Old Carl Stockdale is an habitual drunkard and the cause of much unhappiness to his daughter, Marguerite. Broncho Billy meets Stockdale's charming daughter and becomes very much interested in her, and realizes the sad state of affairs in the home on account of the father's failing.

Broncho Billy, a prospector, makes a rich strike, but while he is examining the rock he is being watched by three claim jumpers. The minute he leaves the spot the jumpers gather up some samples of the ore, and after replacing Broncho's sign with one of their own, start for the claim agent's office.

Through a kindly act Broncho Billy earns the deep gratitute of Marion Rivers, who presents him with a Bible. Not long afterwards, she comes upon him as he is about to hold up the stage, but at sight of the girl he is overwhelmed with shame and taking out the little Bible promises her that he will live honorably. In the meantime, Marion's father holds up the stage at another point, and one of the stagecoach drivers, mounting a bareback pony, rides off for the sheriff. Broncho Billy sees Rivers get away with the money, and when he hears the sheriff and his men coming, for Marion's sake he goes to warn her father. To shield him, he takes the bags of money and rides away with the men after him. He leaves the money at the mile post with a note saying: "SAheriff, I'm through with Bear County, this stick-up was my last", and rides across the border. (Moving Picture World Synopsis)

Broncho works for a despicable land grabber who treats his help like a brute. The men finally plot to lynch the land grabber. Broncho races on his horse ahead of them and tells him of the plot.

Tim Cantle, an evil-looking fellow, is drinking at a bar. The saloonkeeper's daughter enters, and Tim, slightly tipsy, tries to kiss her. She struggles to escape him. Broncho Billy enters and draws his gun. Tim flees. Tim gets his horse and rides away. As he approaches a house on a hill nearby, he sees Annie Fargo run out of her home, her father cursing her. Tim seizes and kisses her. She strikes him in the face and screams. Her father then comes out and drives Tim away. He sends Annie back into the house, following her with his gun. Tim swears vengeance.

Broncho Billy becomes engaged to Mae, whose sister, Marguerite, is a cripple. Her parents are unable to stand the expense of an operation which will cure her, so she starts in to save the necessary $100. Slowly the money accumulates. Meanwhile Broncho Billy is caught making moonshine whiskey in Gulch Canyon.

A desperate bandit has escaped and finding no one about Broncho's cabin, takes refuge in the attic.

Broncho Billy becomes enraged when a stranger comes to town and wins the affections of his sweetheart. On the night of the wedding Broncho Billy "shoots up" the church, wounding the bridegroom. He then escapes across the border, after leaving a note to his rival telling him he will finish the job on Christmas night.

Broncho Billy had promised Marguerite that he would never drink again. She agreed to marry him. That afternoon, one of the village gossips sees Marguerite with Boy Turner, a surveyor, and hastens to inform Broncho of it. Marguerite's sweetheart threatens to kill the surveyor, but finally suggests a duel to be fought ten minutes later. Marguerite hears of it, hastens to the minister's home, where she gets him and takes him to Kelly's saloon.

Broncho Billy and the coward are both in love with the school teacher at Snakeville. Broncho is accepted, and the coward, mad with jealousy, induces the unsuspecting rival to carry through a mock hold-up. When Broncho Billy appears as a highwayman, the school teacher shoots at him. The coward has left the crowd and fires at Broncho.

Broncho Billy and his pals plot to rob the general store. Broncho Billy is elected to go into the store and engage the proprietor in conversation while the others enter the rear door and rob the till.

A burglar enters a darkened house to rob. A young wife, home alone, phones her husband at the club, begging him to come home. He returns stinking drunk and the decent-hearted burglar must intervene.

Broncho Billy is requested to resign his office as sheriff. John Jenkin's son is appointed his successor. The new sheriff is given a severe fright a few days later when the bad man of the town enters his office and threatens to shoot him. After this episode he sends in his resignation not having the nerve to serve as sheriff.

A reward is offered for the capture of Broncho Billy and David Kirkland and freedom is promised to either one who will turn state's evidence.

The artist sits in his studio painting a picture. The girl comes in and greets him affectionately. Then she leaves and joins some friends who are selling tags for a charity organization. They all go to a cabaret with a man friend. The artist, accompanied by a chum, goes into the place and sees the girl. He reproaches her and she returns his ring. He goes into the country to paint. While there he meets the other girl, a sweet, unspoiled child of nature. He paints her picture and she falls in love with him. A tree which she and her father are cutting falls on the artist. They bring him to their cabin and the doctor says there is little hope for his recovery. The artist raves about the girl and the other girl determines to bring her to save his life.

William Young and his daughter, Mildred, settle in the west, with the intention of investing their money in a mine. True Boardman, a mine shark, knowing that Young will be easy money, salts the mine and sells it to them.

The capitalist one evening suddenly realizes that his wife is slowly drifting away from him. A certain young Rodney Hildebrand has been paying her great attention and her affairs are the common gossip at the club. He determines to at least save his wife's name from dishonor.

The scene opens in the bunk house of the Lazy K Ranch, where we see Jack Hartley and his pal Jack Smythe. Hartley has just received a letter from the east, in which his mother asks him for money. Hartley is much depressed. He is broke and sees no immediate prospect of recouping his fortunes. Smythe, learning of Hartley's dilemma, offers his roll to his pal, who gratefully accepts it.

In a fight Marguerite's father kills a man and Broncho Billy, the sheriff, goes in search of the slayer. Marguerite successfully hides her father. Broncho Billy, however, waits on the outside. Marguerite, in order to get the sheriff away from the door and allow her father to make his escape, leads Broncho Billy to believe that she has hidden her father in a woodshed. Broncho Billy with drawn revolver rushes into the outer building and Marguerite hastily throws on the lock, making him a prisoner.

Broncho Billy, ranch foreman, finds Tom Warner has squatted on a section of Stockdale's ranch. He complains to the owner, who tells him to oust Warner. The squatter, however, refuses to go. Shortly afterward, the ranch owner is shot. Broncho Billy, to get even with Warner, secretly arranges things so that his rival is accused and finally hanged on circumstantial evidence. The following fall, Broncho Billy proposes to Marguerite, but visions of the dead man haunt him...