an explanation from his wife. Mrs. Doyle, unable to explain, leaves home and goes to Denver. Austin goes to work for Doyle, his mine being flooded. He and Kitty are in love with each other, but every time he goes to take her in his arms he thinks of the sentence hanging over him and stops. Both Kitty and her brother suspect that something is wrong and finally get him to explain the cause. In the city, Kinkaid seeks every opportunity to put himself in Mary's way and finally one day she draws a gun on him and forces him out of the room. Kitty, her brother, and Austin arrive at the hotel, and while the men are seeking Kinkaid, Kitty finds her sister-in-law. The women return in time to see a fight between Doyle and Kinkaid, and Mary saves her husband's life by shooting Kinkaid in the arm. Kinkaid is forced to write a letter clearing Austin and all return to the tract. Doyle and his wife are reconciled. Some time later Austin gets his pardon and there is now nothing to hinder his marriage with Kitty.

Loulie, suddenly impoverished, becomes Mrs. Hazard's social secretary, her chief duties being to separate Mrs. Hazard's son and daughter from undesirable matrimonial choices they have made. Loulie pleases everyone, but several mysterious thefts cast suspicion on her. These thefts are finally traced to Winthrop, the young author engaged to Miss Hazard. He denies them, but is chased by the authorities in his motorboat. Meanwhile, Hap has transferred his affections from Natalie, who is older than he, to Loulie. Loulie hears a noise at night and goes downstairs in her kimona. She surprises some picture thieves at work, is overpowered and kidnapped. Hap goes to her rescue, but is injured. The chase becomes very exciting. Loulie is locked in a deserted house, but shoots at the guard through the door and escapes only to faint on the beach, where Hap discovers and rescues her. Back in the house Thomas, the new footman, discovers the Duc de Trouville and a gang of thieves at work cutting the paintings from their frames. The Duc and Thomas fight. The new footman, who turns out to be a detective, is saved by the party returning with Loulie. It is now made clear that Mrs. Cutler, a guest in the house, belongs to the gang and by a trick fastened guilt on Winthrop who is restored to favor. Loulie accents Hap.

Dan Breen, the doctor of the little village of Oak Town, tiring of his humdrum existence, bids farewell to his cousins, the Owens, on his departure for the city. He meets with success, and, while engaged in hospital practice, becomes infatuated with Silvia Bates, a pretty nurse. Influenced by wild companions, a mock marriage ceremony is performed. The little nurse believes she is Breen's wife, until unexpectedly entering the room where Breen is recounting the affair to a party, the terrible truth is revealed to her. Denouncing him, she spurns the money offered, and, frantic in her grief, decides to go as far away from the scene of her sorrow as possible. Pawning her rings, she uses the money to buy a ticket to a point as far as possible, which, strangely enough, ends her journey at the little village which was formerly Breen's home. Wandering through the country side, she asks for a drink of water at the home of the Owens. They pity the evident distress of the girl and finally engage her as a servant in their household. As time goes by Ned Owens falls in love with Silvia and asks her to become his wife. The old pain, which the balm of her sweet surroundings has quieted, comes back as Silvia tells Ned she can never be his wife. One day Breen decides to take a vacation and visit the home of his country cousins. For his reception a dance is given. He arrives and is warmly greeted by his friends. He then comes face to face with the woman he has wronged. Afraid of exposure, he terrifies Silvia into leaving her new home. Mounting his horse, he goes to make sure of her departure, when his steed becomes frightened and bolts. Breen is fatally hurt. Silvia, who has witnessed the accident from a nearby road, is with him in time to grant him her forgiveness. Ned's true love at last finds its reward and the clouds of unhappiness pass out of Silvia's life forever,

Wally Dreislin commits suicide because his family disapproved of his romance with chorus girl Estelle Ryan, the newspapers, delighting in all the details of the affair, turn Estelle into a national celebrity. Fame only increases her power to attract men, and she soon is involved in a romance with Jansen Winthrop, another young man from a wealthy family. Jansen's alarmed mother then begs Robert, her other son, to end the relationship. Obediently, Robert kidnaps Estelle and takes her to a remote hunting lodge with plans to keep her there until she agrees to leave Jansen. After several weeks, however, Robert realizes that Estelle's reputation as a vamp has been completely engineered by the press. As a result, Robert sends for Jansen to retrieve his sweetheart, but when he arrives, Estelle announces that she has fallen in love with her abductor, and then begins a romance with him.

Mrs. Helen Barker, mother of son Jack, is married to Jerrold Scott. When Jack finishes college he returns home and is made a partner of his stepfather in the firm of Scott and Son, and at Scott's request he adopts his stepfather's surname. Scott and Son's reception room is full of girls waiting in answer to an advertisement for a stenographer. One pretty girl opens the wrong door and enters the room where Jack is waiting for his father. She and Jack get into conversation and she tells him of her troubles in finding a position; he tells her that it is his first day in business. Scott, entering, greets his son and shows him the sign on the door including him in the firm. Jack tells him that the girl is Gertie Meyer, who is looking for a position and who came to the wrong door. She is sent to the waiting room and Jack is taken to the auditing department to get his first training. The bookkeeper, Crane, who has been with the firm 20 years, and knows Scott's requirements for a secretary, selects those who are competent but lacking in physical charms, and sends them in for interview. One of these is Miss Wiggins, but she is too clever and is sent out to interview Crane. He retains her for some extra work on his own account. Scott, coming to the door, selects Gertie and dismisses the others. He asks her many personal questions, but nothing about her efficiency, and accepts her at a higher salary than she asked of him. Gertie, delighted with her position, begs her mother to leave the laundry where she is working, and brings her two small brothers home from the orphan asylum. All goes well the first week, except that with the first dictation Gertie makes a hopeless failure of the letters, and when she cries over her failure, Scott, in a fatherly way, puts his arms around her, and tells her that it was a difficult letter, and he will straighten it out. When he goes out, and while Gertie is making the corrections, Miss Wiggins slips into the private office and warns Gertie about Scott, tells her just what to expect, and asks her if he has taken her to luncheon yet. Gertie resents this and warmly defends her benefactor. When Scott returns and learns that Gertie has no money to pay for her luncheon, he persuades her to go to a restaurant and lunch with him. She dissents, but finally goes. She is awed by the fashionable people, the music, and the odd names on the menu. She refuses to have a cocktail, but Scott drinks. Seeing Paul Montgomery, his daughter's fiancé, in the restaurant, he feigns sudden illness to avoid speaking to him, gives Gertie a $10 bill and tells her he must rush off to meet an engagement and for her to pay for the meal. By the end of the first month at her position, Gertie has often dined with her employer, but her sense of propriety never ceases to be outraged by his amorous demonstrations. In the meantime, Jack Scott, who has had a growing interest in her since the morning she applied for the position, declares his love for her. and asks her to marry him. In her perplexity, Gertie goes to the Y.W.C.A. to call upon Miss Wiggins, who tells her to marry Jack if he really loves her, and receive no more attentions from the father. Gertie resolves to do this, even though she lose her position. The next day Scott asks Gertie to remain at the office in the evening, to do some work for him. Jack, not seeing Gertie leave the office, secretly waits for her. When the other employees are gone, Scott locks the door, seizes Gertie in his arms, and declares his love for her. In the struggle which follows, Gertie screams for help. Jack smashes through the door and defends the girl. Scott does not know of their love, and orders Jack out. In the excitement Gertie slips out. Jack, not knowing her address, hires detectives to locate her. Gertie, arriving home, is denounced by her mother for bringing the family to poverty again, and threatens to go to Scott's house herself and take a lawyer with her. Gertie goes out to a telephone and calls Jack, and at his request meets him at his home. Together they wait for his mother and sister, but when they come they do not receive Gertie with open arms. Scott and his lawyer Stuart are in the library discussing the affair when the butler gives away the fact that Jack and his fiancée are in the house with Mrs. Scott. Mrs. Meyers, enraged that detectives should be sent to her house, and fearing that the Scott millions have led away her little girl, bursts in and denounces Scott in her broken German-English. Stuart is authorized to provide financial aid for the Meyer family, and when Scott learns that Jack has not told the whole story to Mrs. Scott, he forgives everything, thanks his lucky stars that his wife does not know his perfidy, and accepts the situation in a truly happy way.

Stanley Clark seduces innocent young Marion in a hotel room, then tears out the incriminating page from the hotel register to use for blackmailing. Years later, Marion marries Governor John Loring whose brother, Richard, overhears Clark extorting money from Marion. Richard follows Marion to Clark's room where she begs for more time to raise the required money. As Richard fights with Clark, Marion picks up a gun and accidentally shoots and kills the blackmailer. Richard takes the blame for the murder, is convicted and sentenced to be executed. Out of guilt and fear, Marion remains silent during the trial, but eventually tells her husband the truth. In order to save his brother, John sacrifices the governorship and moves his family to another city.

On the eve of Dick Ross' wedding to Lillian Clay, he is made the victim of a practical joke. Arthur Lyons and other friends kidnap Dick, bear him to the Lyons home and there, by prearrangement, a servant informs him that the house has just been quarantined for smallpox. Dick attempts to force his way out but is halted by policemen. Night breaks into dawn and as the hours quickly turn into minutes until the wedding time, Dick becomes frantic. Finally he escapes through a coal chute and reaches the altar a few moments before noon, but still in time for the ceremony. His bride gets revenge, however, by having the same motion picture "cops" arrest Arthur for speeding off with her husband-to-be.

John Alden, a keen, shrewd businessman, is so engrossed with the making of money and winning success that he neglects his wife, Ruth, and their small daughter, Margery. His wife, Ruth, is an artist and takes great delight in her work, as well as caring for her small daughter. Comes Mortimer Morrison, a friend of the husband's. He is attracted to Ruth, admires and covets. She accepts his attentions, but not in the spirit in which they are offered, being loyal to her husband. One night Ruth gives a big dinner; it is their wedding anniversary, and Alden is so busy that he forgets all about it. But the climax is reached when he brings along Mortimer to take her to the opera after he has kept her waiting for over an hour. She consents to elope with Mortimer and that night finds her leaving with Margery. Once aboard the train, however, she regrets what she is doing and gets off. When Alden returns home, after completing a big deal, which places him in the class of the big men of Wall Street, he finds his home empty. Then for a couple of years he is cold, and hard, and cynical. But there comes the time when he sees a painting done by his wife and memory will give him no peace until he has put forth every effort to find her and the baby. The detectives locate her humble dwelling and while she has gone to the art dealer's he comes and kidnaps Margery. Returning home, Ruth is frantic, but at police headquarters is told that a lost child was reported as being taken to a certain hotel and Alden's detective offers his assistance. Alden hears them coming and hides behind some draperies while Ruth rushes to the sleeping Margery. When she looks up she sees her husband standing beside her and once more the family is united.

Kindheart is a shepherd employed by Infirmity. He woos Devotion, the daughter of his employer. Valor, the girl's brother, discountenances Kindheart's presumption, and strikes the simple shepherd in the face, but the humble lad refuses to retaliate, explaining that he cannot harm anyone. Valor brands him a coward before a gathering throng. Later Valor, while hunting in the mountains, falls to the bottom of a ravine, and is badly wounded. Kindheart finds him and carries him to his home. Valor begs forgiveness for his former hostility and the two swear eternal friendship. Ewes straying from the herd are devoured by a panther, Finding the trail of blood, Kindheart follows it to the panther's lair, and kills the beast. Valor witnesses the deed and proclaims Kindheart's fearlessness to the villagers. Valor removes all his objections to Kindheart's marriage to his sister. The lovers' troth is plighted and Devotion becomes the promised wife of Kindheart. Later, while the wedding is being celebrated, Braggart, a recruiting sergeant, with a company of soldiers, makes his appearance and announces that war involving their country has been declared. All the able-bodied men of the village enlist, except Kindheart, who exclaims: "I cannot shed the blood of my brothers." Everybody turns against him except his wife, Devotion, and Infirmity. The months pass. A baby is born to Devotion and Kindheart. Near the village is the camp of a company of renegade soldiers, who raid the community, killing many helpless women and children, among them being Devotion, her baby and Infirmity. Returning from the hills Kindheart is horrified at the sight that greets his eyes. On the walls of his home he discovers a picture with a bloody hand imprint clearly defined, and he swears to find its owner. With his violin and the bloody imprint he starts on his mission. Time passes. Kindheart's face becomes haggard and his hair unkempt. He wanders from camp to camp within the enemy's lines, a wandering musician, telling fortunes. By means of a smoked glass, a method of his telling fortunes, he obtains fingerprints. These he scans at night in the hope of finding the replica of that on the bloody picture which he always carries. His wanderings lead him to a wayside inn. Here Lust and Loot, the soldiers who killed his family, and their companions, are making merry. Kindheart enters and Lust commands him to tell his fortune. As he looks at the sooty imprint on the paper before him Kindheart recognizes the impression and knows he has come upon his family's murderer. The soldiers fall asleep. Kindheart withdraws the bloody print and compares it with the sooty paper. The marks are the same. Lust awakens and sees Kindheart making the comparison. He is about to kill Kindheart when the shepherd springs upon him, and avenges the death of his loved ones. Kindheart dashes off on a horse belonging to one of the soldiers, and days later he comes upon a detachment of the enemy's troops. In his madness to kill Kindheart seizes the rifle of a fallen soldier. In fiendish glee his rifle sends missiles of death for his own brothers. The directing officer raising his sword to call a charge falls with a bullet in his brain. Kindheart assumes his place. The battle is a hand-to-hand conflict. In the foreground Kindheart meets Valor. Not recognizing each other the two engage in a furious fight. Valor falls wounded and as Kindheart bends over him, he recognizes Valor. Night finds him still beside Valor's body. A party of soldiers, gathering the dead, come and take the body away and Kindheart is left alone. At last he is in his native mountains again. An untended flock of sheep is scattered about. A lamb lies in the foreground with a broken leg. Kindheart looks about him. He tenderly picks up the lamb and soothes it like a child as the picture fades.

Unhappy with her shotgun marriage to Southern aristocrat Arthur Heatherway, Valerie Marchmont leaves her new husband and, after giving her infant daughter to a Virginia family, goes to Alaska to work in a dance hall. Years later, the daughter, Adrian Gardiner, wants to marry Richard Carver. Richard's father Robert, refuses them to marry because Adrian cannot provide any information about her parents. Following a hunch, Richard goes to Alaska to find the mother Adrian never knew, but just after locating Valerie, he is shot by saloon owner Jim McNeil. When Adrian and Robert go to Alaska to be with Richard during his recuperation, Robert recognizes Valerie as the wife of his old friend Arthur. As a result, he approves of the marriage, but the celebration accompanying the news is cut short when Valerie and Jim kill each other in a fight.

Tom Morton, in love with Elsie, is unaware that his friend, Jack Winters, also loves her and is trying to win her away from him. While out riding one day, Tom sees a little Indian child playing with a rattlesnake. He shoots the rattler and thereby gains the gratitude of the child's mother. Returning to her hut with the child, the mother is beaten by her husband, Sancho, while he is in a drunken frenzy and she, swearing vengeance, follows him with a gun. In the meantime Tom and Sancho meet and have an altercation. As Tom draws his gun, the squaw shoots from ambush and Sancho drops dead. Men rushing out of the store find Tom with his gun drawn and he is accused of the murder. Jack who has been attracted by the queer action of the squaw, follows her and witnesses the firing of the shot, but remains silent, planning to have Tom convicted of the murder and thereby winning Elsie. The day before the trial, Jack frightens the squaw into leaving by telling her that she is suspected of the murder and she, after a night of wandering falls exhausted at the door of Elsie's home. While being cared for by Elsie and her mother the squaw recognizes the picture of Tom and upon being told the cause of Elsie's grief she confesses that she killed Sancho. Elsie immediately takes her to the court house where she tells her story. As she finishes the exposure, the wounds inflicted by her husband prove fatal and she falls dead at the feet of the man she has saved.

Charles King, a sheriff, starts out to capture Black Jack, a bandit. In the fight the bandit's little son is wounded and Black Jack escapes. The boy is adopted by the sheriff, who finds that the lad has a birthmark on the left shoulder. Black Jack is arrested in another county and sentenced to fifteen years. His son grows up and knows only the sheriff as his father. After many years Black Jack returns to get even with the sheriff. Thinking his own boy is the sheriff's son, he captures the lad, but is seen by the sheriff's daughter, who tells her father. In a lonely cabin Black Jack is about to kill the boy, when the birthmark reveals that it is his own son. Black Jack's half-bred pal pulls a gun to kill the lad, but the bandit steps between them and receives the bullet in his own body. The sheriff and daughter arrive as the bandit expires, and the sheriff promises him not to tell his son who his father was.

A water company desires the Mojave Indians' right to a strip of land in Arizona. The big chief refuses to sign with the company's agent without the approval of his son, Brave Eagle, who is attending an Eastern college. The Indians trust Brave Eagle. He refuses to sign, and agents are sent to him to change his mind. Falling in this, they introduce a young woman to win his love and influence him to sign the paper. Her purpose accomplished, she spurns the Indian, and he sees he has been duped. In frenzy, Brave Eagle adopts the red man's way. He captures the adventuress and takes her to his tribe, where she is made to do bard work like a squaw. After a time Brave Eagle bids her return to her people, but in the meantime she has fallen in love with him and asks to be his wife, whereupon the Indian spurns her as she once spurned him.

Ramona Martinez, a beautiful Mexican flower girl, is the support of her widowed mother. One day, while out gathering flowers for her basket, she meets a young Mexican youth and they are mutually attracted with each other. In time the acquaintance ripens into love, Manuel Vasquez, the leader of a band of Mexican guerrillas, comes to the city one night and enters a café where many of the army officers and better class of Mexicans are enjoying themselves. During the evening, Ramona enters the café to sell her flowers. She passes from table to table and finally conies to where Vasquez is seated. He speaks to her hut she repulses him. He leaves the café and calls his lieutenant and one of his band, and tells them that they shall get the girl and bring her to him. They go to the café, and as the girl leaves she is overpowered and carried away by the bandits. Jose, who is coming to meet her and take her home, sees the abduction, but is too late to be of any service. He enters the café and tells of Ramona's trouble. The habitués of the place are not interested in the flower girl and his appeal for aid is unheeded. He then decides to go to the priest and ask for aid. He does so, and while there a messenger comes from the bandit, asking that the Padre accompany the messenger into the mountains to perform a marriage ceremony. The Padre hits upon a plan whereby they can rescue Ramona, and he gives Jose a priest's robe, and they arm themselves. They then accompany the messenger to the stronghold of the bandits. As the ceremony is about to be performed the Padre and Jose suddenly draw the guns and overpower the two bandits and bind them. The Padre and Ramona then leave the camp, she, dressed as a priest, goes for aid, for Jose has been captured. They take two of the bandit's horses and start for the city. Arriving there, they go for the cavalry, who immediately set out for the rendezvous. They surprise the bandits and capture the entire band. As they are led away, Jose and Ramona kneel and receive the blessings of the Padre.

Gloria is a wealthy girl who is in love with Martin, a poor newspaper reporter. She is also being courted by Dick, a wealthy man. She has a misunderstanding with Martin, and he writes her a note, saying that he is going to the woods to try to forget. So Gloria decides to go there, too, and Dick, when he hears that Gloria is not in town, goes to the woods on a fishing trip. In the woods Gloria poses as a wild girl, and meets Martin in this role. He recognizes her, but says nothing. One day, the maid goes to town for supplies, and Dick and his friends, who have become interested in the wild girl, go to the cabin, all of them intoxicated. Gloria is terrified when they break in and begin to assault her. But just at this time Martin comes along and rescues Gloria. So all ends happily as they are reconciled.

Upon her deathbed Mrs. Sherwood entrusts her son Richard to the care of his older brother Darrell. Years pass and Darrell becomes the village preacher and Richard a lawyer. Darrell is a favorite of the community; Richard is a would-be daredevil and a modern swashbuckler. Clandestinely Richard has been meeting Molly Foster. One night while at his club gambling and drinking heavily, he receives a note from Molly asking him to see her at once. At the gate of her home Molly tells him her dread secret. Warning her to keep silence and making promises he leaves. The following Sunday, when the services at Darrell's church is over, Richard greets Faith Richardson. Faith shows an interest in Darrell, which Richard notes with disfavor. The brothers accompany Faith and her father Colonel Richardson, to their home. At the Foster home, Molly lies in bed with the newborn babe. Her father demands to know the name of the child's father, but Molly refuses to answer. He gives her the option of telling her secret or leaving home. She accepts the latter course and goes to live in a cottage on the edge of town provided by Darrell through Faith. Later at a meeting of the "Ladies' Aid Society" the cat element decides that Molly and her baby must leave town. Just as the Society, which has gone to Molly's abode with two constables, is denouncing her, Darrell, who has been apprised of their decision, arrives and in a fury of indignation he berates the committee soundly and they leave the room. Molly is taken very ill and realizing that her end is near, takes her child and makes her way to Darrell and Richard's home. She begs Richard to give her child a name, but he throws her off as Darrell enters; Molly confesses her secret to him. Darrell insists that Richard marry Molly at once and the ceremony begins, but Molly dies before it is finished. Richard steals from the room. Making his way to the Richardson home he leads Faith back to the window giving a view of Darrell's study. He is seen carrying Molly in his arms to the sofa. Richard points to the scene and swears to the truth of the situation the action implies. With Molly gone Darrell adopts the baby. Later Richard and Faith are married. Time passes. Richard grows tired of Faith and gambles heavily. He takes all of his brother's money, and heavily masked holds up Col. Richardson. He commits a number of robberies in the vicinity, and a vigilance committee is formed, headed by Col. Richardson. Hounded, Richard makes his way to the cottage wherein Molly lived. As he rushes into the darkened room he becomes conscious of the fact that he is not alone. He draws his pistol hut before he can use it the figure jumps upon him and unmasks him. Richard faces his brother, whose sorrows had driven him from his study that night. Richard pleads with Darrell to save him, and remembering his oath to his mother the latter assumes the guilt when the committee arrives. An impromptu court is held and Darrell is ordered to leave town the following morning. By morning Richard has not returned and fearing for his safety, Faith starts in search of him. Intuition leads her to Molly's cottage. In the center of the room she finds Richard dead. A scrap of paper beside him tells the story. In the meantime Darrell has started his weary way. Realizing the great wrong done him Faith hurries to her father with Richard's dying confession. Mounting his horse Col. Richardson starts after Darrell. At a fork in the road he overtakes him and there gently breaks the news of Richard's death and shows him the message. The Colonel grasps Darrell's hand and starts to lead him home.

Tom Morris, a young cowboy, is in love with Helen Walters, the daughter of an old miner. Jim Watson, the foreman of a ranch, is also in love with Helen, but she prefers Tom, and Jim resolves to get rid of his rival in some way, thereby leaving the coast clear for his own wooing. A band of Indians have been committing depredations in the neighborhood and Jim devises a plan of forming an expedition to exterminate them. He also plans to have Tom accompany them, resolving that he will not return alive. Helen, hearing of the plan to exterminate the Indians, makes Tom promise that he will not accompany the party. When the posse is being formed, Tom is asked to join, but refuses. The men taunt him and accuse him of cowardice. He finally gains Helen's consent to go, and receives Jim's sacred promise that he will bring Tom back unharmed. The expedition departs. In a battle with the Indians the little party is nearly exterminated and Tom and Jim are both badly wounded. Jim discovers Tom lying unconscious and determines to kill him. As he is about to raise his gun to commit the deed, a vision comes to him of his promise to Helen, and he decides to prove himself a man. Placing the form of the unconscious Tom on his shoulders, he starts across the desert for home. During a little party, at which Helen is present, she sits thinking of her lover, when suddenly a premonition comes to her that Tom is in great danger. So strongly is it suggested to her that she induces her father and several other friends to accompany her in a search for Tom. They start out on the trail taken by the expedition. In the meantime, Jim has been tramping across the desert with his burden and finally the strain proves too much and he falls exhausted. There is only a little water left and as he is about to drink some of it, the unconscious Tom revives and asks for a drink. Jim hands him the canteen and Tom, in his delirium, drains it. Realizing that they must have water to remain alive, Jim again picks Tom up and starts on his weary tramp. After a short time, he is unable to go further and sinks to' the ground. Here Helen and the searchers find them. Tom is revived, but Jim's wounds and his exertions have proved too much for him and he is beyond help. Helen realizes that he has given his life to fulfill the promise he made her, and she presses a kiss upon his lips as he dies in her arms.

John Moore, a miner, leaves his wife and daughter for a prospecting trip to the Altar district. Successful beyond his expectations, he locates a rich placer mine and leaves for Altar to file his notice. His good fortune is known to Pedro Huerta, who has spied on him, and following Moore, Pedro does away with him, appropriates his claim and inserts his own location papers in the place of those of Moore. Sanchez, a renegade Mexican, has witnessed the crime and, accusing Pedro, demands hush-money. Six months elapse, and hearing no word of her father, Dollie leaves her mother and goes to the Altar district in search of him, carrying a letter which introduces her into the home of the sheriff. Here she meets Bob Shaw, an actor, who has been stranded in Altar, and has accepted a position with Pedro, now a prosperous mine owner. Dollie goes to Pedro's mine to make inquiries concerning her father, and learning her name, Pedro is filled with apprehension, but finding that Dollie has no suspicion, he offers his services in the search. In the meantime, Sanchez continues his blackmail, threatening Pedro with exposure, and Pedro, who is infatuated with Dollie, pays him liberally for his silence. All is well until Bob Shaw, the actor, following Pedro into a saloon on business, accidentally overhears Sanchez threatening Pedro. Bob conceives an idea to frighten Pedro into confessing his crime and restoring the mine to Dollie. Decoying the murderer to the home of the sheriff, with a note from Dollie, Shaw appears before him, made up in an exact image of John Moore. Pedro, thinking it a ghost, makes a full confession, which is taken by the sheriff, who then arrests Pedro for the murder of John Moore. For consolation, after the exciting affair, Dollie turns to Bob Shaw, who has shown his loyalty to her.

Oceola, an Indian maiden, has been annoyed by the attentions of Black Hawk, a renegade, who makes his home with the tribe. One day Black Hawk forces her to listen to his drunken wooing, but is stopped by Tom Hopkins, a cowboy, who hears her cry and goes to her assistance. Tom beats the renegade and receives the Indian girl's heartfelt thanks. Tom's manly bearing and good looks have made an impression upon the little Indian maid, and she sets to work upon an elaborate tobacco pouch which she intends to give him as a present. One day, the bag being complete, she goes to present it, but is followed by Black Hawk. Oceola finds him talking to Rose, his employer's daughter, to whom he is engaged. The Indian girl presents her offering. Tom, who has no idea of the furor he has started in the Indian girl's heart, is rather surprised, but accepts the gift carelessly, and when Rose expresses her admiration for it, does not hesitate to give it to her. The two then depart, leaving Oceola speechless with mortification that the gift should have been so thanklessly received. As she returns home she meets Black Hawk, who has witnessed the scene. He is eager for revenge upon Tom for the beating he had given him and be plays upon the Indian girl's anger. Oceola finally agrees to aid him in a scheme in which he proposes to abduct Rose. Rose is caught, brought to the Indian village and placed in the Chief's tent in the care of Oceola. Rose pleads with the Indian girl and finally, repentant of her hasty action and filled with pity for the white girl, Oceola agrees to aid her to escape. Taking a ring from Rose, she bribes one of the tribesmen to take news of Rose's capture to her father. Rose's father with Tom and a bunch of cowboys attack the village and rescue the captured girl. In the mêlée Oceola, while endeavoring to help Rose escape to a place where she will be safe from the firing, is shot and dies.

James Hudson, a young civil engineer, is engaged in surveying land in Southern California, when he meets and falls in love with Pequita, the daughter of Don Jose Alvarado, a Mexican farmer. Pequita learns to love Hudson and they are eventually married. Two years pass and Hudson has become addicted to the use of liquor, and has grown tired of Pequita. One day, while in a drunken rage, he strikes her, and as she falls unconscious, and he, being unable to revive her, believes her dead. He runs from the house, and, after a long journey, falls exhausted at the door of a mission. The padre finds him and takes him inside, where he is nursed back to health and eventually becomes a monk. In the meantime, Pequita has been found by her father and taken to his home, where her little son is born. Twenty years elapse and the son, grown to manhood, has joined the insurgent Mexican army and is selected to do duty as a spy. He enlists in the Federal forces and in the execution of his duties as a spy, he is discovered and tried by court martial. He is condemned to death, but when the commanding officer visits him in his cell, the boy overpowers him and escapes by donning the officer's cloak and bat. A detachment of soldiers give chase and overtake him at the door of the mission. The padre protects the boy and requests that he be allowed one hour for confession, after which the padre promises to deliver the prisoner to them. The officer consents and the boy is led inside. He requests that his mother be sent for and a monk goes to bring her. When she arrives she immediately recognizes the monk as her husband, and tells him that the boy is his son. At the expiration of the hour the officer demands his prisoner, and the men are waiting outside the mission gate to carry out the execution. As the boy and mother are kneeling in prayer, the father dons the cloak and cap in which the boy escaped and goes out. As he opens the gate and steps forth, be is met by a volley of bullets from the guns of the soldiers, who march away, believing they have done their duty. The mother and son rush from the mission and fall weeping across the body of the father who, with his life, atoned for the suffering he had caused them.